Hey mate - I purchased a 2001 Subaru Outback and worked on for 18 months. Got it on April 1 2021 and only 4 months ago I got it registrated. Hope your project goes great...Mine runs awesome now!!!
Your camera angles, snap on tools, no talking just concise thought out captions....you kick ass man thanks. I have used primarily your videos to replace on my 06 obk front hub/bearings, front control arms, side links, transfer case seal and drive shaft (3 times), flush my coolant, power steering flush, ac clutch replacement, both power belts....and a lot more haha. I owe you for saving me literally HOURS AND HOURS of labor when its $125 an hour now in my area for mechanics.
Pro tip: disconnect top radiator hose and slowly refill coolant into hose until it won’t take anymore then reconnect and top off.. eliminates air pockets.
Must be nice working in South Carolina outside rust belt. One of bolts for my reservoir bottle was seized. No way it was coming apart. Ended up snapping it off and drilling out the insert which turned into a whole project on its own. Heat from drilling it ended up melting plastic around insert and it came out on its own drilled the insert out and used it as a spacer and secured the bottle with a #6 nut , bolt and washer. The plastic was left very thin on the fan shroud around where the overfill bottle bolts on and broke so required some pb weld to correct. For anyone working in rust belt or Canada, I would strongly suggest spraying down all the fasteners required to do this job with a good penetrant everyday for several days to a week prior to attempting this job. Trust me it’ll save you a bunch of hassle on something that should be simple.
Thumbs up to you Mr Subaru. I'll remember this next time I flush/fill. It's been 90° every day since I changed it and no problems so I don't think the distilled water will matter much but I'm pissed, forgive my rant. I just changed the radiator in my 07 2.5i. I watched 4 videos about flushing coolant twice over during the time I was waiting for the parts to come in. 2 of them were Subaru specific, but none of them mentioned the drain plugs in the block and this video doesn't show up in my recommended till 4 days after I do it? After my searches on both RU-vid and Google? 🖕 Your algorithm RU-vid. I ironically saw them while I was under my car and said "hmm wonder what thats for" cuz it even looks like a drain plug!
So I probably looked through your video numerous of times to do a drain just like this for a 2011 subaru outback 3.6r 5eat trans. The drain plug for the coolant was way to tight space wise to get to. Without using a torque wrench I pulled the inner hose on the oil cooler closest to the exhaust manifold. Was incredibly easy. After following the rest of the video it was a piece of cake. Just want to say thank you and to also help others with similar make model and year as my car.
Hey Mr. Subaru, Can you do a video on a coolant drain on fill on crosstreks? I can't seem to find any videos on this and want to make sure I do it correctly. Would this video apply to a 2017 Crosstrek Subaru Limited AWD? I want to save some money at home and would love some feedback. Thank you.
Very helpful video. Just as an aside coolant from the overflow reservoir can be removed more quickly by using a piece of clear, flexible 1/2" tube as a syphon about 4 feet long. Pre-fill the tube with water. Pinch off one end. Insert the other end of the tube into the reservoir. Drop the free end into a bucket. The water will start the syphon going. And all the fluid in the reservoir will be extracted.
Can you pls verify I can use any 50/50 coolant or it has to be subarus super coolant? Also can I mix the coolant conditioner with the standard 50/50 coolant mix? Thank you for the answer.
I have seen the Video about the coolant conditioner. I also asked the dealer if the conditioner is required on a 2010 3.6L. The answer I received is no. Please let me know your opinion. Thanks.
That's a lie. Suburu owners manual says it's good for 11years or like 100k miles. It doesn't eat the heads. They just told you that so you'd pay them more often. The reason suburus need head gasket replacements so often is just because the engine. That's just how Boxers work. You "should" get a new gasket every 60k or so, just because it's a boxer. They've gotten smart. Telling you the coolant is eating away at it so you replace it more often, and then don't question when the head gasket goes bad. They're geniuses.
@@mattevans1643 this isn't exactly true. The ej25 specifically has head gasket problems because of the single layer gasket they used at the factory. Changing out for a multi-layer steel gasket rectifies the problem.
