[Makie43]

My '89 Sierra is using water! I'm buggered if I can find out why! It has the original radiator fitted, does not overheat when there is water in it, no leaks either standing or with the motor running, no greasy scum on the water after a run when I take the cap off like you would expect if there was a blown head gasket. in fact it's still running as good as ever, I haven't had an exhaust gas analyzer test on the radiator as yet . The temperature in Byron has been in the high 30's..... and it's only been used to run around town. (Not sitting in traffic) I need to fill the radiator every two or three days (Completely fill!) Any suggestions.

[Rusho]

Head gasket....even without water mixing with the oil it can still be a head gasket. Or a crack in the block/head

[MacDaddy]

Makie43 wrote:

My '89 Sierra is using water! I'm buggered if I can find out why! It has the original radiator fitted, does not overheat when there is water in it, no leaks either standing or with the motor running, no greasy scum on the water after a run when I take the cap off like you would expect if there was a blown head gasket. in fact it's still running as good as ever, I haven't had an exhaust gas analyzer test on the radiator as yet . The temperature in Byron has been in the high 30's..... and it's only been used to run around town. (Not sitting in traffic) I need to fill the radiator every two or three days (Completely fill!) Any suggestions.

I am guessing you mean water and not coolant... its hard to pin point without seeing it, and know whats been done to it... but if you want to see where its coming from, i would suggest using a cheap coolant, as it will leave a coloured mark where it leaks, making it easier to see where its coming from.. as water will just evaporate... not the answer you were hoping for, but it may help...

[want33s]

MacBear wrote:

I am guessing you mean water and not coolant... its hard to pin point without seeing it, and know whats been done to it... but if you want to see where its coming from, i would suggest using a cheap coolant, as it will leave a coloured mark where it leaks, making it easier to see where its coming from.. as water will just evaporate... not the answer you were hoping for, but it may help...

I'm guessing you mean corrosion inhibitor and not coolant.
Water is coolant & cheap too! .......
Anything else you put in there is corrosion inhibitor or anti-freeze.






Pull the spark plugs out and check to see if they are all the same colour..
If there is water getting out through a cylinder, one (or possibly more) plugs will look different.

[Westie]

GO to REPCO and spend $5 on a cylinder of SILVER SEAL go for a drive for 20 min and I will assure you the problem will be gone.

LEAVE IT IN all the time and works with inhibitor as well but I do drain the Rad first and mix it in a bucket and keep stiring as you pour it in.

You can Thank me later JUST DO IT it will not clog Radiator up

[MacDaddy]

want33s wrote:

MacBear wrote:

I am guessing you mean water and not coolant... its hard to pin point without seeing it, and know whats been done to it... but if you want to see where its coming from, i would suggest using a cheap coolant, as it will leave a coloured mark where it leaks, making it easier to see where its coming from.. as water will just evaporate... not the answer you were hoping for, but it may help...

I'm guessing you mean corrosion inhibitor and not coolant.
Water is coolant & cheap too! .......
Anything else you put in there is corrosion inhibitor or anti-freeze.

Nope i mean " Coolant ", 90% of Corrosion Inhibitors/Anti-freeze-Boil, all use the Generic name " Coolant " or some variation of Coolant...

[Taylor74]

Have seen alot of zuks crack heads on the exhaust port area. Get a pressure test on the cooling systen to prove the point that it is not any where else or do what Westie said to get you by.

Ultimatley you need to get it tested to prove where the leak is and eventualy get it fixed

[want33s]

MacBear wrote:

want33s wrote:

MacBear wrote:

I am guessing you mean water and not coolant... its hard to pin point without seeing it, and know whats been done to it... but if you want to see where its coming from, i would suggest using a cheap coolant, as it will leave a coloured mark where it leaks, making it easier to see where its coming from.. as water will just evaporate... not the answer you were hoping for, but it may help...

I'm guessing you mean corrosion inhibitor and not coolant.
Water is coolant & cheap too! .......
Anything else you put in there is corrosion inhibitor or anti-freeze.

Nope i mean " Coolant ", 90% of Corrosion Inhibitors/Anti-freeze-Boil, all use the Generic name " Coolant " or some variation of Coolant...

Doesn't make it correct....

[MacDaddy]

want33s wrote:

MacBear wrote:

want33s wrote:

MacBear wrote:

I am guessing you mean water and not coolant... its hard to pin point without seeing it, and know whats been done to it... but if you want to see where its coming from, i would suggest using a cheap coolant, as it will leave a coloured mark where it leaks, making it easier to see where its coming from.. as water will just evaporate... not the answer you were hoping for, but it may help...

I'm guessing you mean corrosion inhibitor and not coolant.
Water is coolant & cheap too! .......
Anything else you put in there is corrosion inhibitor or anti-freeze.

Nope i mean " Coolant ", 90% of Corrosion Inhibitors/Anti-freeze-Boil, all use the Generic name " Coolant " or some variation of Coolant...

Doesn't make it correct....

a rose my any other name, is still a rose... but fair enough, i guess its just what we are used to calling it...

[Makie43]

Thanks all! I don't use coolant, that's too good for the little bitch! just water, I'll try Westie's idea and see how it goes....

[MacDaddy]

Makie43 wrote:

Thanks all! I don't use coolant, that's too good for the little bitch! just water, I'll try Westie's idea and see how it goes....

Ha ha... nah i just meant for the one fill, to see where it leaves the coloured mark from the coolant, make it easier to see if its leaking externally...

