Rebel Rev

Since summer I have had a small coolant leak... over six months... had it since I put new coolant in and had close to the hottest summer ever where I live.

Couldn't find the leak... finally I got a small torch into the front of the motor and found the leak... it was coming from the right side of the water pump gasket... the weep hole wasn't leaking but obviously the gasket on the 2 bolts on the right hand part of the water pump was letting out a small amount of coolant... how I found it took much thought because the only time the thing leaked was when I topped up the radiator when the motor was cold, which means the leak had to be somewhere near the top of the radiator... anyway after checking everything over months lying across the motor with a small torch dangling down at the back of the pulleys I saw a drop of coolant coming from the water pump... as the water pump was working ok I looked around online to find something that would seal the small leak.

I found a product called Rislone Head Gasket Fix

Stops block leaks
Seals cracked cylinder heads
Repairs blown head gaskets
No draining of the cooling system is required
Use on all water cooled petrol & diesel engines
Works on cast iron & aluminum heads & blocks
Helps seal all other engine cooling system leaks
Use with all types of anti-freeze

As it gets real hot in Australia I thought it would not be a bad idea to have this stuff in the coolant as a preventive as well for other things that can go wrong with gaskets in the motor.

The stuff costs a lot... $65 bucks... so it's not cheap.

Anyway put it in and the small leak is gone... no coolant smell and no drops. No loss of coolant in the radiator or reserve.

Lloyd Smale

hope it doesnt plug up your radiator, the stuff that doesnt plug that leak has to go somewhere. Id consider now that its plugged draining and putting new coolant in

Rebel Rev

Driven the car a few times and checked everything and all is well... one of the recommendations for this product is it doesn't clog things and also works if something else goes inside the motor... which is one of the main reason I added it to the coolant... I think you would have problems if your radiator was stuffed already, but mine is in very good condition.

I live in a place where it gets really hot and this product is some insurance for the extreme hot times.

I don't see snow or need to put the car away for winter... the car is driven all year round... I wouldn't add this stuff to a car that was put away for a good part of the year.

I will say that the car now runs cooler and takes longer to heat up than before as well, which is one big side benefit of an internal sealer that works.

PcolaPaul

And by the way...
For us on this side of the pond a "Torch" is called a Flashlight over here!

Rebel Rev

lol... things have different meanings... for example the word 'drug'... In the USA you have drug stores and as a kid watching 1950s & 1960s TV shows you would see drug stores with people going in and buying things like sodas and that.

As an Aussie it confused the life out of me how you could have a place like a drug store, as the word 'drug' in Australia in the 50s and 60s had all sorts of negative aspects.

Paul Workman

IMO, as long as I know what gasket is leaking, then I'd prefer to replace it. But, first I'd be sure the bolts are not just loose.

To prevent nuisance weeping, I believe you can get some stop leak tablets over the GM counter (WVZR-1 might be able to confirm), OR you can get the pelletized sawdust stop-leak from most auto parts stores.

Used as directed, there is no problem with it plugging anything up that it isn't suppose to. (I was told some stop-leak is in the factory coolant fill to ward off any potential seepage issues until the gaskets are fully "set". I dunno, but it makes sense - and I have it in all my cars and truck as well.)

Paul.

Rebel Rev

Yes, as long as you are fully aware of what the product is there should be no problems... the stuff I put in doesn't clog and it can be wiped off easily like the radiator cap. This means it will probably put a coat on the inside of the motor because it really hot in there but not on things like the radiator as its not designed to weld to radiator temp... it's only active in the really hot parts of the internal engine itself.

As my C4 engine is 26 years old I am not too worried that the stuff will blow the motor... Other stuff might, but then if you don't do your homework before adding something then I think that's a risk you take.

When I first bought the car over a year ago I thought the motor was stuffed... it took some time to realise that the previous owner had probably not driven it much for some time and all it needed was some tlc... Everything I do with the car is carefully researched... don't do anything or add anything until I am convinced that at the very worst the motor will be still as good as it is after I have done something to it.