I just bought my first Subaru Outback 2007 ,(130k) love it ,great automobile ,your video encourage me to do it my self !! Thank you and keep posting those things we need to take care on our great Subarus!!!
Wow this is so much more thorough than many other videos on how to do this. I really appreciate your attention to detail! Also, about how much coolant did you use on the H6? Would 2 gallons be enough?
Thank-you for including the removal of the 14mm hex plug, this is something that most people don't cover in these 'Subaru Coolant Flush' videos. I see videos where people drain coolant from the radiator then refill it with distilled water and run the car for a few thermostat openings with the heater on, then empty the radiator again and fill the car with brand new coolant. Am I right with my understanding that doing this is incorrect? without removing the distilled water from the block and the radiator, there will still be distilled water in the engine block and after adding the new coolant, the end result is going to be a watered down version because the distilled water was not fully drained? In your video A LOT of coolant came directly out of the block after the radiator was already empty. It just seems absurd to me that people don't know about it, this might be the only Subaru video including this information.
Yep good info. I’m draining my coolant at present using radiator plug and undoing various hoses. My 6 holds almost 7 litres and I can only remove 4 without using the engine block drain plug.!! Will get 14 mm hex to do job correctly. Cheers.👍
I found that both plugs were easy to find, but blocked by the exhaust. It wasn’t worth it to me to drain it out. I realized later that the next best thing would have been to pull out the thermostat which is quite accessible. I believe that would have gotten out a fair amount. In the end, antifreeze is pretty cheap, so if you do this twice or repeat every other year or two, you should be golden
Thank you! First time subaru owner of a 99 forster S with 32k miles an I want to keep it prestine! Thank you for all the detailed work! Love the no chit chat, Subscribed!!
OH yes one last question those coolant plugs on the block is that a necessary process on 2013 legacy w/ 2.5I premium, or do those even exist on that year. THANK YOU FOR YOU KNOWLEDGE VERY HELPFUL..
I've changed coolant on my 2008 SpecB, never took off drain plug for the engine as I was too much of a wuss! After refilling (5L) and starting up and waiting for bubbles to go I'm getting no hot air in the AC at all, I suspect air lock or something. The temperature needle is half way. I did leave it running quite a while but still no warm air. Updated... So I moved the car from drive way to power wash the tarmac mess and the hot air looks to be back. It's late but tomorrow I need to fill up the resivor tank as it's empty. Hopefully that should do it. I think 2 litres was still in the engine as I never removed the hex nut but it's still in a much better condition than what was taken out
Thanks for you video. I have a 2010 Subaru Forester, based on owner manual says just to drain coolant from radiator. Is this correct ? Any suggestions please. Many thanks
This video is missing things. For example, most have the 2.5, not the 3.6. The drain plugs you take out hidden behind the Y pipe. You would have to, on the right, remove the oil filter to gain access. On the left, remove the Y pipe. Too much work. I never heard of pulling the engine plugs out. Heck it would of been easier to put a T in the heater hose. Keep adding water while running it, then flush it out the radiator.
can you do this without the diagnosis tools to monitor the thermostat opening and closing ? by maybe just letting the engine gently idle away for 10 minutes after draining and replacing coolant ?
technically more information than that radiator burp widget, they save $ by omitting instructions. Mine is a bit spitty from a crack in the plastic part. going for all this plus 'swap radiator'
Great information and professionalism Mr. Subaru. I've never seen or used a no spill funnel before. Being a Snapon guy, I'm curious if you're ever seen or used a Snapon RADKITPLUSA before? It's a great tool to refill the entire cooling system in one shot.
Have an 04 4 cylinder model and my owners manual seems to skip the coolant type. I've seen green, yellow, and blue types used. For you, it's green all the time?
So I’ve been struggling with my Outback overheating. I did all this the thermostat opened twice but then I drive and it overheats. I have a new oem radiator cap. At my wits end help subaruguy
Looking to do the coolant replacement for the first time on my '17 Legacy 3.6R. Should the process be basically the same on the EZ36 engine? And if it's first replacement would you recommend a distilled water flush at all?
