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  #16  
Old 07-02-2013, 03:02 PM
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The is not relevant to this particular thread but the Block Sealer/Water Glass is also clamed to seal leaks where the leak goes from inside the Engine into the Coolant like combustion gasses getting into the Coolant.
It also has particles of stuff in it a least the Bar Block Sealant I used looked like it had copper colored particles.

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  #17  
Old 07-02-2013, 06:44 PM
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So after considering everything I learned from this thread, I'm looking at:
1. using Bars Leaks or some other leak sealant. Advantage: cheap. Disadvantage: might not work or might cause other problems.
2. Removing the cylinder head and replacing the head gasket (I suppose that involves having the head machined as well). Advantage: Might as well replace the glow plugs while I'm at it. Disadvantage: Costly, both time and parts, might not solve the problem.

The problem is that I don't have the time to do it and I can't sink any more cash into the car.
For now I'm inclined towards the first option, but first I'll throw some dye in and try to locate any other possible leaks. The overflow tank leaked in the past because there's corrosion underneath it. There's signs of corrosion behind the driver side headlight, where there's another coolant line that must have leaked in the past. So I'd like to investigate those, do an oil change, and then do another oil analysis.
Question: if it's the gasket/cylinder head, shouldn't the rad hose be kind of hard while the engine is running? I find that it's not really hard. Considering that the gasket doesn't isolate the cooling system from the cylinders anymore, some of the compression should work its way into the coolant, resulting in a hose hard as a basketball. But that's not the case.
Going back to the 603 leak test, the hose will be just as hard 8-12 hours after turning the engine off. Not sure what it all means.
Thanks for all the input so far.
T.
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  #18  
Old 07-02-2013, 08:48 PM
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There are many ways a head gasket can fail, with a variety of symptoms. Since you are just losing coolant, I would address that. A small leak can be hard to find but easy to seal up. Some of these cars can even lose coolant into the windshield washer container.

Yes, I know there might be some coolant in your oil, but I would force the car to prove to me that it had a bad head gasket before I would tear it apart. I would like to have a dollar for every time I thought I had a problem figured out, only to find out I didn't.
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  #19  
Old 07-03-2013, 01:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tudor View Post
So after considering everything I learned from this thread, I'm looking at:
1. using Bars Leaks or some other leak sealant. Advantage: cheap. Disadvantage: might not work or might cause other problems.
2. Removing the cylinder head and replacing the head gasket (I suppose that involves having the head machined as well). Advantage: Might as well replace the glow plugs while I'm at it. Disadvantage: Costly, both time and parts, might not solve the problem.

The problem is that I don't have the time to do it and I can't sink any more cash into the car.
For now I'm inclined towards the first option, but first I'll throw some dye in and try to locate any other possible leaks. The overflow tank leaked in the past because there's corrosion underneath it. There's signs of corrosion behind the driver side headlight, where there's another coolant line that must have leaked in the past. So I'd like to investigate those, do an oil change, and then do another oil analysis.
Question: if it's the gasket/cylinder head, shouldn't the rad hose be kind of hard while the engine is running? I find that it's not really hard. Considering that the gasket doesn't isolate the cooling system from the cylinders anymore, some of the compression should work its way into the coolant, resulting in a hose hard as a basketball. But that's not the case.
Going back to the 603 leak test, the hose will be just as hard 8-12 hours after turning the engine off. Not sure what it all means.
Thanks for all the input so far.
T.
It is hard to say. It happens that some Engines get Coolant into the Oil but don't have the Combustion gasses get into the Coolant.

I can suggest a few ways but that would just confuse things more.
It is not unknown for Engine Blocks or Cylinder heads to develop Cracks or have porosity and even casting flaws anywhere on their surface.

This means the Block could have small leak that weeps into the Crankcase Oil.
A Cylinder head could have similar leak in the upper part of the Head that is exposed to Oil.
If there was a Coolant leak in the intake ports above the Intake Valve the Coolant would go into the Engine but no combustion gasses would go in there.
If there is Oil drain Ports on the Cylinder Head and Block the coolant could leak from a hole in the Head or bad Head Gasket in to the Port. Since it is a Drain Port the Oil is not under pressure and of course there would be no combustion gasses involved.
That is what I can think of at this moment.

The Radiator Stop Leak is least likely to cause any issues and cheap.

Other than that your problem at this time is not great enough for You to pinpoint the problem.
So for around the Town driving I think you could just leave it the way it is and keep an Eye on it.
Only time (and use) will tell.
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  #20  
Old 07-03-2013, 09:48 AM
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Thanks!
I feel more at ease after reading your posts, D911 and nelbur. I'm definitely going with a stop leak product.
Which one should I use? Not all products are available in Canada. I found something called Rislone which seems to be manufactured by the same guys that make Bars leaks. Is that ok? The head gasket repair product is here: http://www.rislone.ca/catalog/view/38-head-gasket-fix-31111
And they have a radiator stop leak here:http://www.rislone.ca/catalog/view/40-liquid-aluminum-cooling-system-stop-leak-31186
I hear some people use a Prestone product, but I'm not sure they have it in Walmart here in Canada.
Worst case, if the product you guys recommend is US-only, I can always drive south of the border and grab it. It's only an hour and a half drive.
Update: I just checked the oil level following a longer highway trip. (about 80km each way), and the level is definitely up. So it's pretty clear where my coolant is going.

