Well folks, I fought the good fight. Coolant seal failure and `85 GSLSE
#1
Well folks, I fought the good fight. Coolant seal failure and `85 GSLSE
White smoke is getting worse on a 175K motor. The colder air temps we are now getting, seems to aggravate the start-up condition worse.
Thinking of dumping in some Barseals to help me get to the point of buying a used Honda or Toyota as a daily driver. Want better gas mileage too. I love the rotary motor and all of the torque it has to offer but at another $600 for a used motor, I could spend a little more on a used ride and come out ahead in gas mileage. I guess this is a eulogy for my car.
Thinking of dumping in some Barseals to help me get to the point of buying a used Honda or Toyota as a daily driver. Want better gas mileage too. I love the rotary motor and all of the torque it has to offer but at another $600 for a used motor, I could spend a little more on a used ride and come out ahead in gas mileage. I guess this is a eulogy for my car.
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#18
I know EXACTLY where you are coming from!
Tell ya` what. If I decide to do a part out, I`ll send you a "courtesy IM" so you can have first dibs.
I have had many miles of enjoyment from my car and I really hate to let go of it. I always wanted a 1.3 based 1st gen from the get go. When I found one, it didn`t disappoint me. Yeah. I had to do some maintenance to it over the years but I didn`t let that deter me from knowing the car was fun to drive.
I kinda` feel like I am taking a family member off of life support.
Tell ya` what. If I decide to do a part out, I`ll send you a "courtesy IM" so you can have first dibs.
I have had many miles of enjoyment from my car and I really hate to let go of it. I always wanted a 1.3 based 1st gen from the get go. When I found one, it didn`t disappoint me. Yeah. I had to do some maintenance to it over the years but I didn`t let that deter me from knowing the car was fun to drive.
I kinda` feel like I am taking a family member off of life support.
#24
Good power N/A and handles in the corners pretty well. A good set of shocks, springs and tires does make a difference. The car does have all of those. I was hoping to get more miles out of the motor and never figured I would lose a coolant seal. I guess this is fate telling me something. If I knew how to rebuild a motor, I might just attempt it. I always felt that since the motor was the heart of the car, I was no heart surgeon. Always let someone else do the work for motor rebuilds.
Ohio isn`t that far off.
I hope that you will always have the enthusiasm and funds to revive an old classic.
If it wasn`t for the mortgage, I might go ahead and get carried away and spend money frivolously with this one. The `83... lived at home and had no bills, had a dream and money. Not now. LOL!
#25
Lives on the Forum
Alumaseal. Not Bars Leak, or anything else you can find out there. This is Brand Specific, and I cannot emphasize that enough.
Works great on the 12a, almost never on the 2nd gen 13b (because they blow in the other direction, out the radiator), not sure on a 1st gen 13b. But for only $4.00 it's sure as hell worth a shot.
Since it doesn't sound like you're to the point of "billowing white clouds of smoke", and the coolant is escaping through the exhaust (rather than blowing out your radiator) then this should work for you.
I'm up to 40,000 miles since my "repair". In my case, idling in my driveway it would drain half the fluid out of the radiator in about 15 minutes. It really was that bad. Poured the Alumaseal into the radiator, let it idle while topping it off after about 20 minutes. The problem was 100% resolved within about 30 minutes. She's been a happy motor ever since.
.
Works great on the 12a, almost never on the 2nd gen 13b (because they blow in the other direction, out the radiator), not sure on a 1st gen 13b. But for only $4.00 it's sure as hell worth a shot.
Since it doesn't sound like you're to the point of "billowing white clouds of smoke", and the coolant is escaping through the exhaust (rather than blowing out your radiator) then this should work for you.
I'm up to 40,000 miles since my "repair". In my case, idling in my driveway it would drain half the fluid out of the radiator in about 15 minutes. It really was that bad. Poured the Alumaseal into the radiator, let it idle while topping it off after about 20 minutes. The problem was 100% resolved within about 30 minutes. She's been a happy motor ever since.
.