Ok, after my successful trip to Rotary Perfomance (Click Here for thread if interested) I noticed that I am having funky idle when starting up, overflow tank overflowing, and no coolant in filterneck or AST ...I did the whole burping procedure where you remove the TB coolant line and filled but still having issues...

After searching I found this Lightning in a World of Thunder "O-Ring Fix" using multiple coolant flushes then the CRC Block Weld and it seemed to be a good way to postpone my rebuild till the end of the year when I can actually afford it (if it works) ...

Has anyone tried this and what are your thoughts if you did, or didn't?

thanks,

 

*cough* search *cough*

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...CRC+Block+Weld

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...CRC+Block+Weld

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...CRC+Block+Weld

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...CRC+Block+Weld

 

Thanks Mahjik!
Nothing like a bunch of useful URLs accompanied by a "searcy mother F%$@#!" thrown in your face by a mod ...

No really, thanks!

me

 

OK ... I've been in your shoes and wanted some fresh info. Have a look at:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=93737

It worked flawlessly for me, until I removed and replaced the CRC with coolant and water. After that my blown o-ring slowly reverted back to normal.

later,

James

 

That is the fix of last resort. Don't do it unless you're sure. I did three of them. Replaced with mixture of coolant and water and it seems to be holding.

 

Thanks...But how do I make sure for SURE? seems like it's doing what everyone talks about:

- Starts right up but idles lumpy as hell
- smokes more than usual on startup
- Dumping coolant from overflow tank
- filternect empty
- AST empty

I know I am going to do a rebuild soon so does adding the Block Weld interfere with the rebuild procedure at all?

 

Ok, not that I am trying to replace a half-*** job with an even more half-*** job, but has anyone heard of AlumAseal? I just talked to Rotary Performance and this is what they recommended...basically it's just a powed you toss into the coolant and give it a drive...Just checking to see if anyone has tried this method..

 

My o-ring(s) failed at 78K miles. The verification can be done in a couple of ways.

First, use the same test that is used for a head gasket leak. I don't remember what it's called, but it's a solution that is placed over the radiator filler that will detect hydrocarbons in your water if there.

Second, if you have someone who has a "sniffer," as used in smog tests, have them dip it into the radiator fluid. Again, if hydrocarbons are detected in the water, the o-rings are leaking.

 

I did it just a few weeks ago.

So far, so good. I just wonder on your deal though, as what was happening to me was the coolant would overflow into the AST and then into the overflow bottle and then out the overflow vent.
The absence of coolant in your AST is kind of weird, in my opinion. Traditionally it will be absolutely full, at least in my experience.

 

i wouldn't mind bringing mine back from the dead with this fix. at least i could drive it for a little until i'm ready for the overhaul.

 

Ok, so I am a bit confused too...it had the lumpy Idle the first two starts after I got back from Rotary Performance and smokes profusely...then the last three starts it fired up fine...The exhaust doesn't smell any different than when I bought it...yesterday I went ahead and tossed a little vial of that AlumAseal stuff in there cuz I figure it wouldn't hurt anything and the dudes at RP said it wouldn't make the rebuild difficult by gunking up anything inside...tossed that in yesterday drove around a bit and after about 20 minutes of driving I still had overflow probs (the AST was full before I started driving to work this morning and still squirted out enough to let the water level light blip on for a second)...Anyway, I think I am going to try changing the filterneck cap next....

 

Ok, quick follow up...so I arrived from a long drive to RP and the next morning I had startup idle probs the next morning...It did that the first two mornings after and accompanied by overflowing from the overflow tank...the startup and Idling probs went away but the coolant thing still lingered...I figured it was the o-rings so the dudes at RP recommended that I toss AlumaAseal in there...I did and drove it work (25miles) and it still overflowed...Next morning no idle probs but drove it to work again and it still had a bit of overflow but not much. This morning I made it all the way to work and the coolant level stayed the same in the AST and I had no overflow...Does this mean it's fixed? I really don't know but we'll see

Laterz

 

If someone sticks the probe of a gas analyzer in the coolant it will ruin the machine. They can wave it over the neck, though. My roomate has used this procedure, but never put coolant back into the car. He drove it all summer and into the fall with the block seal/water mix with no problems after the first week or so. Of course, when it got cold he drained the radiator and drove my acura. I used this method on my convertible as well. My coolant seals were gone, and I think my intermediate plate is cracked. I bought the car with a known bad motor, cheap. When I used to crank the car with the rad cap off, it would blow a stream of coolant 5 feet high. It never stopped my coolant consumption, but I was able to drive the car 2 tanks of fuel before I had to refill it.

 

thought I would post my review...first I threw in a little canister of the AlumAseal and it worked for about a week at 10psi of boost...the weekend came and I turned it up to 12psi and it didn't last more than a couple of 140mph runs...After that I decided to do the CRC Blockweld...Did about a million coolant flushes with castrol degreaser and then finished off with two bottles of block weld and it seems to be holding up....Granted I have only ran it for a day but at 12psi HARD for about two hours...No overflow!!!! yeah!....

 

Leave it in. Don't worry - be happy.

 

I would think that you would to heat the car up then cool it in cycles for this to work. While running, the combustion pressure will pump air into the coolant. Then when cooling it will suck the coolant back into the break in the o-ring and harden. Heating and cooling multiple times seems like the thing to do. As long as the block weld does not weld your apex seals you are good to go

 

When I completed the blockweld treatment it managed to snow a **** load here the following day, screwing up my plans of 30 minutes of conservative driving. To make do I just let it idle for about 30 minutes and did that about 3 times before I actually got to drive it. Hopefully that will hold out till the end of the summer I am getting kinda excited about the rebuild though!

 

Have you checked the hose going to the overflow bottle to make sure its not kinked or pinched which allows the hot water to expand the hose and pass but under vacuum, won't?
Pinched by the IC or intake box. Or kinked anywhere from the overflow bottle to the AST? There is a joint also, near the air box where the 2 hoses join....try using some zip ties to maybe seal it better.

Tim

 

Holy Mackrel! I started my car lastnight and there was absolutely no white smoke at all...Not even a little puff! (always smoked a bit on startup since the day I bought it)

CRC Block Weld is the ****! Now, lets see how long it lasts

Can someone tell me how to get my signature from posting everytime I use this damn quick reply box?

 

You can't currently with the quick reply box... I have no idea when/if that can or will be changed.