Steel Seal ???

[Outlaw 41]

Back a few weeks ago the ZT went into the garage with a thermostat coolant leak which they have now diagnosed as a HGF. They used Steel Seal as a first option to try and keep costs down. So has anyone used this on the KV6? Ime rather sceptical that an additive poured into the coolant will do the job.

[suzublu]

Please no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:duh::duh ::duh:
BODGE. Fix the leak:cool:

[Outlaw 41]

Please no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:duh::duh ::duh:
BODGE. Fix the leak:cool:
So,you dont recommend it then? :shrug:

[Dawn]

K seal and steel seal block the water ways in our engines. I had a 1.8 that had the stuff in and it killed it (previous owner, not me) It sometimes works for awhile, but it blocks your matrix and more in the long run, and eventually it will go again leaving an even bigger bill in its wake. That is my experience. I paid the price for someone else using it.

[Outlaw 41]

K seal and steel seal block the water ways in our engines. I had a 1.8 that had the stuff in and it killed it (previous owner, not me) It sometimes works for awhile, but it blocks your matrix and more in the long run, and eventually it will go again leaving an even bigger bill in its wake. That is my experience. I paid the price for someone else using it.
Thank you very much Dawn for your reply you have echoed my thoughts and feelings. It was the garage that recomended Steel Seal as they have used it before on Jags with the same problem. The oil and coolant havent mixed but combustion gasses have over pressurized the coolant resulting in the thermostat leaking.

[trikey]

Horrible horrible stuff. Garages shouldn't recommend using it, to me it just shouts 'Lazy cant be ar$ed mechanic'

[Outlaw 41]

Horrible horrible stuff. Garages shouldn't recommend using it, to me it just shouts 'Lazy cant be ar$ed mechanic'
Thanks Trikey, its not looking good is it? When i drive her now there will be one eye on the road and the other on my temp gauge.

[planenut]

They used Steel Seal as a first option to try and keep costs down.

First I hope it's not been used, but if so, and they did it it before telling you, then you have some comeback if it goes wrong.

[Outlaw 41]

First I hope it's not been used, but if so, and they did it it before telling you, then you have some comeback if it goes wrong.
The garage didnt give me the option of having the HG sorted the right way which is sent off to be ground etc they just said that they will put Steel Seal in and that should do the trick.

[Outlaw 41]

I know that its not looking good but all i can do right now is drive her and hope that she dosent go pop. I will keep you all updated with the success or demise. Thanks again to you all for your wisdom. :bowdown:

[mileshawk56]

I cant understand how people like that can be allowed to trade as motor mechanics, but I can really- the mind boggles but apart from me boggling I just hope for the best for you and the car. Chris.S.

[ZedTeeT]

You need to find a new garage. :flog:

[SD1too]

... combustion gasses have over pressurized the coolant resulting in the thermostat leaking.
That's nonsense David. It's the thermostat housing 'O' ring which is leaking. It's a known problem which I have posted about many times. It's caused by the 'O' rings flattening. The solution is to fit new 'O' rings and make sure that the straight pipe clips are positioned correctly. You do not have head gasket failure. :getmecoat:

Simon

[Canonite]

Absolutely 100%...find another garage.

Any mechanic who would rather chuck a bottle of this gak in an engine rather than fix the issue properly, is best avoided

[Number 6]

Please no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:duh::duh ::duh:
BODGE. Fix the leak:cool:

To Late it appears they have already used it.:eek::eek:

[hinged_bap]

Some coolants have an additive that changes colour if it mixes with combustion gases ( Toyota ForLife springs to mind, usually its red but turns yellow if HGF). For ordinary coolants, you can source a kit that will detect combustion gases. Steel seal ( and the like ) is for Bombsite Car dealers ( or to chuck it in the cooling system prior to an auction sale ).

[T-Cut]

If the sealant was only added a couple of weeks ago, I'd strongly suggest doing a thorough flush of the cooling system. Use a hosepipe in every direction and do a ten mile drive between flushings. Use a proprietary flushing aid with the last two flushes. Getting the system hot and circulating before each draindown is important. This should remove the 99.9% remaining sealant that doesn't fix the leak and begins settling out in the wrong places. The singular mistake people make in using these convenience gloops is to leave them in the system. After all, flushing the cooling system is a pain in the butt. Even though they stop the leak (typically within ten miles), sealants don't repair the failed component. Strictly a get you home fix.


