Coolent system / headgasket advise
21 June 2011, 01:56 PM
#1
Coolent system / headgasket advise
Ok so ive just emptied the cooling system again .. I'm really hoping it's a lock in there somwhere ... Gonna try again but have a few questions .. Is it better to use a little or no antifreeze I've got 1ltr left i just don't wanna spend even more if it turns out to be head gasket ... Also I'm gonna need to fill the coolent / overflow infront of the battery is it ok to just put water in this..
I'm not gonna be driving the car as no brakes atm but need to see if I get the bubbles in the coolent buy the battery ..
No white smoke
No overheating
I'm a getting heater inside on
And the car starts fine
But basically the first time I done the cooling system I filled her up then let her reach temperature waited for fans to kick in then the header tank droped so I pored more liquid into her to top her up but what I put into her
over the next 10 / 15 mins Came back up through the header tank as I'm checking for bubble in the system and need the cap off ... Anyhow I no it could be hg but just need to confirm or maybe just a lock in the system ...
Any ideas welcome
I'm not gonna be driving the car as no brakes atm but need to see if I get the bubbles in the coolent buy the battery ..
No white smoke
No overheating
I'm a getting heater inside on
And the car starts fine
But basically the first time I done the cooling system I filled her up then let her reach temperature waited for fans to kick in then the header tank droped so I pored more liquid into her to top her up but what I put into her
over the next 10 / 15 mins Came back up through the header tank as I'm checking for bubble in the system and need the cap off ... Anyhow I no it could be hg but just need to confirm or maybe just a lock in the system ...
Any ideas welcome
21 June 2011, 03:35 PM
#2
Fill the sydtem with the heater in the hot position.
Let the engine warm up as normal with the header cap on and the overflow bottle to the mark.
The heater should work normally and the engine should not boil over.
There should be no spurios drips under the car and note if the overflow from the expansion bottle is passing liquid. This usually is routed into the inner wing and is easy to pull out to observe.
When you have let the car cool down, top up again and note the amount of water added.
Repeat the proceedure. If you are boiling or loosing a lot of water, chances are you have a cylinder head gasket gone.
Have you tested your thermostat by putting it in a pan of water on the cooker and observing the temperature at which it opens/if it opens.???
If you absolutely want to convince yourself it is the head gasket you can buy a test kit for the coolant from the likes of Andrew Page or similar and on some bad cases we have even used the MOT test gear to confirm the presence of HCO. Game over.
I had a head gasket leaking inconsistently over about a four month period. Up to 1.4/1.5 bar there was never an issue. Beyond that on odd occassions the car water temp rose alarmingly and water was thrown out of the expansion bottle. Obviously one of the heads was lifting under hardish boost. Eventually engine out and new (thinner) gaskets and ARP head studs and all was well. The leak was quite evident on the old gasket but it was very fine.
Let the engine warm up as normal with the header cap on and the overflow bottle to the mark.
The heater should work normally and the engine should not boil over.
There should be no spurios drips under the car and note if the overflow from the expansion bottle is passing liquid. This usually is routed into the inner wing and is easy to pull out to observe.
When you have let the car cool down, top up again and note the amount of water added.
Repeat the proceedure. If you are boiling or loosing a lot of water, chances are you have a cylinder head gasket gone.
Have you tested your thermostat by putting it in a pan of water on the cooker and observing the temperature at which it opens/if it opens.???
If you absolutely want to convince yourself it is the head gasket you can buy a test kit for the coolant from the likes of Andrew Page or similar and on some bad cases we have even used the MOT test gear to confirm the presence of HCO. Game over.
I had a head gasket leaking inconsistently over about a four month period. Up to 1.4/1.5 bar there was never an issue. Beyond that on odd occassions the car water temp rose alarmingly and water was thrown out of the expansion bottle. Obviously one of the heads was lifting under hardish boost. Eventually engine out and new (thinner) gaskets and ARP head studs and all was well. The leak was quite evident on the old gasket but it was very fine.
21 June 2011, 04:00 PM
#3
Fill the sydtem with the heater in the hot position.
Let the engine warm up as normal with the header cap on and the overflow bottle to the mark.
The heater should work normally and the engine should not boil over.
There should be no spurios
drips under the car and note if the overflow from the expansion bottle is passing liquid. This usually is routed into the inner wing and is easy to pull out to observe.
When you have let the car cool down, top up again and note the amount of water added.
Repeat the proceedure. If you are boiling or loosing a lot of water, chances are you have a cylinder head gasket gone.
