Steel Seal

[fairycakes69]

Has anyone used steel seal? Heard about it, seems to have mixed reviews, gather it must depend on how far gone your head gasket is. I real use it's not permanent but just to get us through till we can get a new car in the new year.

Cheers

[jake-the-peg]

Never had a lot of success with these chemical head gaskets.

Like you say probably depends on how far gone it is and how far you're going.

Is the car overheating a lot?

Typically you'll see overheating and a smell of exhaust fumes or bubbling from the coolant bottle and it'll get worse the more you drive it.

If you do go for this keep a nice big container of water in the boot and don't drive it if it gets into the red pull over *let it cool down* then top it up with water.

On no account top it up hot - at best you'll do more damage at worse you'll cover yourself with scalding steam and hot water

[fairycakes69]

Hi it's not over heating, the heating stopped working, checked the radiator and there was no water in it, bought anti freeze, put it in, all worked fine for couple of days, then heating stopped working again, checked and no water, son checked the oil and said there was water in it and the fan wasn't working. Typical always happens when hubby is away. Have taken the car off the road till he comes back to look at it. Was googling and found steel seal, wondered if it was worth a go.

[tonyav]

No water in the radiator, yet the engine hasn't overheated. Strange that, fairycakes.

[fairycakes69]

No idea, don't know much about cars, just drive them. Haven't been far in it lately, just 4 mile round trip to work 3 days a week, so maybe not enough to overheat the engine, just guessing mind.

[tonyav]

Right, I see, fairycakes. Short journeys.

[EDDIE51]

If the entire radiator is emptying within a day or two it looks more like a leaking radiator than a head gasket. Is there a pool of water under the car when it has been standing a while? Fill the radiator and start the engine , then after it has run a few mins open the bonnet and look to see if there is a leak, it could be as simple as a leaking hose. If the entire content of the radiator was going into the oil you would have a brown slimey emulsion of oil and water not just 'some water' in the oil.

[fairycakes69]

There is an oily watery puddle under the car, did what you said, couldn't see a leak, but there must be one somewhere. Hubby is back next week, he can deal with it.
Thanks for the replies.