eemgeeATcbl.com.au wrote: '89 NA Fairlane, LPG-fueled
My car is leaking water regularly, I must top up the bottle every few days and cannot go too far from home at 100 kph without it going nearly dry. I think it's a cracked head/head gasket.
The car is in immaculate condition otherwise so I want to keep it. When I can afford it I will install a reconditioned engine and a new radiator. Can I use something like Seal-Up or Chemweld to get me through for a couple of months?
Also, a parts store clerk said these chemicals must be added to the top-up bottle, not the radiator, otherwise it will clog up the whole system. Is that true? ____________________________________________________
If you can actually see it leaking, it is not a head/head gasket. It is a break in the radiator/water pump/hose/heater core from which you see the water dripping.
If the water is simply vanishing it is probably a head/head gasket.
If you use a temporary chemical sealer, follow the directions on the container. Usually it is to be poured into the radiator (not the top-up bottle) because the radiator pressure helps to force the sealer into the leaking joint. With engine warm and running, pour it in quite slowly to prevent local clogging then reinstall the radiator cap and drive it for another 15 minutes.
Don't drive it far from home, don't drive fast, do keep it topped up, do add the sealer and you may make it last just long enough.
Good luck. Rodan. ____________________________________________________
You can't see a leak. The water just vanishes, The dash coolant level indicator is flashing, although the temp gauge reads fine.
My foremost concern is whether I can add some engine sealant without clogging the radiator. The radiator pressure cap is not on the radiator - it is on a hard plastic bottle connected by two rubber hoses to the radiator. eemgee _____________________________________________________
A sealant coats the inside of the radiator (and the engine block) with a thin covering of the chemical. The insulating property of the coating causes only a small loss in radiator cooling efficiency.
The sealant will not clog the radiator unless it is not distributed uniformly. Poor distribution can happen if the sealant is:
__ Added too quickly to give it time to mix and disperse. __ Added to a cold radiator, preventing good mixing __ Added to a non-flowing radiator, allowing precipitation.
Here's how I guess you could treat the cooling system:
__ Follow the directions on the chemical sealant container. __ Drain enough radiator water to make room for the sealant. __ Remove the radiator cap and run the engine until it is warm. __ With the engine running, slowly pour the sealant into the radiator.
== From your note I understand that the radiator is not filled at a == capped port - instead it is filled through a hose from another == (hard plastic) reservoir. If that is the case, disconnect the == hose at the reservoir, pour the sealant in through the hose, == then reattach the hose.
__ Add enough water to fill the system. __ Reinstall the radiator cap and drive it for another 15 minutes.
Good luck.
Rodan.