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I have a 1993 900S 5 speed that has a history of some flash heat episodes where the heat will spike suddenly and then go down. Never actually overheats. The engine will idle strange at a stoplight and a glance at the temp gauge shows it spiking, then it rapidly returns to normal. Happens maybe once a year.
This was a donor engine when I converted my car to 5 speed and it was easier just to take the engine and tranny as one piece and transplant. I know for certain this 2.1 engine had never had the head gasket changed. After installation, I severely regretted not having done the headgasket at that time. I had to drop coolant about five times before it would stay clear. The initial coolant fill had a million tiny pieces of what looked like white calcium floating in it, like a Christmas globe. After changing coolant, I eventually got it to stay clear. So I thought it was ok and perhaps nothing to worry about.
Two years ago a very experienced Saab 900 tech mentioned I had "champagne bubbles in the coolant tank and that means your head gasket is going..."
I have looked many times and never could see them. Today, when the engine was warm and behaving a bit strange, I noticed the temp move around a bit, since it is almost always exactly pegged at 50% straight to the right and dead center in the middle. I popped the hood and depressurized the system slowly. Started the car and the champagne bubbles began. Bubbles were coming up through the tiny radiator return/overflow hose (or at least it looked like it...) and they got more plentiful as time went on. Seriously looks like champagne bubbles. Only Lawrence Welk was missing.
NOTE: Bleeding the system does NOT get rid of the champagne bubbles.
Are tiny bubbles in the coolant tank a sure sign that I have a small leak in the headgasket?
If so, where does such a leak normally occur?
How much time do I have before it fails completely?
posted by 75.72.203...
, Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:29:41
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