Thermagasket

[rfishing]

Update:

300 miles with ThermaGasket now, outside temp is getting at freezing nights. Put car in garage. No water loss all last week, until today (explain later). Every now and then I feel a slight stumble or miss in engine at idle, but temps have been normal all week with no coolant loss.

Having hard time checking coolant level. I say that because there is a baffle plate inside the pressure tank about 2 inches down from radiator cap, and when water sits on top of it, hard to tell if its just pooling water there. I find myself adding a 8 oz cup just to see if the level rises above the plate, and it does. Then with this change in colder temperature 20-30s at night, I noticed yesterday the level was just below the cap. I always check level cold in morning.

I finally drove up the mountain tonight. Prior to driving, I pulled into shopping mall, and with all the stop and go, by time I pulled in temp was 220. Rather then turn off engine, I waited for fans to kick on, lower engine temp then shut off. Engine started to stumble at 225, so I revved it up to 2000 rpm a second to see if that would help smooth idle. Next thing I know temp went up to 230, and I see water in front of the car. I opened hood, and found the overflow hose wet, but no longer leaking. Probably lost 1/3 gallon at most, but wont know until I check level in morning. Something told me it might be just equalizing due to the engine temp being high, and the 2000 rpm I did, and possibly all the 8 ounces I added during the past few days? I dont know for sure, just hoping it was not due to combustion gas in coolant. After idling a few more minutes the temp was down to normal. I never got a coolant low level message.

Assumed it was just equalizing, so I decided to drive car up and down the mountain pass anyway. Car did okay, max temp was 207 going up, and that was probably due to heavy stop and go traffic on way up mountain. To be sure, I exited at top of pass, went down pass and did it over again, this time in fast lane. Temp never exceeded 203, I drove 70-80 mph. Before using Thermagasket, my car hit 250 temp going up the pass, and l was losing coolant.

Im still uncertain about what level to keep the coolant at, and what the level is going to be when I check it in the morning, especially after the mountain drive and that overflow tonight.

Any thoughts?

[mishutka]

How do you get to the lower coolant hose to add the additive?
It seems like it can't be done unless you elevate the front of the car.
Could someone be more specific on how to detach the hose?
Can I try to detach the upper hose - it will just take longer to flush the old coolant?

I would like to do the job myself as I am quite sure that my mechanic will not use distilled water when mixing with dexcool.
Thanks

[sjwoodruff]

Originally Posted by mishutka

How do you get to the lower coolant hose to add the additive?
It seems like it can't be done unless you elevate the front of the car.
Could someone be more specific on how to detach the hose?
Can I try to detach the upper hose - it will just take longer to flush the old coolant?

I would like to do the job myself as I am quite sure that my mechanic will not use distilled water when mixing with dexcool.
Thanks

The lower hose is a pain. I'm assuming you're referring to adding the coolant supplements? If so, you can crush three or four and place the powder in the upper hose - this one is much easier to access. You can drain the coolant from the drain cock located below the radiator on the driver's side. There should be an access in your splash guard beneath the car. I believe it takes a 3/4" socket.

[mcowden]

Originally Posted by sjwoodruff

The lower hose is a pain. I'm assuming you're referring to adding the coolant supplements? If so, you can crush three or four and place the powder in the upper hose - this one is much easier to access. You can drain the coolant from the drain cock located below the radiator on the driver's side. There should be an access in your splash guard beneath the car. I believe it takes a 3/4" socket.

As far as adding the Bar's Leaks stuff, I have also added it by mixing the powder with the 50/50 coolant mix for the first gallon I dump in after draining the system. You have to shake it up well so it doesn't all come out in one big glop. The second gallon is just the 50/50 mix and that should push the stuff into the system without letting it accumulate in the surge tank.

[rfishing]

Originally Posted by mishutka

How do you get to the lower coolant hose to add the additive?
It seems like it can't be done unless you elevate the front of the car.
Could someone be more specific on how to detach the hose?
Can I try to detach the upper hose - it will just take longer to flush the old coolant?

I would like to do the job myself as I am quite sure that my mechanic will not use distilled water when mixing with dexcool.
Thanks

I took off the air filter assembly, makes it easy to get to lower hose. 2 bolts on the assembly and a clamp around the hose. I use a 1 foot long screw driver for the lower hose clamp. Helps if screw slot is facing up on clamp.

I seriously doubt you can add thermagasket to lower hose. Just not enough room to work, and it will most likely spill over. The representative told me upper hose.

[mtflight]

On the newer models, the clamps do not use screws. They are "constant force clamps" which means they can never become loose. They're a pain to install and take out (brute force and pliers required), vs the more convenient screw type.

[rfishing]

Update:

Today I flushed out the ThermaGasket, and added coolant. They wanted me to do a 25 percent coolant to 75 water ratio. I somehow goofed, and wound up with just under 50/50 mix. I added 1gallon 100 percent, 1 gallon 50/50, half gallon distilled water. System capacity is 12.5 quarts.

I did use the Propylene Glyclol antifreeze that they recommended. I am not sure why they recommend that. I am speculating here, but I think 25 percent coolant is recommended for Norstars because Water is better at removing heat then the coolant? The other thing I can speculate on, is ThermaGasket might react to the other kind of coolant.

Also I want to note: RxAuto rep told me, it was my decision if I wanted to add the Bars Leak coolant supplement tabs. As far as they are concerned, that product is causing equalizing lines to get clogged. I left them out.