Have you tested your thermostat by putting it in a pan of water on the cooker and observing the temperature at which it opens/if it opens.???
If you absolutely want to convince yourself it is the head gasket you can buy a test kit for the coolant from the likes of Andrew Page or similar and on some bad cases we have even used the MOT test gear to confirm the presence of HCO. Game over.
I had a head gasket leaking inconsistently over about a four month period. Up to 1.4/1.5 bar there was never an issue. Beyond that on odd occassions the car water temp rose alarmingly and water was thrown out of the expansion bottle. Obviously one of the heads was lifting under hardish boost. Eventually engine out and new (thinner) gaskets and ARP head studs and all was well. The leak was quite evident on the old gasket but it was very fine.
Let the engine warm up as normal with the header cap on and the overflow bottle to the mark.
The heater should work normally and the engine should not boil over.
There should be no spurios
drips under the car and note if the overflow from the expansion bottle is passing liquid. This usually is routed into the inner wing and is easy to pull out to observe.
When you have let the car cool down, top up again and note the amount of water added.
Repeat the proceedure. If you are boiling or loosing a lot of water, chances are you have a cylinder head gasket gone.
Have you tested your thermostat by putting it in a pan of water on the cooker and observing the temperature at which it opens/if it opens.???
If you absolutely want to convince yourself it is the head gasket you can buy a test kit for the coolant from the likes of Andrew Page or similar and on some bad cases we have even used the MOT test gear to confirm the presence of HCO. Game over.
I had a head gasket leaking inconsistently over about a four month period. Up to 1.4/1.5 bar there was never an issue. Beyond that on odd occassions the car water temp rose alarmingly and water was thrown out of the expansion bottle. Obviously one of the heads was lifting under hardish boost. Eventually engine out and new (thinner) gaskets and ARP head studs and all was well. The leak was quite evident on the old gasket but it was very fine.
previous to me takin the coolent out today when I done the fill up ... I removed top rad hose and filled till full then filled header tank then I started car and had heater on full / hot .. Finally the car reached temp the fans kicked in and the header tank droped I then refilled header tank ( approx half a pint) then left the
Car running, over the next 10 / 15 min the water I had just put in then seeped out of top of the header tank then when I turn the car off the header tank is only half full due to what has been pushed out .. I'm really hoping it just a airlock some where .. So I have just removed the coolend from the rad via the valve at the bottom of rad is there anothere bleed point further down the system where I can remove the rest of the existing coolent ? There are no drips under the car the heater is blowing hot and the car is not overheating I just done a oil change last week and the oil looks the same so no milkyness ... I'm gonna test the thermo now in a pan of water and see what happens ..
22 June 2011, 01:11 PM
#4
Water is only in the oil if the gasket is leaking between a waterway and oilway and this is usually not the case.
There is no need to drain the system further if you have opened the valve on the bottom of the radiator.
There is no need to fill the system through the top hose. Heat controls to full hot and fill slowly, start engine and let the air escape once you are 3/4 full of water. Stop engine top off. Run without the cap for a couple of minutes. Stop. Top off water level. Cap on. Run to hot. When car cools down see if it needs more water.
Only check the water cold.
Some cars seem to find their own level and if you only ever add half a pint that is possibly nothing to worry about.
Try running the car without thermostat. If water temperature rises beyond normal without thermostat with a bit of hard driving over a few miles just accept you have a head gasket gone. When the car is cooled down you will put in a lot more than half a pint.
Do not run longterm without antifreeze. This would be a bad thing.
Recently I saw a product advertised that claimed it could fix head gasket leaks. I have no idea on cost or whether it is just a load of bollocks but if it is cheap enough you could give it a try although I am a bit sceptical. I will see if I can find the advert.
To do a head gasket you need to do two. So engine out, heads off, heads skimed to flat, head gaskets. Engine back in. At a guess £550.
There is no need to drain the system further if you have opened the valve on the bottom of the radiator.
There is no need to fill the system through the top hose. Heat controls to full hot and fill slowly, start engine and let the air escape once you are 3/4 full of water. Stop engine top off. Run without the cap for a couple of minutes. Stop. Top off water level. Cap on. Run to hot. When car cools down see if it needs more water.
Only check the water cold.
Some cars seem to find their own level and if you only ever add half a pint that is possibly nothing to worry about.
Try running the car without thermostat. If water temperature rises beyond normal without thermostat with a bit of hard driving over a few miles just accept you have a head gasket gone. When the car is cooled down you will put in a lot more than half a pint.
