Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2003 09:20:12 +0100 From: Grunff <grunffnopsam.com> Subject: Re: Oil? in the coolant
PeterS wrote: > When our '94 SAAB 9000 appeared to be loosing coolant (antifreeze) earlier > this year I put in Barr's Stop Leak. It helped to reduce the coolant loss. > Now, there is a lot of oily foam floating on the coolant in the expansion > tank, it couldn't be Barr's Stop Leak, could it? If it's oils, it's not the Bars. > I fear that it could be a > leaking head gasket causing oil in the coolant? Your fears are very well founded. > Could the water pump be the cause? No. > When I replaced a short hose in the cooling system there was the same oily > residue in the hose. Barr's Stop Leak? No, oil. You know it's oil ;-) > Should I do a valve job, if I have to replace the head gasket? Do you mean regrind the valves? It depends on many things - the mileage of the car, the results of a pressure test on the head, and how long you intend to keep it. In general, when I have a head off, I won't regrind the valves unless there's a good reason to do it. I will, however, change the valve stem seals and have the head skimmed. -- Grunff