Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

> Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?

These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
hydrocarbons.

> I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had good
> luck with there product in the past....

This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
radiator if it was marginal to begin with.

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

> Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?

These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
hydrocarbons.

> I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had good
> luck with there product in the past....

This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
radiator if it was marginal to begin with.

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

I guess I am not convinced that it is the head gasket since there is
not anything to confirm this. The engine and trans oil are OK, the
plugs are OK hence nothing to indicate a blown gasket yet. The checking
for gases would confim a possible head gasket replacement.

If the pressure test holds with the stop leak then it a fix, maybe it
lasts for 5 years or 5 days. Additives and stop leaks do work, just
about every car manufacturer uses them.

Yes I agree if you have a corroded radiator this may bridge already
small corroded passages within the radiator or accelarate the
replacement that would be needed anyway.

Looking at $700-1000 for a head gasket makes dropping 3 bucks a
calculated risk on a crummy radiator.

Tom


Outatime wrote:
> > Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?
>
> These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
> to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
> hydrocarbons.
>
> > I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> > pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had good
> > luck with there product in the past....
>
> This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
> Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
> bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
> radiator if it was marginal to begin with.

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

I guess I am not convinced that it is the head gasket since there is
not anything to confirm this. The engine and trans oil are OK, the
plugs are OK hence nothing to indicate a blown gasket yet. The checking
for gases would confim a possible head gasket replacement.

If the pressure test holds with the stop leak then it a fix, maybe it
lasts for 5 years or 5 days. Additives and stop leaks do work, just
about every car manufacturer uses them.

Yes I agree if you have a corroded radiator this may bridge already
small corroded passages within the radiator or accelarate the
replacement that would be needed anyway.

Looking at $700-1000 for a head gasket makes dropping 3 bucks a
calculated risk on a crummy radiator.

Tom


Outatime wrote:
> > Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?
>
> These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
> to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
> hydrocarbons.
>
> > I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> > pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had good
> > luck with there product in the past....
>
> This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
> Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
> bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
> radiator if it was marginal to begin with.

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

I guess I am not convinced that it is the head gasket since there is
not anything to confirm this. The engine and trans oil are OK, the
plugs are OK hence nothing to indicate a blown gasket yet. The checking
for gases would confim a possible head gasket replacement.

If the pressure test holds with the stop leak then it a fix, maybe it
lasts for 5 years or 5 days. Additives and stop leaks do work, just
about every car manufacturer uses them.

Yes I agree if you have a corroded radiator this may bridge already
small corroded passages within the radiator or accelarate the
replacement that would be needed anyway.

Looking at $700-1000 for a head gasket makes dropping 3 bucks a
calculated risk on a crummy radiator.

Tom


Outatime wrote:
> > Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?
>
> These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
> to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
> hydrocarbons.
>
> > I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> > pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had good
> > luck with there product in the past....
>
> This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
> Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
> bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
> radiator if it was marginal to begin with.

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

Earle Horton wrote:
> If you have to use this stuff make sure that the engine is running
> when you pour it in slowly, or you could lock up your water pump or
> jam your thermostat open or closed.
>
> If it is not dripping on the ground, then a gallon a month has to be
> 99.99% surely a head gasket.

One thing not mentioned is the overflow bottle. If that sucker
springs a leak it will drain coolant as you drive then suck
air back into the radiator. As the radiator builds with air the
boiling point goes down and then what goes out is mostly steam.

The best thing to do is a pressure test. Simple, cheap, and Autozone
has the tool on free rental.

--
DougW

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

Earle Horton wrote:
> If you have to use this stuff make sure that the engine is running
> when you pour it in slowly, or you could lock up your water pump or
> jam your thermostat open or closed.
>
> If it is not dripping on the ground, then a gallon a month has to be
> 99.99% surely a head gasket.

