tiny bubbles in coolant ..

[rebuild]

They almost look like foam these bubbles. I assume they are exhaust leaking from the head gasket? 89 LXi has about 515k. If it is the head gasket and I need a timing belt (105k on this one), how much time do I have on the head gasket? Do they go quick and catastrophically (what happens?) when they start to go? Or is it a long drawn out process?

Should I pay to get the timing belt done now (what is a good price for the labor for TB and seals?) and fool with the head gasket and redoing the engine later? Or is the head gasket urgent now as well?

Thanks.

[w261w261]

sounds like a small leak. 515k. Wow. Try moroso ceramic engine block sealer. Follow instructions carefully and it will work. Www.Moroso.com

[rebuild]

I am wondering if I can go cross country on this headgasket? Maybe time to get triple A or is there a 3geez helicopter they send out with parts so you can set up shop and fix it on the spot? That would be pretty cool.

[w261w261]

join the 3geez foundation. Nationwide helicopter service plus a first class air ticket to your destination with the car in the hold. Peanuts extra

[Dr_Snooz]

They almost look like foam these bubbles. I assume they are exhaust leaking from the head gasket? 89 LXi has about 515k. If it is the head gasket and I need a timing belt (105k on this one), how much time do I have on the head gasket? Do they go quick and catastrophically (what happens?) when they start to go? Or is it a long drawn out process?

Should I pay to get the timing belt done now (what is a good price for the labor for TB and seals?) and fool with the head gasket and redoing the engine later? Or is the head gasket urgent now as well?

Thanks.

Are you really planning to do a headgasket service just because you see some bubbles in the coolant? Please tell me you are having other symptoms than this. It seems like a lot of work and expense if you aren't having any trouble with the car.

[rebuild]

No it is more than that. It does put out some oil smoke on startup and it is very weak going up mountains and exhaust seems worse than it should be. One person said not to drive long distances with the head gasket like that, but that was the whole point - to drive cross country. If I still have plenty of time on that head gasket - no I don't want to change it right now, but it is time for the timing belt which I would like to do if I can - I don't know if it is possible with just the car jack..

I looked up that engine sealer and want to find out more about it - I saw one that works with antifreeze and one without. But it reminded me of when I used stop leak for a radiator once and it clogged and killed that radiator.

[w261w261]

I used the Moroso sealer on an '85 Volvo whose head gasket was leaking from the exhaust to the coolant. It pumped up the pressure and overflowed the coolant out of the bottle. Having nothing to lose (who is going to spend much money on a pos '85 Volvo), I used the Moroso. I flushed the cooling system thoroughly (hose into radiator, disconnected the return to radiator) for probably 30 minutes total (the thermostat would cycled closed as the cold water went in, then would open as the engine warmed up, so I would have to keep going). When there was no anti-freeze in there, I put in the specified amount of sealer, and within a minute everything was fine. It stayed that way until I sold the car a year later.

The radiator stop leak products are good if the leak isn't so bad, and you use them in moderation. Too much is not a good thing, and be sure to know where the leak is, e.g. don't try to fix a leaking hose that way.

Your profile doesn't say where you live, so assuming "across the country" is 2500 miles or so, you should prepare for the worst. The worst is having the car break down big time and you have to abandon it somewhere. Even if you get AAA, you should get the "plus" version so you can avail yourself of the 100 mile tow. Out there in flyover land, the distances are bigggg, and you can't count on a mechanic being any good.

Speaking of AAA, I couldn't live without it. I have a '89, a '98, a '92, '01, and '04 vehicles, and with "Plus" AAA, I get 5 tows per member per year. I have me, my wife, my brother and 2 kids on the policy, so I get 25 tows. Sometimes instead of having someone follow me to the mechanic I just call up AAA. All this for $240/yr, which includes a 25% discount on movie tickets. A good deal....just a 75 mile tow from NYC to home last year with the Passat would have been probably $300. They lose money on me for sure.

Seriously, if you're going to go cross country, be sure you have plenty of time and plenty of money, just in case. Or, be pretty good as a roadside mechanic and carry a bunch of tools. Starting out with a compromised vehicle might make your trip not as nice as you envision.