Do not run longterm without antifreeze. This would be a bad thing.
Recently I saw a product advertised that claimed it could fix head gasket leaks. I have no idea on cost or whether it is just a load of bollocks but if it is cheap enough you could give it a try although I am a bit sceptical. I will see if I can find the advert.
To do a head gasket you need to do two. So engine out, heads off, heads skimed to flat, head gaskets. Engine back in. At a guess £550.
22 June 2011, 01:56 PM
#5
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I have heard K Seal is quite good for sealing head gaskets. A lot of the Rover boys swear by it and i have used it myself in a 620ti.
But its only a temporary fix, and personally i wouldn't be happy using it in a subaru.
But its only a temporary fix, and personally i wouldn't be happy using it in a subaru.
22 June 2011, 08:59 PM
#6
I have used k Seal in my sons corsa, three cylinder job, could not find the leak and as it's his first car, it was not worth spending a fortune to try to resolve, K Seal has been in there 3 years now and all is fine, with the correct mix of antifreeze.
23 June 2011, 12:53 PM
#7
Water is only in the oil if the gasket is leaking between a waterway and oilway and this is usually not the case.
There is no need to drain the system further if you have opened the valve on the bottom of the radiator.
There is no need to fill the system through the top hose. Heat controls to full hot and fill slowly, start engine and let the air escape once you are 3/4 full of water. Stop engine top off. Run without the cap for a couple of minutes. Stop. Top off water level. Cap on. Run to hot. When car cools down see if it needs more water.
Only check the water cold.
Some cars seem to find their own level and if you only ever add half a pint that is possibly nothing to worry about.
Try running the car without thermostat. If water temperature rises beyond normal without thermostat with a bit of hard driving over a few miles just accept you have a head gasket gone. When the car is cooled down you will put in a lot more than half a pint.
Do not run longterm without antifreeze. This would be a bad thing.
Recently I saw a product advertised that claimed it could fix head gasket leaks. I have no idea on cost or whether it is just a load of bollocks but if it is cheap enough you could give it a try although I am a bit sceptical. I will see if I can find the advert.
To do a head gasket you need to do two. So engine out, heads off, heads skimed to flat, head gaskets. Engine back in. At a guess £550.
There is no need to drain the system further if you have opened the valve on the bottom of the radiator.
There is no need to fill the system through the top hose. Heat controls to full hot and fill slowly, start engine and let the air escape once you are 3/4 full of water. Stop engine top off. Run without the cap for a couple of minutes. Stop. Top off water level. Cap on. Run to hot. When car cools down see if it needs more water.
Only check the water cold.
Some cars seem to find their own level and if you only ever add half a pint that is possibly nothing to worry about.
Try running the car without thermostat. If water temperature rises beyond normal without thermostat with a bit of hard driving over a few miles just accept you have a head gasket gone. When the car is cooled down you will put in a lot more than half a pint.
Do not run longterm without antifreeze. This would be a bad thing.
Recently I saw a product advertised that claimed it could fix head gasket leaks. I have no idea on cost or whether it is just a load of bollocks but if it is cheap enough you could give it a try although I am a bit sceptical. I will see if I can find the advert.
To do a head gasket you need to do two. So engine out, heads off, heads skimed to flat, head gaskets. Engine back in. At a guess £550.
Thanks
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23 June 2011, 01:11 PM
#8
Great. Let us hope the problem does not raise its ugly head again, especially on WOT/lots of boost.
My first car was actually a Commer Cob van that ended up with a Sunbeam Rapier engine. It developed a cylinder head gasket issue and I added the white of two eggs to the radiator and that cured the problem, much to my surprise. Some time later when I was at marine college my Ford Consul had the finest of water sprays from the head gasket between head and block. I carefully took a thorn from a bush and tapped it into the offending fine spray. The leak stopped and it held until we removed the head and skimmed and ported it on the excellent colledge facilities.
I doubt either solution would work on a turbo engine.!!!
My first car was actually a Commer Cob van that ended up with a Sunbeam Rapier engine. It developed a cylinder head gasket issue and I added the white of two eggs to the radiator and that cured the problem, much to my surprise. Some time later when I was at marine college my Ford Consul had the finest of water sprays from the head gasket between head and block. I carefully took a thorn from a bush and tapped it into the offending fine spray. The leak stopped and it held until we removed the head and skimmed and ported it on the excellent colledge facilities.
I doubt either solution would work on a turbo engine.!!!
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