heads leaking coolent

Post by **Frostbus** » 11 Apr 2006, 19:42

hi all

yep me again paranoid bus driver

have been using the bus.. last trip sunday about 120 miles no problems but i have noticed a small leak of coolent on both sides of the engine around the large black gasket, have read all about the heads corroding at the gasket point and the repairs needed to fix the problem pitted heads etc.

its not a major leak and the rubber is quite soft not split etc, the bus is running lovely. so do i strip the heads from a good running engine to replace the gaskets or can i add a liquid coolant seal to the coolant and enjoy the bus hopefully this summer!!!

friends with the local motor parts shop and they have a product they recon will do the job with no harm to the engine is this true?

cheers all

Post by **smavan** » 11 Apr 2006, 19:53

mine has been dripping coolant for most of the winter from the same place! not using that much coolant though. read once on the vanagon site about heads leaking due to cold weather (the alloy contracts more when really cold) if i take mine for a good 40 mile run it stops for a while but then starts again when just doing short trips round town. i am not panicking at present, going to wait till the weather warms up and see if it stops!

Post by **belle in progress** » 11 Apr 2006, 21:49

my vw garage has told me i need to replace the gaskets but cant afford it, but like frost bus not loosing too much coolant. keeping an eye on levels. garage wants roughly 200 per side not inc parts, thats if nothing goes wrong. what due think

Post by **Diamond Hell** » 11 Apr 2006, 23:17

The rubber seals harden with age, then they don't seal, then the engine starts leaking coolant, then the heads leak more coolant, then the seals go properly and the AA man says 'blown head gasket', then you go to a garage and they don't like the look of it, then the head studs snap when they're taking the heads off, then they call you, then you cry, then you have to find a specialist to get the studs out, or find someone who can supply a recon engine.

So I hear anyway.

Sounds pretty depressing to me, but then it's our punishment for running elderly vans that have quite often only been used occasionally earlier in their life (or still now).

Post by **whichedge** » 12 Apr 2006, 06:30

Just done both sides on my van, it's not easy and I did it with the engine out, which definately made life easier. At the same time I've done a complete engine over haul. But beware once you start there is no turning back!

So far as well as all the gaskets etc I've had to replace,
2 exhaust values
1 exhaust pipe
1 exhaust main box
2 engine mounts
3 rubber hoses
2 heater hoses
complete set a piston rings and oils scrapers
and how because the head is so pitted I can't get a good seal around the top of the number 1 cylinder so need a new head.

And all this because I blow a head gasket!! My advise is to look at the engine and imagine what could need replacing and start looking around for it BEFORE you start, as most of the time I've spent so far has been waiting for parts to arrive!

Thus far I must have spent over £350 and still haven't got a replacement head yet!

Post by **Dan Wood** » 12 Apr 2006, 07:43

Ran ours for about 6 months with a fairly steady leak from nearside. Was much worse over frosty winter and seemed to be better if we ran the van every few days. (Although probably more to do with evaporating it all off than actually slowing it down!)

Anyway, one morning I went to top it up, opened the tank cap and heard a hiss. This was as air went in through the cap, and water came out on my feet

If I got the engine warm (while adding lots of coolant) it eventually went back to a drip - long enough for me to drive it to the brickwerks anyway!

Si fixed it last year, and it's been fine ever since.

Previous owner had used Holts RadWeld, but all that seemed to do was gunk up the entire cooling system, and make no difference to the leak!

Post by **Frostbus** » 12 Apr 2006, 16:36

hi cheers for the posts guys.

will look into the Wynnes product, t3 how does it differ from radweld barleak etc.

thanks again

Post by **Cate** » 12 Apr 2006, 18:38

I have some of that stuff in my water, my engine man said to get some, been in there acouple of months now.......

Post by **belle in progress** » 12 Apr 2006, 21:28

so where are you getting the Wynnes sealant from, is it available on the high st???

Post by **Frostbus** » 16 Apr 2006, 11:41

thanks for all the posts

have tried K Seal an american product,
had a nice chat with a man who worked for jaquar and he swears by it.
i know this is only a temp fix but at least i can use the bus.

will keep you all informed if my engine blows up!!!!!!!

thanks again for the advise

Post by **Cate** » 16 Apr 2006, 13:18

Got my Wynnes from a local garage that does engine rebuilds, Ive seen it one other local place but to be honest ive never looked for it before.

Post by **Sir Chad** » 18 Apr 2006, 12:26

I've used a liquid glass on my other car, it's brilliant but a pain in the neck as you have to flush it out within 15mins then go thru all the fun of removing air locks, So far it's lasted 2 years and several trackdays so can't be bad.