One thing not mentioned is the overflow bottle. If that sucker
springs a leak it will drain coolant as you drive then suck
air back into the radiator. As the radiator builds with air the
boiling point goes down and then what goes out is mostly steam.

The best thing to do is a pressure test. Simple, cheap, and Autozone
has the tool on free rental.

--
DougW

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

Earle Horton wrote:
> If you have to use this stuff make sure that the engine is running
> when you pour it in slowly, or you could lock up your water pump or
> jam your thermostat open or closed.
>
> If it is not dripping on the ground, then a gallon a month has to be
> 99.99% surely a head gasket.

One thing not mentioned is the overflow bottle. If that sucker
springs a leak it will drain coolant as you drive then suck
air back into the radiator. As the radiator builds with air the
boiling point goes down and then what goes out is mostly steam.

The best thing to do is a pressure test. Simple, cheap, and Autozone
has the tool on free rental.

--
DougW

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

If you have to use this stuff make sure that the engine is running when you
pour it in slowly, or you could lock up your water pump or jam your
thermostat open or closed.

If it is not dripping on the ground, then a gallon a month has to be 99.99%
surely a head gasket.

Earle

"tk" <thomas_kessler@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1166163076.059319.315190@n67g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> I guess I am not convinced that it is the head gasket since there is
> not anything to confirm this. The engine and trans oil are OK, the
> plugs are OK hence nothing to indicate a blown gasket yet. The checking
> for gases would confim a possible head gasket replacement.
>
> If the pressure test holds with the stop leak then it a fix, maybe it
> lasts for 5 years or 5 days. Additives and stop leaks do work, just
> about every car manufacturer uses them.
>
> Yes I agree if you have a corroded radiator this may bridge already
> small corroded passages within the radiator or accelarate the
> replacement that would be needed anyway.
>
> Looking at $700-1000 for a head gasket makes dropping 3 bucks a
> calculated risk on a crummy radiator.
>
> Tom
>
>
> Outatime wrote:
> > > Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?
> >
> > These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
> > to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
> > hydrocarbons.
> >
> > > I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> > > pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had
good
> > > luck with there product in the past....
> >
> > This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
> > Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
> > bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
> > radiator if it was marginal to begin with.
>

Re: Losing Coolant and dropping oil pressure gauge
 

If you have to use this stuff make sure that the engine is running when you
pour it in slowly, or you could lock up your water pump or jam your
thermostat open or closed.

If it is not dripping on the ground, then a gallon a month has to be 99.99%
surely a head gasket.

Earle

"tk" <thomas_kessler@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1166163076.059319.315190@n67g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> I guess I am not convinced that it is the head gasket since there is
> not anything to confirm this. The engine and trans oil are OK, the
> plugs are OK hence nothing to indicate a blown gasket yet. The checking
> for gases would confim a possible head gasket replacement.
>
> If the pressure test holds with the stop leak then it a fix, maybe it
> lasts for 5 years or 5 days. Additives and stop leaks do work, just
> about every car manufacturer uses them.
>
> Yes I agree if you have a corroded radiator this may bridge already
> small corroded passages within the radiator or accelarate the
> replacement that would be needed anyway.
>
> Looking at $700-1000 for a head gasket makes dropping 3 bucks a
> calculated risk on a crummy radiator.
>
> Tom
>
>
> Outatime wrote:
> > > Where do you find the coolant strips to test for gases?
> >
> > These are rarely sold to the public; best solution is to drive on over
> > to a local radiator shop and ask them to test for the presense of
> > hydrocarbons.
> >
> > > I am going to run a bottle of Bar's Leak in and then recheck the
> > > pressure, hopefully that will seal up whatever it is as I have had
good
> > > luck with there product in the past....
> >
> > This is a band-aid on an amputated limb. Radiator salesman love Bar's
> > Stop Leak. You can try it, but then be prepared to shell out the big
> > bucks for gasket replacement anyway. Then be prepared to replace the
> > radiator if it was marginal to begin with.
>