TC

[Canonite]

Back a few weeks ago the ZT went into the garage with a thermostat coolant leak which they have now diagnosed as a HGF. They used Steel Seal as a first option to try and keep costs down. So has anyone used this on the KV6? Ime rather sceptical that an additive poured into the coolant will do the job.

How much did they charge you for destroying your car?

[ZedTeeT]

If the sealant was only added a couple of weeks ago, I'd strongly suggest doing a thorough flush of the cooling system. Use a hosepipe in every direction and do a ten mile drive between flushings. Use a proprietary flushing aid with the last two flushes. Getting the system hot and circulating before each draindown is important. This should remove the 99.9% remaining sealant that doesn't fix the leak and begins settling out in the wrong places. The singular mistake people make in using these convenience gloops is to leave them in the system. After all, flushing the cooling system is a pain in the butt. Even though they stop the leak (typically within ten miles), sealants don't repair the failed component. Strictly a get you home fix.


TC

:wot::iagree:

I can't believe a garage would suggest the use of this bodgers delight, let alone actually use it! Get it out before it actually starts new issues.

[Outlaw 41]

How much did they charge you for destroying your car?
The garage didnt charge for doing the job they only charged for the Steel Seal £35. Ive been driving the car for most of the day with so far no leaks. How long it will last is anyones guess but after reading all the comments i feel a little sick.

[The Rovering Member]

It sounds like you need to get flushing, post-haste.

[Billyuk1]

Never used the fix it in a bottle stuff and never will
In my view it's best fix the problem instead of creating more.

[Odd Job]

If I was stuck in the desert, dying of thurst, buzzards flying over head waiting to pick the flesh off my bones, then, yes as a last resort to get to safety, I'd use something like K seal and / or steel seal.

But.
Like everyone has said, it kills engines and cooling systems.

I used K seal in my wifes Rover 25. It did the job for about a year, then it started to mix oil and water again.
To cut a long story short. It now has a replacement engine fitted, a new radiator, all the hoses replaces or thoroughly cleaned out, the ones that I could get into clean. The heater matrix had a solution of traffic film remover and washing up liquid in it for about a week to clear it out.

[Odd Job]

I've seen a K series engine with the head removed, the owner had used steel seal,
it has leaked into the engine, into one of the cylinders when he had switched the engine off. It had set like concrete.
He had come to start it the following day and it wouldn't turn over.

The garage fitted him a replacement engine.

Please dont use it. You'll regret it in the long run.

[Typhoon190]

From what I've heard, steel seal is the lesser of 2 evils. K-seal is basically a fix for a car where the owner has no intention of spending monies to repair it and will move it on swiftly.

The ZT-T I purchased recently looks to have similar done to it. Thought someone had filled it with sea water! Have flushed the system 3 times, including using a hose pipe through the coolant system, but still seems to be a blockage some where. :mad:

[190+]

DON`T use steel seal.K seal or anything else .
All it does is block up the heater and oil cooler matrix.

[breakfastinsmethwick]

The UK importer of Steel Seal, Adam Weaver has an interesting business history including appearing on dragons den.

[chrissyboy]

as some of you know i put steel seal in a rover 200 that had hgf ,i only did it one to test if it worked and two to see if all that is said about it blocking up water ways was true ,,,,well 7 years on and the car is still going no problem what so ever ,so one it does work and 2 all that is said about it can not be true .i was given the car so i gave it to a friend to drive about so i could see it it worked .. he has been all over the country in it and has never broken down or anything so for me it does work..i would not use it my self as i like my cars to be 100% esp the 1800¬ that the torgue is just not tight enough,, i had my head gaket fixed on my 1800 by a guy called mario that used to work for lotus he skimmed it and shimmed it and did the head up tighter ,a member came to mine when i did the parking sensors and he drove it and he couldnt believe that it was an 1800 as it was faster than his v6

[ceedy]

Similarly,. Our 1.8 had signs of radwell in it when we got it, didn't work very well as the HG went a year later :D.

But did a down strip to repair, found no signs at all of anything clogging up?,.
Was putting in a new radiator, so took off the 2 tanks
To find the Worst was a small amount of residue at the bottom of the rad that was easily washed out.
So either not enough was put in ;),. Or it's not that good at the clogging. it has the reputation for:D


:getmecoat:

C