# Coolant Problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** gaskets, coolant\
**Created:** [August 24, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605 "2008-08-24T15:50:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fishhead\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@Fishhead\_Bill](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Fishhead_Bill)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605/1 "2008-08-24T15:50:14Z")

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I bought a 1999 Ranger new and have treated it with kit gloves. About 4 months ago I noticed the coolant expanding into the overflow reservoir but not returning. A friend who is mechanically inclined told me the head gasket is broken causing this to occur. My real question is has anyone had any luck with sodium silicate or “water glass” to seal the hole in the head gasket. I don’t have the financial backing to replace the head gaskets. Thanks  
  
 Fishhead Bill

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**Author:** ![kitchenrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@kitchenrat](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kitchenrat)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605/2 "2008-08-24T16:54:08Z")

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this is not a good repair. this stuff may actually work if you carefully follow the instructions, however it will fail, most likely at high speed and your engine will be destroyed as a result.

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605/3 "2008-08-24T17:05:49Z")

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Before you condemn the headgasket, check the hose that goes to the coolant overflow reservoir. I had this problem with a 1993 Oldsmobile 88. The coolant would expand into the reservoir, but the hose would collapse and the coolant wouldn’t be sucked back into the radiator. This was a very inexpensive repair–a new hose from local autoparts store was all that was needed. It took very little time to repair–not even a one beer job.

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**Author:** ![homer2804](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9a140/32.png) [@homer2804](https://community.cartalk.com/u/homer2804)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605/4 "2008-08-24T21:17:06Z")

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A radiator cap (if equipped) could also be bad and cause this.

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**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-problem/18605/5 "2008-08-24T23:01:15Z")

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Yep, the last time i had this problem it was caused by a bad seal in the radiator cap.

The time b-4 that it was caused by a pinhole leak in a radiator hose.