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Re: Ceramic block sealant...


I have used K-Seal several times to solve problems with cracks.

Rover Maestro - Weeping coreplug at the back of the block, would have been a pig to change so got a bottle of K-Seal thrown into it and sealed up well, and is still holding.

JCB digger, block was cracked, two bottles of K-Seal later it solved the problem.

K-Seal seems to be a superior product to Rad-weld in that it keeps flowing and will not clump up in the radiator, I know on Reliants Rad weld is known to block the radiators.

Another product worth looking at perhaps would be "Steal Seal" - this has a money back guarantee but is expensive to start with in comparison to K seal

Location: Fife

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Have used "Steal Seal" on a"K" series engined Rover that had a head gasket leak on No. 3 cylinder. Due to the leak it had failed MoT emission test. Having added the sealant I drove the car with a mis-fire for about three miles. The mis-fire gradually went and when tested the emissions were within the limits. As far as I know the problem never returned. At about £30.00 cheaper than a head set.

Location: Piddle Valley

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Hey R
I have had great success with Ce-lit

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

The locals won't forgive me if I don't mention JB Weld (longer setting version) after usual cleaning and wedge groove in crack. I've fixed many things...list too long to mention and even cast small unstressed bits with it. Although apparently, much to my horror and loss of credibility it has been in a recent competition with Loctite Steel (and others) and was found to be inferior!

Location: Ferring, West Sussex

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

I heard that K-Seal was developed to cure sealing problems which were common on the K-series engine, hence the name!

Location: just north of Cambridge

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

K seal is excellent on cars with pressurised pumped systems. Ive essentially sorted (temporarily) blown head gaskets with it.

However I found that on a system with no pressure or pump that it effectivley does nothing.

The engine in the microplas bodied Austin special I had weeped from the manifold which had been fitted with bolts rather than studs. It was only a weep but the K seal didnt even touch it.

My understanding is these products are forced into the leak by the pressure and react with either air or exhaust gases and bind together to form a seal.

After it failed to work I actually wondered if the flow in the cooling system was enough to make it circulate. Perhaps it was all sat in the bottom tank in the rad.

Location: not north wales any more

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

I used K-Seal to seal an external crack in the Chummy cylinder head a few years ago. It didn't. Tried to seal a weeping manifold stud on the Ulsteroid with the same stuff. That didn't work either. Perhaps best to let it rust up!

Location: Wales

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Having read good reports of K-Seal I used it to try to cure some slight leaks in the Chummy's cylinder head (caused by frost damage I think). Unfortunately it didn't do much good, but now I probably know why it didn't work. A friend of mine used it on a more modern car and said it worked well.

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Not familiar with K-Seal, but years ago (almost all my stories are years ago!) whilst touring Tasmania my '25 Chummy boiled badly whilst climbing the infamous Elephant Pass. Took the bonnet off to aid cool-down, noticed crack in head. Put in Repco Irontite, finished the tour. When I got home I didn't have time to fix it as I was committed to deliver some display drawings by Austin 7 to a country Farm Machinery Museum as a promotion, over 200 miles away. Risky, but completed the return journey okay. When I undid the head nuts the head came away in three pieces, so would recommend Irontite to any Aussie readers. Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

I have used Irontite because it was recommended by more than one engine reconditioner. It is supposed to coat the entire interior of the cooling system with some kind of magic stuff. I used it in my Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire, to fix a slight weep from one side of the head gasket. The block had been cracked along almost its entire length and had been metal stitched. It seems to have worked fine, but I have not used Irontite on an engine with a non-pressurised system. I have only a 4lb cap on the Siddeley radiator so the stuff would probably work in an A7. Do you get Irontite in the real world? Maybe there is an equivalent product there.

Location: Wellington, NZ

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Thank you for taking the time to post and email me everyone - very much appreciated.

I'll report back on my choice and how effective it turns out to be!

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Peter Clayton
Have used "Steal Seal" on a"K" series engined Rover that had a head gasket leak on No. 3 cylinder. Due to the leak it had failed MoT emission test. Having added the sealant I drove the car with a mis-fire for about three miles. The mis-fire gradually went and when tested the emissions were within the limits. As far as I know the problem never returned. At about £30.00 cheaper than a head set.


