Head gasket

[Fordgal44]

Hi so a couple weeks ago we had a small antifreeze leak, mechanic said it was the head gasket but since then there has been no leak since, he put in that sealer stuff, it also has been really cold, since it has warmed up no leak as well. Today it is 21 degrees and snowing I was driving slow not over 30 the car bucked a couple times on my way home, 7 miles drive could that be head
Gasket or something else? 99 ford explorer XLT thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Turdle]

There is not quite enough information here to diagnose, by chance is the check engine light on when the engine is on? Does it turn on when you turn the key on?

How does the temperature gauge look when driving? Did the heater work good?

 

[lobo411]

Hi so a couple weeks ago we had a small antifreeze leak, mechanic said it was the head gasket but since then there has been no leak since, he put in that sealer stuff, it also has been really cold, since it has warmed up no leak as well. Today it is 21 degrees and snowing I was driving slow not over 30 the car bucked a couple times on my way home, 7 miles drive could that be head
Gasket or something else? 99 ford explorer XLT thanks in advance for your help!

IME blown head gaskets don't cause major performance problems until they finally blow. No bucking, jerking, shuddering, or anything like that. They manifest themselves as a mysterious coolant loss with no obvious external leaks, bubbles in the coolant overflow tank at idle (exhaust gas leaking into the coolant), radiator boiling over, engine temps that fluctuate between hot and cold, radiator unable to maintain pressure.

Those are signs that the head gasket might be going. Once the gasket blows completely, you'll see overheating and major performance problems because the combustion cylinders are being flooded with coolant. It's unmistakable at that point...because you need to get towed home!

 

[JimMadsen]

snowing I was driving slow not over 30 the car bucked a couple times on my way home

I hate driving on packed snow in rush hour. Could it by chance be slipping on the snow? Maybe some ice? My Mounty did the same thing once on my drive in this morning, I was doing about 60 in 9 degree weather. I am chalking it up to a ice patch.

 

[Fordgal44]

There is no temperature raise, the only time it leaks antifreeze is when it is cold like today at 5 degrees I am just hoping it isn't. The bucking I was experiencing was fuel line I added some gas line treatment

I just feel my mechanic isn't being fully honest

 

[JimMadsen]

You could bring it to a couple different places and ask them to check for a gasket leak. That way you can get a consensus so to speak. There are also kits you can get on amazon that will test for exhaust gasses in the coolant.

I would imagine that a gasket leak would leak all of the time. But depending on the age of the gaskets (lower intake manifold, upper intake manifold, head gaskets, water pump gasket, etc...) they could be having a slow leak. I think someone on here talked about stopping a slow leak by tightening the bolts for limg. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on that.

Usually you have to rely on other signs to know there is a gasket leak like talked about by lobo above.

If you ever feel a mechanic is not being fully honest, find a new one! Glad the gas line treatment worked for you.

 

[blakshukvw]

If its real cold where you live when this happened its probably your egr valave sticking intermittently. Not a big deal if it only happens occasionally and/when its real cold.mine does this from time to time but only when its extremely cold so I not worried about it .