I did a test drive at normal speeds up to 65mph, and car responded well with temps 196-201.



Over the next few days, I will monitor the coolant level, and temperatures.

[donwon]

I have been haveing trouble on my 89 Seville for a couple of months now
since I put the coolant tabs in my radiaror.
I even got all the coolant out took the overflow tank off and cleaned it out
and put Prestone 50/50 back in same thing still happened

Coolant gets pushed into the overflow and won't go back into the radiator
till the engine is shut down and cooled off.
I used the K&W block seal and followed the directions.
When I refilled with coolant I let the car idle for over an hour and the
temp never went over 215.
I let it cool off about an hour then drove about 15 miles at 55 and the
temp was at 240.
When I got home it was going between 225 to 245.
When I parked the temp went down to 220 to 240.
I got out with the engine running and the overflow tank was full.
I squeased the hose and nothing happened.
After I shut it off for about 10 min the overflow started going back
into the radiator.
I did put a new serpentine belt on the car before I started it this morning.
I took the upper radiator hose lose and turned the engine over and watched
coolant being pushed out so I know the water pump is working.
I took the thermostat out when I did this.
Any more suggestions?
BTW I have read all the post in this thread.

[rfishing]

Donwon,

Check the thermostat in stove top water to see if it is opening at 195 degrees, just before water boils at 212. It might be stuck closed. Also did you flush the radiator and verify water flowing out the bottom?

[donwon]

I tried 3 different thermostats. 2 cheep ones and one cost $11.
All were the same results in the car.
No I did not try them in boiling water. I thought about it and did something
else and forgot about it.
I have some sparkplugs and wires(if I can find them) and if it don't rain Sat.
I am gonna change the plugs and see if any have signs of a head gasket leak.
I did drain and flush the cooling systemand used a radiator flush.
I opened the radiator drain, and removed the Tstat and stuck a water hose in both and ran water in until it was clear comeing out the drain.
Tomorrow I will drain and flush and add only coolant and try a new radiator cap and T stat.
Yesterday I added Bars Leak cooling system conditioner and waterpump lubericant.
Thanks for the suggestions, and reply.

[rfishing]

At this point, I doubt its your thermostat, since you went through 3 of them. Wont hurt to test one of them anyway, so you can feel confident about that. dont bring to a boil, it should open just prior to boiling. Are you losing coolant anywhere? If not, you might want to see if combustion gases are in the coolant.

[High Blood Pressure]

Originally Posted by mishutka

How do you get to the lower coolant hose to add the additive?
It seems like it can't be done unless you elevate the front of the car.
Could someone be more specific on how to detach the hose?
Can I try to detach the upper hose - it will just take longer to flush the old coolant?

I would like to do the job myself as I am quite sure that my mechanic will not use distilled water when mixing with dexcool.
Thanks

i just took my whole coolant system apart yesterday and i can tell u that if you take the air filter housing off you can get to the bottom hose eaisier when u take off the air filter housing you will see the water pump housing the bottom hose connects to that housing where the thermastat is located now if u remove the hose from there you might need a screw driver for the clamp well on my 95 sls u do now i dont know if u have to remove the thermastat for that stuff but if u do be careful when tightening the bolts back cause u can break a bolt in that housing like me and have to buy a new water pump housing

[High Blood Pressure]

if u dont mind me asking rfishing which package did u get from thermagasket and sorry bout you taking your car to the dealer to get fixed and 10 months later it did the same thing that would of made me go postal

[rfishing]

Originally Posted by High Blood Pressure

if u dont mind me asking rfishing which package did u get from thermagasket and sorry bout you taking your car to the dealer to get fixed and 10 months later it did the same thing that would of made me go postal

I suffer with depression as it is, thanks for the sympathy.

Rxauto.com has 3 different kits that I know of. I personally called them, they have terrific support and will give you good advice. The Kit they recommended for me, the $99.95 one. If you have water in oil, you will need the other kit for $119.95.

Thermagasket Head & Block Treatment Kit

Kit Includes:
16 oz Part A Base
6 oz Part B Catalyst
$99.95


Dont let this picture fool you, read the discription. 16oz Part A. I was surprised to see a small package, was expecting a gallon coolant size to be delivered. LOL

By the way, checked coolant today was above the baffleplate. Ran car again for 20 minutes drive. Took 10 minutes of normal driving to get up to 195 degrees, max temp going up a steep incline was 201 at 65 mph. No leaks that I can see. No codes.

Not surprised to see the drivers side footwell heat acting up again (blowing room temp air). After all I did not flush that heater core, just flushed the system. It worked hot air for a day. Im convinced the heater core is clogged. Inside of Car gets hot with the other vents, and seat heaters work good too. Im willing to live with this minor problem for another 2 years.

One more day of driving locally and I will take up mountain once more to verify integrity of ThermaGasket. Then my wife can have it back to commute to work one hour each way, that will be the ultimate test.

Good luck with yours.

[RxAuto]

Hello All

The reason that we (RxAuto) Recommend you leave the Thermagasket in the vehicle for 400 miles is so if there are any other weak spots in the gasket that start to leak after the main breach is repaired the Thermagasket will be present to repair them! Thermagasket stays active for approximately 5-7 heating and cooling cycles! If anybody has any questions about Thermagasket or its use feel free to give me a call personally! We are here to help you in any way we can! Kirk 1-800-567-4077