Last edited by Tudor; 07-03-2013 at 02:54 PM.
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  #21  
Old 07-03-2013, 12:28 PM
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If the hose is as hard 8 hours after shutdown as when the coolant system was hot. You most likely have a crack.

Nothing is absolute though. Rad sealer will not in my opinion be as effective as the water glass no matter who sells it under any name in your situation. The pressure keeping the hose hard when the system is cool is combustion gasses.

My money would be on a crack though of course it can not be certain without examination with the head off. Sure you may have other leakage. The principal issue is that anti freeze was found to be present in the oil. That is not a good thing.
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  #22  
Old 07-03-2013, 10:04 PM
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If the Radiator Stop Leak does not work if he wants he can go on to the Block Sealer if he Wants to.

He just needs to flush out his system of all of the Coolant and Stop Leak before using the Block Sealer.
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  #23  
Old 07-03-2013, 10:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tudor View Post
Thanks!
I feel more at ease after reading your posts, D911 and nelbur. I'm definitely going with a stop leak product.
Which one should I use? Not all products are available in Canada. I found something called Rislone which seems to be manufactured by the same guys that make Bars leaks. Is that ok? The head gasket repair product is here:http://www.rislone.ca/catalog/view/38-head-gasket-fix-31111
And they have a radiator stop leak here:Liquid Aluminum Cooling System Stop Leak
I hear some people use a Prestone product, but I'm not sure they have it in Walmart here in Canada.
Worst case, if the product you guys recommend is US-only, I can always drive south of the border and grab it. It's only an hour and a half drive.
Update: I just checked the oil level following a longer highway trip. (about 80km each way), and the level is definitely up. So it's pretty clear where my coolant is going.
"This formulation contains a combination of antifreeze compatible sodium silicate sealing liquid and various size gasket sealing particles which penetrate gaps & cracks and harden to permanently stop leaks"

The Head Gasket Sealer is what I was calling Block Sealer and Siodium Silicate is the real name for Water Glass.

The last mentioned Product is likely the what we called Stop leak.
Rosoline is a well know company at least it was here when I was younger.
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  #24  
Old 07-04-2013, 06:33 AM
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Barry is right; I'm more inclined towards a crack or bad HG than a simple leak. I haven't seen any external leaking/steaming even with the engine hot and the system under pressure.
So I'm going with the waterglass option from Rislone.
I realized I forgot to share the snapshot of the oil analysis results.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/11pypszrl1yh0y9/Oil_Sample.png
I hope you guys can see it.
Thanks,
Tudor
PS - I'll post an update as soon as I've tried the sealant.
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  #25  
Old 07-24-2013, 04:09 PM
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Update on my coolant leak: I poured a dye in my overflow tank and built a little UV flashlight (bought a UV LED and put it in a regular LED flashlight).

I found a leak right under a thermostat that seems to deliver antifreeze to a fuel pre-heater. I'll replace the gasket along with the glowplugs and will come back here to report the results.
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  #26  
Old 07-24-2013, 08:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tudor View Post
Update on my coolant leak: I poured a dye in my overflow tank and built a little UV flashlight (bought a UV LED and put it in a regular LED flashlight).

I found a leak right under a thermostat that seems to deliver antifreeze to a fuel pre-heater. I'll replace the gasket along with the glowplugs and will come back here to report the results.
Where did the Dye come from?
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  #27  
Old 07-24-2013, 08:32 PM
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Hi,
It was from Napa, and it was made by UView, I think... I made sure to get one for long life coolant.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel911 View Post
Where did the Dye come from?
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  #28  
Old 08-07-2013, 03:12 PM
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I should have asked this question in the beginning: what are those clear plastic lines that run to and from the fuel filter housing? I assumed they're coolant lines, so I didn't wonder why they glow green under UV light in the dark, but what if they're fuel lines?
Are they fuel lines? If yes, then my coolant is getting mixed with fuel, most likely when the engine is cold.
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  #29  
Old 08-07-2013, 04:57 PM
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Yes the OM606 has a spaghetti pot of 6 clear fuel hoses. They connect the lift pump, the fuel filter, the shutoff valve, the fuel preheater, and the IP.

I wonder if your fuel preheater is leaking. If you are getting fuel in the coolant that's the first place I would look.
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  #30  
Old 08-08-2013, 10:19 AM
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Not good. If you change the head gasket, inspect the head closely. You could have a crack or a corrosion induced hole in the water jacket. It would be best to have the head pressure checked while it is off. If it has very many miles, like more than say 150K or so, you would be very well served to have a valve job including valve guides at the same time. This will make the most of your labor efforts.

Good luck with it.

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