Head gasket

[bigred4x4]

today I noticed the coolant reservior was empty and it always had this idle problem I can't spot an external leak so I'm suspecting its a bad head gasket. There is no check engine light and when I took it to the dealer they hooked it up and everything was working fine like the tps iac and the vacume system. It took about six months to drain the fluid out of the reservior. So I'm guessing its a small leak? I can smell cooant after a decent drive. I need professional opions. Will the head gasket stop leak cooant additive fix this because I dont have the Money rite now to do any major repairs.

Thanks,

 

[huntersteve61]

Your in the same boat as me.. the answer is long and drawn out.. short answer no. Yes it may slow it or even stop it but only for a little while.. eventually it will start to leak again.. I've never tried those 40 dollar head gasket repair bottles but regular old stop leak will eventually quit working.. sounds like its burnin out your exhaust if its not gettin into your oil or on the block... I put some stop leak and the hydrocarbons are still threw the roof but it seems to burn less then a cup of coolent since november. up to you but I would first try stop leak but prepare for a head gasket job... I don't even know how much is involved as I have the ohv.. heard thats better. we shall see

 

[cross1189]

i am getting a 1990 ranger cheap and the guy says that the gasket is bad but the heads are ok for now
what am i in for as far as fixing this?

 

[SensRanger]

Hi, thankfully the head gasket on my Ranger is fine however I did have an issue with head gasket leaking on my 1996 Sunfire, but it was an external leak, onto the ground. I poured a bottle of $40 "Steel Seal" into the upper rad hose (no rad cap on these cars) and ran the car for a half hour as the directions indicated. The drips (which would leave a beachball sized puddle after 10 minutes of sitting before, was going thru coolant like crazy) started to subside! A few days later and after a little more driving there were no more drips at all. That was in August. So, this stuff does work. However, I wonder if the leak was internal, the pressure from the engine might have blasted away the Steel Seal and prevented it from bonding. But, according to the manufacturer it would still work. Definitely worth a try and the stuff is like greenish water. No goopy stuff or pellets to clog your rad and you can pour it right in without draining your cooling system
Good luck

 

[bigred4x4]

besides alittle coolant loss eventually what would be the symtoms that the gaskets need replaced.

I just blew out my old motor 7 months ago and I only had enough to put a used one back in so this upsets me I am in no mood to perform another rebuild