I hope things work out OK for you Peter with your K series engine. However you may only have put off the inevitable - head gasket problems on the K series engines can be exacerbated by leak sealing compounds which tend to coagulate in the very small galleries in the K series head and block them thereby increasing the risk of overheating and HG failure. If the engine was suffering from a poorly sealing head gasket the best option is a strip down to determine the problem, either replacing the gasket with a newer "Payen blue" type or the multi layer Land Rover solution. Leaks around the fire rings suggest however that the light alloy head has softened due to overheating - you will be able to see this as an indentation in the head, or that the cylinder liners have dropped. There should be a stand proud of the liner/block interface of a couple of thou, but if they've dropped due to overheating then you'll get a leak at the fire ring. If the head is indented this may be recoverable by a skim but a new head may be required. Testing the head by Brinell or diamond indentation will determine if it's still in tolerance.

Location: Gard, France 30960. Used to be Languedoc-Roussillon but now it's Occitanie

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Reckless Rat
Peter Clayton
Have used "Steal Seal" on a"K" series engined Rover that had a head gasket leak on No. 3 cylinder. Due to the leak it had failed MoT emission test. Having added the sealant I drove the car with a mis-fire for about three miles. The mis-fire gradually went and when tested the emissions were within the limits. As far as I know the problem never returned. At about £30.00 cheaper than a head set.


I hope things work out OK for you Peter with your K series engine. However you may only have put off the inevitable - head gasket problems on the K series engines can be exacerbated by leak sealing compounds which tend to coagulate in the very small galleries in the K series head and block them thereby increasing the risk of overheating and HG failure. If the engine was suffering from a poorly sealing head gasket the best option is a strip down to determine the problem, either replacing the gasket with a newer "Payen blue" type or the multi layer Land Rover solution. Leaks around the fire rings suggest however that the light alloy head has softened due to overheating - you will be able to see this as an indentation in the head, or that the cylinder liners have dropped. There should be a stand proud of the liner/block interface of a couple of thou, but if they've dropped due to overheating then you'll get a leak at the fire ring. If the head is indented this may be recoverable by a skim but a new head may be required. Testing the head by Brinell or diamond indentation will determine if it's still in tolerance.


Not my car actually Reckers,One which I had to Mot a few years back and was running well a couple of years later.My own Rover K series power unit is still going strong at 65K miles and 17 years of service.

Location: Piddle Valley

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

When I last looked into this Belzona was certainly the best sounding stuff to try. The only problem was being the 'professional' stuff I couldn't find anywhere in NZ where you could actually buy it in small quantities to try out. This is the stuff here: http://www.belzona.com/en/applications/engines.aspx

The local NZ distributors are here although the web site descriptions are messed up: http://reptechonlineshop.co.nz/belzona?page=1

It's very expensive stuff!

Simon

Location: Wellington

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

We're currently trying Belzona on an old block that's been previously 'cold stitched' and is showing a crack across the stitching. A problem may be that it appears someone's tried using some other product after the stitching, maybe lead.
I'll report back, but it my be some time.

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Thank you for the further suggestions and advice, much appreciated.

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Ruairidh,
The question has to be asked, with your skill levels and knowledge and low comp heads available at £30 a pop why are you. Messing about with ceramic sealant at circa £10 per block ? . I bet that you have a couple stored away anyway.
Short arms and long pockets ? , the locals are getting to you.

Location: Oakley , hants

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

A good point Derek.

Several things,

1. One of the heads is not on an Austin Seven and, although I have spare for that car, it is not the 'correct' head, I would want to change the head gasket as well.

2. The Austin Seven head is not a low compression head, by any means, and is on a rather special engine.

I am loath to disturb the heads on engines that run perfectly and have done so for a very long time.

I am very happy to give some to the recommended stuff a go but do have alternatives, as you suggest, if it proves unsuccessful.

Re: Ceramic block sealant...

Well I had to ask.
I didn't have any joy with K seal on the Rosengart block hence it got chucked and another found.
Good luck with your endeavour.

Location: Oakley , hants

Re: Ceramic block sealant...