Yeah I noticed that too, but then noticed he only did roughly one turn, so basically no difference. My normal thought is that if I can pretend I'm tightening the fitting as I'm wrapping, It's okay.
I've owned a pair of those ramps for decades and you always have a "feel" when your slowly inching the gas/car up but somehow a few weeks ago, I overcompensated and went OFF the end of the ramps. That little 7" drop of falling to the ground actually slammed my head into the ceiling and jarred my back. Talk about a Three Stooges type of situation, ugh!
Thank you for your service. I am learning about the the care & feeding of Toyota's 2..4L, 2AZ-FE, 02-06, engine. Head gasket issues similar to a Cadillac NorthStar engine. Your discussion of Subaru head gasket management has been helpful.
I did the heater and keeping the rpm at 2-3k several times over the span of 30 minutes. Bubbles stopped but would come up after turning off the car. Is that normal?
Great video, but will this also work on a 1993 EJ22 Legacy sedan (non-turbo)? I will check, but does my engine also have engine block drains? Thank you! 😊👍
Great video my man. One question, whats the difference in super coolant and long life coolant? I think this older model takes long life and newer models are super coolant? Anyway great video
Wow Now That's Roughing it ! lol Working OUTSIDE in an old broken up stone Driveway , I thought I had it rough , Working in my Nice Smooth concrete floor shop with out a lift ! Great Video , but you needn't be Shy about Describing your work too , as you proceed helps to understand methods and guidance . Thanks !
Is there a drain plug on most models of subaru at the engine? I have a outback 2010 EJ25 series. Wondering where it might be if it's in a similar location?
Man thank you so much for showing the step-by-step on this! I wouldn't be as brave but please chock your wheels. The car community needs more content from you to stop them from banging their heads haha
Howdy! Love all the Subaru content! Thanks for putting it up for us. Have been in love with my 2003 ez30d outback (220k miles (2nd owner)) for the last 3 years and have had very little to no issues. Recently I've noticed the temperature creep slightly above the 9 o'clock position. I'm replacing the thermostat and doing a coolant flush today. I've also noticed a slight bubbling in the coolant reservoir when the engine is hot but off. Is it normal to see small bubbles in the coolant reservoir at all? Or should it fill back up without bubbles? Thanks!
Thanks again for the DIY vids. Changed out our 2013 Outback 4 cyl CVT model's coolant and thermostat this weekend. I think some coolant from the thermostat must have pooled on top of the exhaust as it smoked coolant during the warm-up afterward. I thought I had a coolant leak and took off the under body plastic again to recheck the torque of the two bolts on the thermostat housing. Everything seemed fine and smoking discontinued. replaced about 1.7 gallons
I only needed 1:30 but good video for the rest of you. I saw that under there when i did my oil but wasn't paying enough attention. I was more pissed that i needed an extractor to remove my oil drain plug to figure out what anything else was. Not only was it a circle, but they used an impact to put it in. I really wanna know who hired those guys. I started filling my coolant and didn't realize i didn't need so much so now i need to drain some out. Don't want it to find its way out somewhere.
Hah! Saw the cut when the ramp lifts off the ground and then that line in the sand... :) Ahhh, you shouldve left it in, but cant wait for that blooper special now ;] @@MrSubaru1387
I did the timing belt with your video assistance. I did not drain the engine block of coolant by removing the plugs - on the 2010 Forester, one of the plugs is under the exhaust. You would have to remove it diagonally. Not sure how one would go about it. On refill, it only took 1.5 gallons of coolant + conditioner.
if you want an idea for another video, maybe how to do a transmission flush. There 9 liters total but only 4 in the pan; manual doesn't seem to indicate a need for a flush
Next time do not remove the petcock all the way. Let it drain a little slower. It will take maybe 10 minutes to drain with the pet cock left in with only a couple of threads holding it
Some of these cars like my 2013 impreza don't have a temp gauge. You can get a cheap $20 obd2 adapter on the web. The alternative is wait for radiator fans to cycle on and off a few times. That's what the Subaru service manual calls out.
