Great videos! Super clear video on steal seal gasket repair.
Ford Taurus 2004 hit pothole and then all coolant from reservoir leaked out (not sure of if radiator is depleted). Engine smoke with white under hood as i drive but temperature rises but have not reached danger red zone yet sine ib constantly add water and made only short trips. Mechanic said it was a gasket leak. Very rapid/smokes after 4 minutes driving and loss of coolant rapidly as i add it with engine off.. The leak is right under the water pump but mechanic says pump is ok --mechanic says no way a pothole could cause gasket leak.. Is that true? The leak is right near wheel that hit the pot hole and I felt engine move. May have had small gradual coolant loss before.
Main question: My leak is to rapid for sealer to work I fear, but have not tried it yet. If leaks spews out coolant as I add it, can I lift up the car on right side to slow leak before starting to give enough time to gasket repair like k-seal or Steel seal to work? It seems to suck up more coolant upon start however but smokes after 4 minutes. maybe cold weather may help with delaying overheating from rapid coolant loss as run it to cure sealant). Another novice/ hair-brained idea: Could I use silicon gasket maker such as JB Weld high heat epoxy on outside of leak to temporarily slow leak enough for gasket sealer to work (15 psi will likely push that out quickly but maybe give me time)? Should I consider fiber reinforced Bars or k-seal or silicone dioxide based products for faster sealing/curing repairs for rapid leaks. Any product recommendations or ways to deal with rapid leaks for 2004 taurus?
A pothole does not cause a head gasket leak, however, if the coolant reservoir emptied as a result of a pothole and the car overheated then the overheat condition CAN cause a blown head gasket. Keep in mind that the temperature gauge in most cars is not a high precision instrument (although pretty accurate) and you can blow a head gasket without going into the red on the temperature gauge. There are a variety of factors that contribute to a blown head gasket under these conditions including the condition of the engine oil when the event happens. In other words: your mechanic is pretty much right. Technically the pothole caused the overheat condition which caused the head gasket to blow as a consequence.
@inthedetails
i did have low oil a few weeks ago.. is it ok to assume all the fluid leaked out or is there something left to allow sealant to work? /i need to reduce pressure to reduce rate of gasket leak, but that applies if i have coolant in spark plugs in which case i can run with that plug taken out to alleviate pressure. do all gasket leaks end up with coolant in spark plugs that hints at which head gasket cylinder is blown.
Not all gasket leaks result in coolant in the combustion chamber but its extremely rare. 99% of the time coolant ends up in the combustion chamber causing misfires and all kinds of other problems. It is NOT recommended to use a gasket sealer. The head needs to be removed and the gasket replaced. The blown gasket is likely to get worse as coolant is forced through it into the combustion chamber - the fluid erodes the gasket more and more over time until you lose enough compression that the engine wont start.
Its true that a sealer can work, but taking into account the information you have provided its reasonable to assume you have a large enough leak that the likelihood of a sealer working is almost 0%. Having driven the car after the overheat event by itself means there is a strong chance the gasket leak is much too large to repair using a sealer. Typically a sealer works when you have a very small head gasket leak that is barely causing drivability issues. In your case that is not the case.
Not all gasket leaks result in coolant in the combustion chamber but its extremely rare. 99% of the time coolant ends up in the combustion chamber causing misfires and all kinds of other problems. It is NOT recommended to use a gasket sealer. The head needs to be removed and the gasket replaced. The blown gasket is likely to get worse as coolant is forced through it into the combustion chamber - the fluid erodes the gasket more and more over time until you lose enough compression that the engine wont start.
@inthedetails
i believe that. i guess a new car. i could have a 3 day project. i have only replaced starter, alternator and fixed oil pan, replaced battery, and some electrical lines.. Replacing gasket not worth it i hear since you need to take engine apart remove injectors and alternator, intake manifold and much more. sorry i am an enthusiat/low level amatuer bbut with science and fix it sensibility. i need to make some work for a good local mechanic but in dc costs are high (likely 2000 to 300 bucks).. Scotty kilmer says the steal seal works, but not with large leaks. on sealant manufacturer say 1/32nd of an inch is holes can be fixed an scotty shows a gasket with a two inch gap in engine gasket. my car has new wheels, alternator starter, exhaust manifold, alternator (4 years old) rebuilt transmission ( 5 years old) new brake fluid lines replace rusted ones, it runs ok but burns too much gas (106 mpg in with mostly city dricingand 23 to 26 mpg on highways) it way 3400 lbs 1.7 tons and is v 6.new cars are to complicated to repair and Subarrue , who makes the forrester ( I am tall) costs $500 bucks for service and oil change and yearly brake cleaning. But body of Taurus 2004 needs small work, interior is ok/fair - needs new steering wheel,window has scratch safety of model is excellent if in crash but no safety brakes, and anti fog is not very good. Maybe a good project car. Main concern, some of sealers may use per fluoryl alkylies, that are poisoning drinking water across the nation (3 m dupont and chemours being sued for billions.. The stuff affects testosterone, estrogen, infertility,birth defects, caer, thyroid, kidneys, and lasts forever. Also some of products i hear work for 5 months and may be a permanent fix. , some gum up engines if applied without instructions.. i hear silicone/glass based products maybe used in steal seal is safe for cars and the environment/relatively and can work in some cases..
thanks for input on spark plug cynder issues. Taurus have plugs in back of engine requiring flexible hands or removal of air box and pvc chords to get free access. now after being ripped off for years, i
@inthedetails
sorry for poor edits above -- I need new glasses. Disregard previous post. It needs to be erased. Scotty showed a gasket with a two inch gap that Steal Seal fixed. But your advice is likely right if i deformed heads oor fast leak.
Which used cars ,say 2016 to 2019 are reliable and serviceable. At least spark plugs can be reached and fits tall guys 6'4. good milage ( 23 mpg city 32+ highway or decent battery technology if hybrid.