Hoping someone can help me out with this problem. My Nephew imported a 2000 JDM Subaru Legacy RSK B4 in April of this year. He was complaining about coolant going down in the recovery tank and no block heater. He took it to his mechanic to get a block heater installed and the mechanic told him that his head gasket was leaking and it would be a minimum of $2500 to repair-could be more once he got into it! I picked up the car from him and my friend who is a mechanic and myself took a look at it. Turns out that the rad was leaking at the top and spraying coolant back onto engine. Ordered a rad for a 2002 USDM WRX and a block heater. Installed them and tested. Coolant level is fine now. Nephew also mentioned that he was hardly getting any heat in the cabin. Checked temperature when engine was up to temperature(needle sits almost 1/2 way between the 1st and 2nd marks) and it was 73 degrees blowing out of vent at your feet. We took the hoses off at the heater core and flushed it out for 10 minutes. Reinstalled hoses and tested-no difference. Also looked under the dash and when you adjust the automatic climate control system from 18C to 32C, you can see a lever moving at the heater box. So any guesses what is causing the lack of heat? Is something not opening up properly in the heater box and not allowing air to pass over the heater core? Could thermostat not be closing properly and not coming up to temperature? Any help you could offer to help solve this problem would be greatly appreciated. Winter in Manitoba without proper heat won't be fun, also windshield will fog up. Thanks in advance for your help.
