Headgasket Coolant Leak

[chief]

Just noticed yesterday that my 328i has been dropping that green stuff from the exhaust side of the engine. Not bad right now but i am going to put some "liquid glass" aka sodium silicate into the coolant system to seal the (at this writing) minor leak. Will save me $$$$$ over having the head gasket replaced. [bmwdance]

By the by, sodium silicate will do the job better than all that stuff they sell at Pep Boys, O'Reillys, or Auto Zone.

Also, you have to order the liquid glass at your local pharmacy. Cost is $15.00 for 900 ml.

 

[epj3]

No!! Don't put that crap in your car!!!!!! Anything like that is supposed to be a temporary fix, and a temporary fix on a wear-and-tear item (like BMW cooling systems are) only leads to costlier repairs in the future. I know this was a cheap way to fix old iron block iron head engines, but how do you know this stuff won't react negatively with the iron block, aluminum head, and mostly plastic plastic radiator?

 

[chief]

It isn't a temporary fix. I have another vehicle that it has lasted over 80,000 miles within. Granted not a BMW.
Sodium Silicate remains in its liquid form until heat + air mixes with it. As it is glass, there will not be any problem as with dissimiliar metal products etc.
As for it affecting a plastic radiator, it will not harm it either.
Appreciate the expressed concern tho.

I have used it before

 

[epj3]

Alright just thought I would throw that thought in there. Know I wouldn't use it though (If I were you and had a supercharged motor, i would see it as an opportunity to install a new head gasket and maybe lower that compression a little to up the boost...)

 

[chief]

Yeh, i thought about changing the headgasket, having the head shaved .005 to boost the compression but, for the time being i would like to keep driving it thru the summer. Then, in the fall make that the project to keep me occuppied. For now golf is my passtime, not tearing down the engine.

LOL

 

[jpcc]

did the car overheat anytime in the recent past? Is it leaking from the exhaust manifold? Is there alot of white some in the exhaust? Curious because I have a 97 328i that was doing the white smoke thing for awhile then it got real bad, could not ignore it anymore. when I took off the cyl head it turned out the cyl head had a crack between the cyl2 exhaust valve and the water jacket. I am wondering if you have the same problem. Wondering if the "glass" stuff you are adding will be able to seal something like that.

 

[chief]

Never had any white smoke come from the exhaust. The Sodium Silicate has stopped the leak however. Nor did i have any overheating problem in the last year or more. (the overheating occurred when oil pressure was lost with the breaking of the superchargers oil drain line.)
As for was it leaking from the exhaust manifold, all i can tell you is it was leaking on the exhaust manifold side.
As for any crack in the cyl head, the Sodium Silicate would be my first attempt to avoid the $$$ repairs. It couldn't hurt.

 

[blueincali]

Blown Head Gasket and Liquid Glass Sealant

Thanks for this thread. I too have a 1997 328iC with a blown head gasket, and possibly a cracked cylinder head. The liquid glass route is tempting, but the experts tell me I'm crazy. Has anyone actually tried this solution with a BMW?

 

[chief]

Yepper. No more leaks in my 96 328i. And i have over 137,000 miles on mine. For the cost of the Sodium Silicate (i paid $15 for 900 ml.) Only used a little over half of it in my car. Results: a trip from Fort Worth to Detroit and back. Plus another 1000 miles since my return. Still no green stuff on my garage floor nor any white exhaust smoke.
Although i am having to bleed the coolant system (third day) to get air out of the system.