I also realised that to improve the car I needed to really get motivated to learn about it... This came about when I first got the car and I got it checked out thoroughly and got a report that the only thing wrong with the car was it had a cracked serpentine belt... well I found out that wasn't the case as I was driving interstate on a long trip... it train tracked like hell... what a drive that was... scary as... anyway when I got back I had it completely fixed... only cost me 200 bucks.

The car tells you what's wrong with it, all one needs to do is take the time listen and this can sometimes take a lot of time... but then I love the car and spend many hours researching online and this forum has been a great help.

Because others have helped me on this forum I try to help others with some things I have found to be helpful to me regarding the car.

Silver96ce

Thanks for the info.

BTW I like how you use the term "stuffed".

Nowhere Man

the bolts holding the water pump are not a blind hole. they go into the water jacket. you should use Teflon tape or pipe dope to seal the threads

Rebel Rev

lol... back when I was a young lad in the early 70s I moved to the 'big smoke', (from a country town to a capital city) to work. In the country town I grew up in the word 'stuffed' meant something that had broken down or blown up (it's stuffed) or you felt unwell (I'm stuffed). When I worked in Melbourne I used the word as I always had until a women where I worked complained to management that I was using a dirty world... funny how even in the same country words can have different meanings to different people.

Rebel Rev

Yes, looked at that but getting to everything is difficult... I was just going to take it to my mechanic and get a new water pump put in as well but because the pump was going well I thought I would add the sealer because the leak was so little... only a couple of drops... that's why it was so hard to find the leak.

My main reasoning for adding the sealer wasn't just because of the leak... I wanted to also add something that would be a preventive for other gaskets that would come under pressure... Our summer is coming in a few months and the extreme heat would put a lot more pressure on the motor and it's internal gaskets.

I drive the car nearly every day... Even my motorcycles are complaining that I don't use them much any more... just love the car... You don't see many of them where I live... in fact I went for a long drive yesterday and didn't see one... saw a 70s Camaro, a 70s Charger and some old vintage cars.

In the state where I live in Australia you cannot register and drive a LHD C4 (only pre 1979 LHD vehicles)... so you have to have it converted to RHD... Buckets of money for that... so I have a machine that stands out against all others... and what a magnificent machine it is.

tbirdsps

Here in America it's bad form to use a torch to find fuel leaks. Ok for most other things though.

I first was introduced to the term "torch" by a bunch of Aussies training on the then new F/A-18A. One asked me pass him a torch. I quickly learned what that was when he noticed the blank stare on my face. Ha Ha.

tbirdsps

Here in America it's bad form to use a torch to find fuel leaks. Ok for most other things though.

I first was introduced to the term "torch" by a bunch of Aussies training on the then new F/A-18A. One asked me pass him a torch. I quickly learned what that was when he noticed the blank stare on my face. Ha Ha. In his best mocking voice he said "bloody flashlight you hoser".

Rebel Rev

lol ... yes, you would blow yourself up with a torch... i suppose you got a lot of 'mate' talk as well... like 'g'day mate'... 'how's it going mate'... lol...

Here's some Australian slang, idioms and Aussie lingo interpreted...