Appreciate what you do man, keep doing it. Ive struggled with air in the Subarus every time. Currently have an 03 that is just a beast. Gets me thinking its all good, and then it does something that makes me doubt it. Currently the coolant temp at 190 and the heather blower temp is 115-120, then up to 2500 RPM the coolant jumps to about 212 (fans good and the like) the vent temp jumps to close to 160. Any thoughts about the vacuum fillers / bleeding them?
At 19:23 it's like so obvious that you put the left over good coolant into the overflow reservoir, but it took this video for me to realize. Lol Great informative video especially about the hex bit socket size for the engine drain plugs. Cheers!
How much different is the process on a 2014 3.6 outback? My local dealership wants to charge me 285+ $20 extra for the conditioner. I’m thinking all I need is 2 gallons of super coolant,one bottle of conditioner and a new thermostat. I’d also like to purchase a spill free burp funnel. Can I do this job without the snap on computer tool? How will I know the car gets up to the proper temperature? Lastly, will the additional drain plugs for the block be in similar positions?
ARGH! Thought I was doing great until final step, when the Foz (2014 Ltd 2.5i) only took 1 gallon of coolant and refused any more. I must not have waited long enough during final draining phase, so now have 1 gal. of water mixed with 1 gal. of Sub Sup 50/50 in there. Trying to decide best face-save maneuver: (1) Drive it a few days and order some Sub Sup Concentrate to add, or (2) Start all over, or (3) Let the de-facto 25/75 mix stay in there indefinitely (Southeast Louisiana driving). Feeling like a chump letting a rainstorm scare me into hurrying as I must have. :-/ Went back and rewatched 0:00 - 6:30 only to realize I hadn't seen or removed those large ports you did!
@@MrSubaru1387 Naw, I screwed up that part. Next round I'll at least pull the lower hose and thermostat to drain block(s). Hearing mixed signals about wrestling with the actual 14mm hex ones (x3). But, hey, yeah, I see Sub Sup Concentrate on Amazon here 504.la/2PfOxOa
I stg man, you’ve got the most helpful videos for subie owners. No fluff, no bs, just the job in a plain and clear way. I bought my first Subaru 2 years ago, and I haven’t had to take it to a shop a single time. Not once! Everything; changing coolant, bleeding my brakes, changing the oil, changing the diff fluid, changing gear oil in the manual, I’ve learned it all from you. I can’t even begin to calculate how much money you’ve saved me. I didn’t even know where the oil went in the engine bay when I bought the ol girl. Couldn’t even tell you where the drain plug was or what it looked like. That isn’t the case anymore, and I’ve got you to thank. I don’t think people realize what a resource this is for normal, working-class, folks. And you’re doing it free of charge, to boot. Thanks so much, sir. I really appreciate what you’re doing. This is legitimately a service that really, really, helps people, and I hope that doesn’t go unrecognized 😊
Do I have to remove the drain bolts on the block, or can I just do a flush with distilled water through a burp funnel, I’m replacing my radiator on this same car and watching people flush their systems they don’t remove any drain bolts on the block. (Just getting into fixing my own car so please excuse if this is naive)
Thanks as always. I was wondering if you think the head gasket issue was exasperated by unchanged coolant? I know coolant ph changes as it ages and acidic coolant sitting on the flat heads can’t help, but I am no expert.
Awesome video. I also just watched your water crosspipe gasket replacement video. Super helpful. One question: is draining via thermostat removal acceptable, or should i also ensure futher drainage by removing block drain plug? 2015 Outback 2.5. Again, I've watched several of your videos and always learn alot. Definitely subscribed.
I did this with our 2015 impreza no problem. 100,% perfect. I was working on the forester 2019 and funnel started bubbling like crazy and overflowed . I turned it off asap. What could've happened. Thermostat? 😢
