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5 Posts
Hey guys. Just had a big victory with the CRV. Had a crack in the block and was able to repair it with the pour-in 'stop leak' stuff. Actually worked. Let me explain:
I picked up a 2003 CRV with issues. It was cheap so I can't complain. Anyway, oil was overfilled and was blowing white smoke. Replaced oil with proper amount of mobile 1 synthetic 'high milage', new sparkplugs, but still white smoke/vapor and smelled weird - like burning coolant. Tore into it (after lots of k24 youtube how-to's and reading comments on forums about head gasket replacement) and replaced head gasket with a fel-pro and new bolts etc. Everythink torqued down right, very careful job. Checked timing, timing was good (it was a big challenge to get the cover off and on again with engine in car but it worked out), honda bonda done right, new gaskets (but reused exhaust gasket at advice of someone on the forum who said old gasket is better than the newer alternatives unless you buy OEM gasket)...
Started it up and still, white smoke. No change to smoke or smell. It was like a vapor too... Pretty clearly was burning coolant. Was loosing a little coolant too each drive... 14 or 20 miles and would need to add coolant. Realized it was probably a cracked block. Engine has over 230,000 on it. Went to a parts store and asked if they had heard of that block sealer you can pour into the engine. They recommended K&W sealer (its by CRC apparently - comes in a big green bottle, maybe a liter or so?). I hesitated because it mentioned it has 'fibers' in it - i don't want to gunk up the coolant system. Amazon reviews were a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars... so the stuff was working for someone anyway! over 140 reviews on there, too. So I figured it was worth a shot.
I poured in the coolant (not into the radiator, but into the upper hose - after letting out some radiator fluid from the hose, which basically just spilled out). I then resecured the upper hose, turned the car on (cold engine) and then with the rad cap off, topped off the radiator 'almost' all the way, and poured in some more of the K&W stuff (slowly) into the radiator. Capped radiatior and let car warm up. It was still blowing white smoke for about 5 minutes. Then suddenly, it reduced to a much less smokey output, and then completely stopped smoking. ZERO white smoke/vapor.
I have put over 200 miles on this car since head gasket replacement to test it. It smoked the whole time regardless of engine temp. Now, literally nothing. It is amazing. I was one step away from taking it all apart, removing the block and having it either professionally repaired or applying JB weld directly to any crack found. I hear that stuff actually works and does well. But anyway, I am so glad to not have to do that. What a relief. I beat on the car a bit (pedal to the floor) a number of times since fix, and it is holding well. I think that this product, as it advertises, does provide a permanent fix. But even if it only buys me another 20,000 miles, It was worth it. And I still have 2/3 of the bottle left. Plus, the bottle says you can leave it in the vehicle's coolant system indefinitely as a preventative additive.
I am not a troll trying to sell this stuff, but this is my first post. I decided I had to let people know about this and what better place than the CRV forum. If any of you are in the Pacific NW (Washington, greater Seattle area) and have a similar issue with your CRV, I would be happy to show you what I did and let you use another third of my bottle, too. I don't know how long it lasts unsealed, so might as well use it up. Thanks for reading.
I picked up a 2003 CRV with issues. It was cheap so I can't complain. Anyway, oil was overfilled and was blowing white smoke. Replaced oil with proper amount of mobile 1 synthetic 'high milage', new sparkplugs, but still white smoke/vapor and smelled weird - like burning coolant. Tore into it (after lots of k24 youtube how-to's and reading comments on forums about head gasket replacement) and replaced head gasket with a fel-pro and new bolts etc. Everythink torqued down right, very careful job. Checked timing, timing was good (it was a big challenge to get the cover off and on again with engine in car but it worked out), honda bonda done right, new gaskets (but reused exhaust gasket at advice of someone on the forum who said old gasket is better than the newer alternatives unless you buy OEM gasket)...
Started it up and still, white smoke. No change to smoke or smell. It was like a vapor too... Pretty clearly was burning coolant. Was loosing a little coolant too each drive... 14 or 20 miles and would need to add coolant. Realized it was probably a cracked block. Engine has over 230,000 on it. Went to a parts store and asked if they had heard of that block sealer you can pour into the engine. They recommended K&W sealer (its by CRC apparently - comes in a big green bottle, maybe a liter or so?). I hesitated because it mentioned it has 'fibers' in it - i don't want to gunk up the coolant system. Amazon reviews were a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars... so the stuff was working for someone anyway! over 140 reviews on there, too. So I figured it was worth a shot.
I poured in the coolant (not into the radiator, but into the upper hose - after letting out some radiator fluid from the hose, which basically just spilled out). I then resecured the upper hose, turned the car on (cold engine) and then with the rad cap off, topped off the radiator 'almost' all the way, and poured in some more of the K&W stuff (slowly) into the radiator. Capped radiatior and let car warm up. It was still blowing white smoke for about 5 minutes. Then suddenly, it reduced to a much less smokey output, and then completely stopped smoking. ZERO white smoke/vapor.
I have put over 200 miles on this car since head gasket replacement to test it. It smoked the whole time regardless of engine temp. Now, literally nothing. It is amazing. I was one step away from taking it all apart, removing the block and having it either professionally repaired or applying JB weld directly to any crack found. I hear that stuff actually works and does well. But anyway, I am so glad to not have to do that. What a relief. I beat on the car a bit (pedal to the floor) a number of times since fix, and it is holding well. I think that this product, as it advertises, does provide a permanent fix. But even if it only buys me another 20,000 miles, It was worth it. And I still have 2/3 of the bottle left. Plus, the bottle says you can leave it in the vehicle's coolant system indefinitely as a preventative additive.
I am not a troll trying to sell this stuff, but this is my first post. I decided I had to let people know about this and what better place than the CRV forum. If any of you are in the Pacific NW (Washington, greater Seattle area) and have a similar issue with your CRV, I would be happy to show you what I did and let you use another third of my bottle, too. I don't know how long it lasts unsealed, so might as well use it up. Thanks for reading.