Acca Dacca - rock band 'AC DC'
ace – excellent
ambo - Paramedic, Ambulance Officer
‘ang on – wait a moment
arvo – afternoon
Aussie - person from Australia (pronounced: Ozzey)
‘avago – have a go (usually ‘ya mug’ – you fool – is added); try harder
barbie – barbecue or BBQ
barra - a barramundi fish
bewdy or bewdy bottler – good; the best
Beyond the Black Stump – far from the city; the outback
bickie - biscut or cookie
bingle – minor car accident
bludger – layabout, one who wants something for nothing, person who does not work or works very little
bluey – a swag or blanket roll
bombed out – unsuccessful; also drunk
bonza - excellent
boys in blue - Police
Brisbanites - people from Brisbane
buckleys - no chance
budgy smugglers - swimming atire, also referred to as 'togs'
burl - 'give it a burl' give it a go; attempt something
by crickey – an expression of surprise
cactus – useless, broken
cark it – to die
cashed up – having plenty of ready money
cheesed (off) – bored; fed up
chewy – chewing gum
chook – domestic fowl
chook raffle – a lottery in which the prize is a chicken; usually held in a ‘pub’ (hotel)
chuck a wobbly – go berserk
cobber – friend
cocky – know all; also a small farmer
combo - combination
come a cropper – to fall heavily
cot case – a drunk or exhausted person only fit for bed
cracking - excellent / get cracking - start something
Darwin stubby - 2 litre bottle of beer
deadhead – a stupid person
deadly - excellent ("The Deadlys" is an award program to recognise the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to their community and to Australian society)
dead marine – an empty beer bottle (also: dead soldier)
dead set – certain; assured; used as an exclamation meaning ‘really!’
dead set against it – uncooperative
dingy - small aluminium boat
dinky-di – genuine
do your lolly (mellon; nana; loaf) – to get very angry
dob in – to betray or report someone to the authorities; also to nominate someone for an umpleasent task
don’t get off your bike – calm down
drongo – stupid person
dry as a drovers dog – extremely thirsty
dunny – an outside toilet
esky – a portable icebox (brand name)
fair crack of the whip – ease up (also: fair suck of the surf)
fair dinkum – honest; genuine
fair enough – alright; acceptable
fair go – a chance; also an appeal for fairness
flake (out) – to collapse; to fall asleap
flat out like a lizard drinking – lying prone; also rushed; extremely busy
flush – having plenty of money
fossick – to search for something
freak out – to have an extreme reaction (good or bad) to something
full as a goog (tick; boot) – drunk; full of food after a big meal
game as Ned Kelly – very brave (Ned Kelly was a daring bushranger [robber] in 1878)
gander - 'have a gander' to 'have a look'
garbage – an exclamation meaning ‘what rubbish, I don’t believe you!’
garbo - garbage collector
g’donya – good for you; well done; can also be sarcastic; or mean ‘I don’t believe you’
go off like a bucket of prawns in the sun – to create a commotion
good one – an explanation of approval; or comment that someone is stretching the truth
good-o – yes, alright
goon - wine sold inside a bag and cardboard box
goose - 'you goose' means 'you clown'
gutful – more than enough (I’ve had a gutful of this – I’ve had enough)
have tickets on yourself – to be conceited
hit the deck – to duck; to put your head down
hit the tin – put money in the kitty; to contribute to a collection of cash
hoon – a stupid or uncultivated person; also a fast or wreckless driver
hooroo – goodbye
jackaroo - male working with cattle or horses
joolaroo - female working as a jackaroo
kero - kerosene
kick in – to help out with money
knee high to a grasshopper - a yong child (short)
knock – to criticise, find fault
knocker – a person who makes derogatory remarks
larrikin – mischievous, wild or carefree person
lations - family relatives or 'relations'
like a hornet in a bottle – furious
like a possum up a gum tree – moving fast
like a rat up a drainpipe – moving even faster
lingo – language
loaded – extremely wealthy; also very drunk
local rag - local newspaper
longkneck - 750ml bottle of beer (also: tallie)
mackas - McDonalds
main drag - main road or street through a town
mate – good or best friend; also used to greet someone as in ‘G’day mate’
matilda – a blanket roll carried by a swagman
Melbournians - people from Melbourne
metho - methylated spirits
mexicans - people from the state south of yours
milko - milk home delivery person
m’oath – my oath; on my oath. bloody oath - i agree
mug – fool
mulga – rough country (actually: a type of tree)
muso - musician
no-hopper – incompetent person; social misfit
nosh up – a good meal
nick – to steal
nicked – to be caught; (I got nicked – I got caught) go away; (get nicked)
nick off – to go away; expression meaning ‘lose yourself!’
nifty – stylish; clever; shrewd to the point of dishonesty
ocker – the archetypal uncultivated Australian male
outback – the inland country far away from large cities
pint of beer - 570ml
prang – minor car accident
prawn - shrimp
pot of beer - 285ml (a 'one pot screamer' is someone who gets drunk off very little alcohol). Also known as a 'middy' or 'half pint'
pull your head in - stop acting that way
rack off – to go away
rego - vehicle registration
righto - alright
ring-in – a substitute
rissole - a type of meatball flattened out; or fat meat patty. (also: 'given the rissole' sacked or fired from employment.
road train - a truck with many sections attached (some road trains are over a kilometre long)
rort – a con
sangers – sandwiches
schooner of beer - 425ml
’scuse me - excuse me
servo - a petrol station or gas station
she’ll be apples, she’s sweet – it’ll be fine
shoot through - to go somewhere else (or he shot through)
shonky – poor quality
shotgun - the front passenger seat of a vehicle
shout – to buy drinks for everyone
shrapnel - coins of a low denomination
sickie – a day taken off work, but not necessarily because of illness
skip – Australian-born (from Skippy the kangaroo [a TV show])
skite – a bragger
slack - work left over by a lazy person. To 'pull up the slack' is to do the work left over by others.
a slash - to take 'a slash' or 'have a slash' - to urinate
smoko – a break from work (originally a cigarette)
snags – sausages
speedo - vehicle speedomoter
stinker – an objectionable person
stone the crows – exclamation of astonishment
stubby - a bottle of beer (330ml) or stubbie / a brand of shorts
stubby cooler - used to keep your hand warm and a beer cold
swag – a blanket roll of light bedding
swagman – a man who travels around the country on foot and takes odd jobs usually in the outback
Sydneyites - people from Sydney
ratbag – a rogue; an eccentric person
rubbish – to criticice; to mock
servo - petrol station
ta - thank you
tall poppy (/syndrome) - a cultural tendancy to cutt people down to size - criticise people who excell or achieve significantly / or publicly above others.
ta-ta – goodbye
Taswegins - people from Tasmania
the ditch - water between Australia and New Zealand
tinnie – a can of beer; a small aluminum boat
too right – an exclamation meaning ‘I agree’
top drop – a good beer or wine
true blue – genuine
tucker - food
twit – a fool
ute – open backed pick-up truck
veg out – relax
wag – to play truant
wheelie – a noisy skidding turn while driving
wheely bin - a council issued rubbish bin on two wheels
whinge – to complain
whopper – something surprisingly big
woop woop - out in the middle of no where
wowser – a killjoy; a prudish teetotaler
write-off – a total loss
wuss – spoilsport; afraid to have a go
yakka – hard or heavy work
yank - American
yarn - to have a conversation
yobbo – a loud or stupid uncultivated person
yonks ago (or yonks and yonks ago) - a long time ago
zonked (out) – tired out; exhausted

