Temp Gauge Rising after DP & UP Install!

**98sob** · 10-20-2012 05:57 PM

Today I installed a catless Up & Downpipe on my 02 WRX with NO TUNE. As it is not required for my year's ECU. I DO have intentions of doing so soon...BUT

Everything was fine and dandy after I had installed them today but I started noticing that my temp gauge was riding to about the 3/4 (HOT) mark and then going back immediately to normal.
I figured it was just something to do with my car getting used to the new air flow set-up and resumed driving. Later on in the afternoon after sitting at idle it rose AGAIN and stayed there for about 4 minutes and came back! WTF! And then it just happened again as I pulled into my apartment....I HAVE NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH THIS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE UNTIL I INSTALLED THESE PARTS.

Does anyone know why these installs triggered this? Or if it is just by some chance some air got into my coolant tank today? Could it just be my car getting used to everything?

It's weird. Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

**teflon_jones** · 10-20-2012 08:37 PM

You don't say what makes it return to normal and what makes it go up. Can you be more specific on both counts?

**nsibanez** · 10-20-2012 08:57 PM

more air flow= hotter burn maybe?
or a soon to be shot thermostat?

**98sob** · 10-20-2012 09:03 PM

It's hard to say what makes it do it. The first time it got hot I was moving and under acceleration. And the remaining 2 times it happened while idling (for about 5 minutes)

I'd like to think that at some point during installation air had gotten into the coolant system and there is just bubbles in it....I don't know yet though

**nsibanez** · 10-20-2012 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by 98sob

It's hard to say what makes it do it. The first time it got hot I was moving and under acceleration. And the remaining 2 times it happened while idling (for about 5 minutes)

I'd like to think that at some point during installation air had gotten into the coolant system and there is just bubbles in it....I don't know yet though

From doing the up pipe? I havwn't paid attention to the underside of the car as well as I should have yet... But have you tried burping it yet?

**nsibanez** · 10-20-2012 09:06 PM

Or have you ever changed your coolant yet as well?

**98sob** · 10-20-2012 09:19 PM

I actually haven't. But since I have owned my car (1 year) the coolant levels have always remained the same. Never had an issue with my temperature or coolant. It just seems odd that after my install of the up AND downpipe it started acting up. Tomorrow morning I'll be burping it and double checking my thermostat for anything strange.

**nsibanez** · 10-20-2012 09:23 PM

It could be the extra air flow is making it run leaner by chance.
And just because your coolant level remains the same doesn't mean it doesn't need an exchange. It eventually wears out and doesn't cool as well as it should be. But with it being intermittant like it isI'd start with the burping because itsounds as if air bubbles are passing through, and keepng your engine from getting adequette coolant flow.

Definetely let us know how it goes

**98sob** · 10-20-2012 10:10 PM

I certainly will. Checking it out tomorrow morning and I'll report back.

***mycologist*** · 10-21-2012 05:17 AM

Nothing to do with the UP/DP would likely be causing this, unless you damaged the coolant lines for the turbo or something. Are you smelling any coolant?

Otherwise I'd burp it and troubleshoot as an unrelated event.

**98sob** · 10-21-2012 07:52 AM

Not smelling any coolant or losing any coolant. As I was highly suspicious of head gasket issues. What I'm thinking is that at some point during the jacking up of my engine a coolant line or something along those lines was disturbed. In a couple hours I'll be examining everything further see what it could be. But my thoughts are bubbles in the coolant tank or something disturbed my thermostat....

**98sob** · 10-21-2012 07:55 PM

UPDATE:

Today I burped the system. It was still a bit warm when I did it but when I had opened the coolant cap it sounded like a soda bottle being opened. A bunch of air came out. I started the car up and let it run for a while and then closed it all up and drove the car around all day. No rising in the temp gauge at all. I had turned off the heat, turned on the heat and still nothing. So I was pretty confident that I had fixed the problem. BUT...then I drove somewhere else later in the day and after I had parked and was letting it run the temp gauge rode again to about the 3/4 mark and then went back down...

I drove it around more then and nothing has come of since. I'm starting to think my thermostat is just going crazy. But I don't know...

**98sob** · 10-21-2012 07:56 PM

Other than that it drives like a dream though...

**teflon_jones** · 10-21-2012 09:42 PM

It sounds like you might have a small leak in the system that's introducing air. Have you checked to make sure there are no leaks at all anywhere? Since it's an 02, I'm guessing the engine bay might be a bit dirty with various signs of oil spillage from fills and other signs of fluids in random places so this might be hard to notice. The best way to easily tell would be to spray clean the engine bay with a pressure washer (or at a car wash) and let it dry and then see if you find a small leak anywhere. The most likely places air could be introduced would be at the overflow tank with a poorly fitting cap and/or cracked overflow tank.