Supertech 10W-30 Synthetic, Ford 3.8L V6, 5036 Mi.

[jsharp]

Blackstone anaylsis from our '94 Taurus 3.8L V6. This is our $300 car. When we got it, it had cooling system problems and we replaced the radiator and thermostat. We've seen no coolant loss and no oil usage since then in the 10K miles we've driven it.

Previous anaylsis by Predictive maintenance here - http://www.sharpcs.com/personalphotos/OA/Taurus_oil_anaylsis_1.jpg

Filter was a private labeled Purolator both times.

Interesting how all the numbers are down this time vs. the first run we checked that was M1 0W-30. Yet Blackstone flagged antifreeze but PM didn't.

We're taking the easy way out. We threw some stopleak in it and we'll run another 5K with the Supertech and check again. If we're still showing antifreeze we'll probably go with some of the propylene glycol based antifreeze and check again. No way am I putting new head gaskets on a $300 car.

This proves the the point to me anyway that the Supertech Syn is good for 5K miles in our mixed usage.

 

[Cutehumor]

did you use the bar's leak golden seal powder stuff? I'm definitely interested to see if the small coolant leak numbers go down with the stop leak stuff.

 

[jsharp]

This is my son's car and he works at Bumper to Bumper. He got something the Permatex sales guy dropped off that they now carry at the store. All he told me was it was a gold powder and he put some in tonight.

I'm curious to see how it works...

 

[jorton]

Insolubles is a little high. Too much contamination and oxidation for the additives to nuetralize. Do a 2500 mile interval this time.

 

[jsharp]

Quote:

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Insolubles is a little high. Too much contamination and oxidation for the additives to nuetralize. Do a 2500 mile interval this time.

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Think so? I wonder if the insols were high thanks to the antifreeze. I'd think outside of that the oil wasn't quite done yet given the TBN. But, I'm still learning...

 

[Drew99GT]

Bars golden seal powder from Walmart (the kind that comes in a little tube) stopped a leaky heater core cold in my father's truck.

 

[jsharp]

Quote:

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Bars golden seal powder from Walmart (the kind that comes in a little tube) stopped a leaky heater core cold in my father's truck.

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My son used some of this Permatex stuff a demolition derby car that had leaks big enough to shoot pinhole streams out of the radiator and it stopped them dead. Given that Permatex is much just a brand name these days who knows what it really is. A gold powder is all I know.

We'll see if it works and we're not out much either way. It was under $2 his cost...

 

[JohnBrowning]

If the engine was ever over heated then the head gaskets are probably shot and the heads might be a little warped. If it is the head gaskets then radiator stop leak will not do the job for long or at all. They do make a head gasket type stop leak but it is a bit more involved. You have to drain all coolant from the rngine and radiator then fill with water and add the headgasket stop leak. You have to bring the engine up to operateing temp and holdit their for 15 minutes then shut the engine off. Let it cool and then flush the system with water. Then you refill with coolant and water mix.

 

[jsharp]

I've seen that stuff John and you're right, that's a possible next step I supppose. The applicaton of it doesn't look too convenient during an Illinois winter but I suppose it could be done. It wouldn't suprise me if heads and gaskets are exaclty what's wrong since the car had cooling trouble for quite a while before we got it and I'm sur eit's been over ehated multiple times. Why people are unwilling to spend $100 to replace a radiator I'll never know.

I'm surprised no one much commented on the oil itself. It looks to me as if the Supertech did just fine in this use...

 

[427Z06]

Quote:

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If the engine was ever over heated then the head gaskets are probably shot and the heads might be a little warped. If it is the head gaskets then radiator stop leak will not do the job for long or at all. They do make a head gasket type stop leak but it is a bit more involved. You have to drain all coolant from the rngine and radiator then fill with water and add the headgasket stop leak. You have to bring the engine up to operateing temp and holdit their for 15 minutes then shut the engine off. Let it cool and then flush the system with water. Then you refill with coolant and water mix.

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I tried that stuff once. It seem to work for a couple of days...when I drove it very, very gently. Then I took it for a WOT run, the head gasket began leaking again just as bad.

 

[jsharp]

Stopped by the son's store and what he used was not something from Permatex, but a stopleak called Perma-Seal sold by the JB-weld people. Typical brown/gold looking stuff in a tube to me. Obviously he's better with part numbers than names.

We'll see what it does and if we have a continuing problem I'll swap out the antifreeze with low-tox stuff and see what that does. Unless he feels like changing the head gaskets himself we're not going that route on a $300 car...