[mnemonix]

One of mine does exactly the same thing. It's a real pain in the A$%.
- Had the radiator pressure tested and confirmed it's not being pressurised.
- Have replaced the radiator cap with the recommended model, plus a higher pressure one. Same result.
- Can't find a leak anwhere except the overflow bottle overfills at times, like the radiator cap is not sealing once it hit's temp.

[TheOtherLeft]

Makie43 wrote:

Thanks all! I don't use coolant, that's too good for the little bitch! just water, I'll try Westie's idea and see how it goes....

Tell us how Westie's trick goes.

[Makie43]

I put the Silver Seal in it today, to see how it goes. Had it tested yesterday (C02 test) but found nothing out of the ordinary, but it might have been a better test if the motor was hotter. Two plugs were brown and two were white???? which indicates water getting in. So I might be on the look out for a replacement head if I can find one. The bloke at the garage told me he was having the same trouble with his Commodore and found it was a buggered water pump that was causing the water to empty into the overflow empty, so now I'm completely confused....

[Westie]

Silver Seal will do the job. Or should I say IT HAS done the job,
Remember to do what I said and take it for a drive of 15-20min and mix it in a bucket first and stir as you put it in.

[cairns27]

My lwb uses about 50mm of green shit a tank,it blows that black sturr out the exhaust when cold: I reckon this silver shit may fix the problem.

I'll use the otherr one in a swb that I have noticed using fluid, it blows that black shit out on starting too.

I bought 2, I don't really drive the swb, butt if this works, i'll let you know.

I've got one that dosn,t soil the carport,so this will be a Dr Karl thing.

I didn't know some of you paid money towards this site, If I got dronk or stoned some time, I might contribute someting.

bye

[masterA]

Have a look at the heater hoses on the firewall...mine had a slight leak from there and it was really hard to see coz it was dripping straight down onto the floor

[cairns27]

I put silver seal in one today, only drove it for halfhour , to much rain here.

It looks verry much like pepper,which we used in the good old days to seal radiator leaks.

The raditor did have a bit of oil? visable at the cap, and I hadn't noticed that before.

I'll try to drive it for a couple of hours tomorrow,replace the coolant, than have a 'nother look at it.

bye

[Westie]

YOU leave the silver seal in do not remove it. You can add coolant to it if you want but it has it's own inhibbiter in it.

Just drive it and your problems will be fixed.
TRUST me i am a Vitara owner...

Opp's Suzuki owner might be better thing to say.

[Makie43]

Tried Westie's idea about Silver Seal, hasn't used a drop of water since!!!!Sold on the stuff....

[Westie]

Yep used right it is good shit and cheap and easy to use

[christover1]

I use silver seal too in my vit.
No idea where the water was going.
All good now.

But I had a similar issue in my old Sierra.
It was a leaky welsh plug under the inlet manifold,
it finally killed the engine.

[4x4ish]

my vit is overheating and coolant is low, all signs pointing to cracked head gasket. will this stuff solve my problem and how long does the fix last?

i dont want to be driving in the middle of somewhere 1 year from now and it lets go and im stuck.

thanks

[christover1]

4x4ish wrote:

my vit is overheating and coolant is low, all signs pointing to cracked head gasket. will this stuff solve my problem and how long does the fix last?

i dont want to be driving in the middle of somewhere 1 year from now and it lets go and im stuck.

thanks

IMHO fixing something properly is always the best way,
but some of us don't have that luxury.

It hides the problem, it don't fix it.

I put a tin in 6 months ago, needed another tin this week.
Total $10.

It could also depend on how large a crack, and where it is etc etc etc.

Its a band aid fix, but a good one.

I carry a spare can at all times

Other stuff I have used in the past can block shit up real bad.

If your planning isolated outback trips, fix it properely.

[christover1]

You could also need to replace welsh plugs, water pump, belts and so on, get a leak/pressure test done at a rad shop

[JrZook]

cairns27 wrote:

My lwb uses about 50mm of green shit a tank,it blows that black sturr out the exhaust when cold: I reckon this silver shit may fix the problem.

I'll use the otherr one in a swb that I have noticed using fluid, it blows that black shit out on starting too.

I bought 2, I don't really drive the swb, butt if this works, i'll let you know.

I've got one that dosn,t soil the carport,so this will be a Dr Karl thing.

I didn't know some of you paid money towards this site, If I got dronk or stoned some time, I might contribute someting.

bye

You'll find the black stuff is just condensation mate, which is perfectly normal.

Dan

[Westie]

4x4ish wrote:

my vit is overheating and coolant is low, all signs pointing to cracked head gasket. will this stuff solve my problem and how long does the fix last?

i dont want to be driving in the middle of somewhere 1 year from now and it lets go and im stuck.

thanks

It is a Bandaid fix but for how long but I always keep another in the car just in case.
Even repalcing the head or gasket it may not fix the problem, but with this stuff it is alway working and if the damage gets worse it will just find the leak and plug it up.

[TheOtherLeft]

So which stuff do people find works and doesn't work?

- Bars Leak?
- Silver Seal?
- Wurths Stop Leak?
- etc...

[MacDaddy]

TheOtherLeft wrote:

So which stuff do people find works and doesn't work?

- Bars Leak?
- Silver Seal?
- Wurths Stop Leak?
- etc...

I have used Bar's Leak before, it gums everything up, the cores in the radiator block up, its nasty shit... but, if its an emergency, and you have nothing else... otherwise, forget it !

[cairns27]

If it's the radiator, pepper works.

bye