Head gasket leaking, need CHEAP solution
03-15-2004, 05:20 PM
#1
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Me and a buddy of mine just bought a '84 Saab 900 s just to beat around for a while. She's got 203K miles on her but she is running surprisingly well. Very well actually. The problem is there seems to be oil acuminating around the head, looks to be leaking out of the gasket. Now, I definitely do not plan on taking off the head and slapping in a new gasket or anything major like that. I'm thinking of grabbing some sealant, some kind of caulk maybe for this exact purpose? Anyone know of something like this? Keep in mind the thing could fall apart at any minute, it's not like we need this to hold for another 100K miles. Anyone know of ANYTHING I should use to seal this gasket?
03-15-2004, 05:38 PM
#2
No bandaide will stop a head gasket leak. However, you can try stuff like the old STP oil treatment. It's thick like molassus and might slow it down. In fact, go with a really thick oil too.
Why worry about a little oil leak on such a high mileage car anyway? Considering that you say it could fall apart any minute now, why not just keep feeding it oil till it dies? You can buy a lot of oil for the cost of a head gasket job.
Why worry about a little oil leak on such a high mileage car anyway? Considering that you say it could fall apart any minute now, why not just keep feeding it oil till it dies? You can buy a lot of oil for the cost of a head gasket job.
03-15-2004, 06:03 PM
#3
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Is the leak coming from the "head gasket" or is it possibly the valve cover gasket?
If the head gasket were leaking, you would see white smoke from the tailpipe, it would be hard to start and there would be oil in the antifreeze and/or antifreeze in the oil. The oil on the dipstick would be milky. Also the engine would be running hot and the antifreeze level would be dropping constantly with no apparent sign of a leak. One or more cylinders might be not be firing correctly (missing). You might also see bubbles in the antifreeze in the radiator with the engine running.
Do you have any of these symptoms? If not, then you most likely have a leaking valve cover gasket which is much cheaper to repair. You can probably do this yourself.
Good luck,
Bob
If the head gasket were leaking, you would see white smoke from the tailpipe, it would be hard to start and there would be oil in the antifreeze and/or antifreeze in the oil. The oil on the dipstick would be milky. Also the engine would be running hot and the antifreeze level would be dropping constantly with no apparent sign of a leak. One or more cylinders might be not be firing correctly (missing). You might also see bubbles in the antifreeze in the radiator with the engine running.
Do you have any of these symptoms? If not, then you most likely have a leaking valve cover gasket which is much cheaper to repair. You can probably do this yourself.
Good luck,
Bob
03-15-2004, 09:54 PM
#7
Wrong forum, but the Saab 900 engine is lent over at around 45 degrees and will leak from the rocker cover onto the exhaust system. ( lots of burning). Steam clean the engine and identify where the oil is really coming from. You may just need some silastic sealant on the rocker cover gasket or an O ring on the distributor.
Speedracer.
Speedracer.
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