VT Thermostat Gasket Blew

[Gazza2005au]

Hey guys i have a VT series II calais V6 about 6 months ago i replaced the thermostat and gasket now 2 weeks ago i towed my boat weighing 1.32ton or 1320kg and my temp went from 1/3rd to 1/2 and back down cycling now today i just popped the bonnet and the thermostat gasket is leaking all round i can see it leaking green coolant but all white **** i assume is oil and coolant mixing has been leaking onto the passengers side of the intake manifold

Would this white stuff be the previous leak sealer i added 6 months ago? And why would the gasket blow after only 6 months

Im a back yard mechanic and have rebuilt engines i just really dislike problem solving really does me head in

Need more opinions than mine on the cause of gasket failure, its a Trident thermostat gasket from SCA

 

[lout]

when green coolant evaporates it turns white
as for leak sealer
usually causes more problems than it fixes

 

[vxcalais_01]

Hey guys i have a VT series II calais V6 about 6 months ago i replaced the thermostat and gasket now 2 weeks ago i towed my boat weighing 1.32ton or 1320kg and my temp went from 1/3rd to 1/2 and back down cycling now today i just popped the bonnet and the thermostat gasket is leaking all round i can see it leaking green coolant but all white **** i assume is oil and coolant mixing has been leaking onto the passengers side of the intake manifold

Would this white stuff be the previous leak sealer i added 6 months ago? And why would the gasket blow after only 6 months

Im a back yard mechanic and have rebuilt engines i just really dislike problem solving really does me head in

Need more opinions than mine on the cause of gasket failure, its a Trident thermostat gasket from SCA

Bars stop leak (original cheaper version) is fine to run as it only uses crushed walnut shells. Even the new stuff form Nulon which uses Kevlar is fine. You will find, both parts being aluminium and sometimes the surfaces being scratched or warped, the paper gasket alone stops sealing as effectively. So you either need to get a new housing or use something like "The right stuff" with the paper to seal it fully. Just make sure you dont block the little bleed hole where the thermostat mounts onto.

 

[Gazza2005au]

Thanks guys yeah shes leaking as i could see the wet coolant leaking from the gasket very surprised it's only lasted 6 months i was expecting 2 years

I checked the radiator coolant last night she only took 50mls so i must have just caught it as i heared my heater core gargaling that's when i seen the gasket

 

[Immortality]

It could be a **** quality gasket or maybe the sealing surfaces have imperfections or aren't flat.

 

[vxcalais_01]

It could be a **** quality gasket or maybe the sealing surfaces have imperfections or aren't flat.

True, but they are only paper anyway so hard to get a bad one. The housings and mount are the issue as they are aluminium. Easy to scratch, easy to warp. Just need to assist the gasket with some sealant and maybe even some Nulon radiator stop leak (black liquid). These cars aren't spring chickens and unless new cast parts then they need a lil help.

 

[Gazza2005au]

Gasket was all mushy and soft soaking wet i replaced it with another trident gasket from SCA car has been running since last post

No leaks, bled cooling system on a hill, been checking radiator first few days she took 50-70mls of coolant than twice from then and now she hasnt used any coolant but every now and again she needs a tiny top up, no leaks and no core gargaling

Must still be air inside her, she done this exact thing 6 months ago a couple weeks of regular topping up than she finally stays filled with coolant, weird.

 

[Immortality]

True, but they are only paper anyway so hard to get a bad one. The housings and mount are the issue as they are aluminium. Easy to scratch, easy to warp. Just need to assist the gasket with some sealant and maybe even some Nulon radiator stop leak (black liquid). These cars aren't spring chickens and unless new cast parts then they need a lil help.

Yup, I like to lightly coat paper gaskets with some silastic. A very thin coat to seal it, we don't need gasket goo squeezing out everywhere....

 

[vxcalais_01]

Gasket was all mushy and soft soaking wet i replaced it with another trident gasket from SCA car has been running since last post

No leaks, bled cooling system on a hill, been checking radiator first few days she took 50-70mls of coolant than twice from then and now she hasnt used any coolant but every now and again she needs a tiny top up, no leaks and no core gargaling

Must still be air inside her, she done this exact thing 6 months ago a couple weeks of regular topping up than she finally stays filled with coolant, weird.

The other thing to watch it the overflow bottles on these. If it is overfilled then it doesn't leave room for the vacuum to suck in some coolant and seal under the cap. Clean around the filler and make sure the cap it in good nick so it seals. I found that helps with those lil bits of coolant loss. And remove hose to thermstat housing and fill the small amounts from that one with the cap on. Dunno, i find it helps