JrRifleCoach

I'm now ready for my next trip to the big island.

Rebel Rev

ricasso

Here you go Rebel, this is how they speak not 20 miles from here in Gloucestershire, try this lot!

http://www.deanforestmiscellany.info...resttalk.shtml

Rebel Rev

The old country hey... many different ways of speaking over there... my Grandfather came from England in the early 1900s... my grandmother's side had been out here a lot longer because she told me that her grandmother was in Ballarat Victoria during the Eureka Stockade Rebellion in 1854. Apparently on my grandmothers side their heritage was Cornish.

My Grandmother said her father was a gold miner in Ballarat and buried all his gold in the backyard... lol. Like many gold miners he died of miners complaint - lung disease.

My uncle had one of the last gold mines at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat and I went down it as a child in a bucket... it was closed when a young boy fell down it.

Today Sovereign Hill is a big tourist attraction where you can go back in history and see how it was back in the gold rush days... it's like going back in history because people are dressed in that era and all the buildings and gold mine have been recreated from that time.

ricasso

Ive got a couple of brothers that live round your way, they both went to Adelaide back in the 60s as "10 pound Poms" my niece that's out there had an old Mustang vert which she described as going "like a cut cat" love it! I tend to use that phrase about my Vette now!

Rebel Rev

Are there many C4's in your part of the world?