Using Stop Leak on Bad Head Gasket?

"PatLewis" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

A headgasket leaking into the exhaust produces white exhaust fumes (like the fumes you get on a cold morning when the engine isn't warmed-up).

Read this one for info.

what motor?? you may have a bad gasket through the exhaust.if so, you will notice a lot of steam from the tailpipe. don't use stopleak, it will not work. get a can of blue devil and follow the directions exactly. you remove the thermostat, flush the whole system, let motor get cold, add proper amount of coolant minus 1 pint, and add 1 pint of blue. run for 40 min, reinstall thermostat, and check your coolant for a few days. it takes 2-3 days to setup and seal completly.i have used this treatment on 4 different cars ,2 ford 3.8 head gaskets,and 2 chevy 3.1 intake gaskets, and not a drop of coolant missing after 4 days, and they all have been good for months now. the only drawback is it costs around $65 for a 1 quart can

If you had water leaking someplace into your engine, and you don't know where, do you think it is a good idea that you pour stop leak into the engine where the leak is? When you put stop leak into your engine, you should assume that is what is happening.

I don't think it is a good idea.

Jeff

the only thing that the stop leak will do is plug up the heater core and the radiator and any other passages that the water has to flow though.. it was good stuff in its day: the day before cars had heaters and the radiator cores were about 1/4 inch... and the oatmeal type stop leak would just fill up small tiny cracks in the radiator and not do any damage to anything else as there was nothing to be plugged up....

Well I have used pepper before, just dumped a can in the radiator ...but that was in the old days....if you do-not see steam coming out of the tail-pipe and no water on dip-stick....the odds are your water-pump is leaking and its evaporating....thats why you dont see the leak.....I had this happen to me before.....found out after I replaced a new belt and the water pump showed the leak better....guess because I tightened the belt a little more ....it being new and all.....would not suggest you use stop leak in that vechicle ! Take a close look around that water-pump for some signs .....if your lucky you may see where the steam has been.

Don't forget to have a real good look at your coolant expansion tank. It is part of the pressurized system on the Taurus and has a chronic problem of cracking and leaking. The cap on the tank is also the pressure relief cap of the system. If it fails to work relieving pressure because it is clogged with gunk or whatever, it makes the tank more vulnerable to cracks.

I opened the hood on my warmed up Taurus one day and found a squirt gun stream of coolant shooting out of the tank and on to the engine.

I totally agree. However, I wouldn't want that stuff on the inside of the engine (like inside the cylinders). That could turn a simple head gasket replace job into a engine rebuild. I would actually think that is sort of unlikely, but I'm not sure.

Jeff