Question about Head gasket sealers on Avensis

[Mikael07]

Hello guys.

I'm pretty sure that I've got head gasket leak on my 2.2 d4d dcat toyota avensis 2007 with 280.000km driven. The leak its not bad yet, im loosing coolant but even if its looses the temperature doesn't go higher that normal conditions. If i don't add coolant im not having heat after couple of weeks driving the car.

question is that which product should i go. Im not asking if you have heard about a product but if you have used and worked. There is tons of products out there.

thanks. 

[Guest]

The loss of heat must be air in the system caused by the lack of the fluid (usually bleeding air from it will bring back your heat in the interior vents).

Anytime you cars is caught with less than optimal coolant things may be getting fried without you realising, until it's too late. Saw this in a little 1.0 2004 Vauxhall Corsa not holding coolant, eventually the temp guage got erratic when the engine was at a stand still dropping etc, until one day it blew up... good think you are being proactive!!!

I have never personally needed to use any of this in my cars, but one I hear about a lot from the likes of the YouTube mechanic Scotty Kilmer is 'Steel Seal'. I'd watch a couple of his videos and other YouTube car repair guys to get a general consensus on the best practice of when and how to use this. One tip is NEVER mix one gasket repair product like this with another! As they may react and cause serious blockages...

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/steel-seal-head-gasket-repair-542771460 £30 in ECP , about £38 in Halfords

 

I would also say, try to find the source of the leak if you can before resorting to using these!  Have you checked your radiator isn't leaking? all the joints and pipes around it? Resevoir all good?  There are products that have a 'UV' light additive in them, you fill up with antifreeze and pour this in... then at night, get under and shine a UV light.. you'll clearly see where the leak is coming from - assuming it is NOT a head gasket I suppose.  This might reveal a faulty or leaking hose or part you can simply replace, without needing to go down the one way street of head gasket sealers - just in case it's something less serious.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck and keep us updated if you can.

[Mikael07]

24 minutes ago, SB1500 said:

The loss of heat must be air in the system caused by the lack of the fluid (usually bleeding air from it will bring back your heat in the interior vents).

Anytime you cars is caught with less than optimal coolant things may be getting fried without you realising, until it's too late. Saw this in a little 1.0 2004 Vauxhall Corsa not holding coolant, eventually the temp guage got erratic when the engine was at a stand still dropping etc, until one day it blew up... good think you are being proactive!!!

I have never personally needed to use any of this in my cars, but one I hear about a lot from the likes of the YouTube mechanic Scotty Kilmer is 'Steel Seal'. I'd watch a couple of his videos and other YouTube car repair guys to get a general consensus on the best practice of when and how to use this. One tip is NEVER mix one gasket repair product like this with another! As they may react and cause serious blockages...

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/steel-seal-head-gasket-repair-542771460 £30 in ECP , about £38 in Halfords

 

I would also say, try to find the source of the leak if you can before resorting to using these!  Have you checked your radiator isn't leaking? all the joints and pipes around it? Resevoir all good?  There are products that have a 'UV' light additive in them, you fill up with antifreeze and pour this in... then at night, get under and shine a UV light.. you'll clearly see where the leak is coming from - assuming it is NOT a head gasket I suppose.  This might reveal a faulty or leaking hose or part you can simply replace, without needing to go down the one way street of head gasket sealers - just in case it's something less serious.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck and keep us updated if you can.

i was thinking specially that UV additive that can spot the leak. Ill check all these products. Thanks a lot, you've been helpful to make decision to be honest.

ill ask local shop if they got the UV additives and will check it at night. 

[flash22]

Don't use head gasket in a bottle in rarely works and makes a mess when you come to working on the engine it's purely a plaster on a knife wound, as it's only a small amount, i would checking the water pump (belt off and check for play and weeping) and doing a pressure test on the water system

[Mikael07]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:01 PM, flash22 said:

Don't use head gasket in a bottle in rarely works and makes a mess when you come to working on the engine it's purely a plaster on a knife wound, as it's only a small amount, i would checking the water pump (belt off and check for play and weeping) and doing a pressure test on the water system

sounds reasonable. ill do the check soon as possible. Thanks!

[Ranoid2000]

On an old engine that wouldn't justify the cost of replacing the head gasket Id say it worth a go

 

Check out this

 

 

[Auris James]

I tried K seal on my 2006 Lexus IS 220D with 187,000 miles. Made no difference, just made lots of foam that poured out of header tank vent pipe!

Scrapped it on eBay with an honest add and got £350 for it. No diesel for me again. Have a Toyota Hybrid. Guys keeping cat, wheels, new Avon 7V7's fitted 2-4 months prior.  injectors but most getting weighed in.

Shame the engine and gearbox were a poor combination.

[2009joe]

8 hours ago, Auris James said:

I tried K seal on my 2006 Lexus IS 220D with 187,000 miles. Made no difference, just made lots of foam that poured out of header tank vent pipe!

Scrapped it on Ebay with an honest add and got £350 for it. No diesel for me again. Have a Toyota Hybrid. Guys keeping cat, wheels, new Avon 7V7's fitted 2-4 months prior.  injectors but most getting weighed in.

Shame the engine and gearbox were a poor combination.

arnt those cars just more or less a toyota avensis 2.2 d4d but just way better looking . i alwasy thought those were a great car to but u have the toyota die hard engine and the class looks of that lexus

[Auris James]

2 hours ago, 2009joe said:

arnt those cars just more or less a toyota avensis 2.2 d4d but just way better looking . i alwasy thought those were a great car to but u have the toyota die hard engine and the class looks of that lexus

Yes. Sadly let down by the engine, well documented HG issues even under warranty. Lexus would fit new engine. In around 2010 detuned them from 180bhp to 150bhp and other head revisions. Turbo lag is awful. Gearbox a 6th gear that laboured. Loved the build quality and comfort. Liked the colour.  Mine a basic SE. Lots of airbags, including passenger knee airbag.

Should of bought an IS250 Auto. Wanted an estate as find my 940 so useful and chose a Toyota Auris Hybrid TS as Lexus hasn't done an estate in years.

James 

 

 

[Stivino]

It wasn't a detuned engine, it was a just a  different set up of the same engine. 

Also, no turbo lag, you just have to keep it on the cam.

As for the 6th gear ratio, it's for motorway cruising, not rapid acceleration. 

I'm inclined to think that what you were experiencing was operator error. 

[2009joe]

26 minutes ago, Auris James said:

Yes. Sadly let down by the engine, well documented HG issues even under warranty. Lexus would fit new engine. In around 2010 detuned them from 180bhp to 150bhp and other head revisions. Turbo lag is awful. Gearbox a 6th gear that laboured. Loved the build quality and comfort. Liked the colour.  Mine a basic SE. Lots of airbags, including passenger knee airbag.

Should of bought an IS250 Auto. Wanted an estate as find my 940 so useful and chose a Toyota Auris Hybrid TS as Lexus hasn't done an estate in years.

James 

 

 

i here you dude tbh thats why i didnt get the 2.2 d4d toyota engine car as you say they can suffer from head gasket issues and do those lexus like that come with the same toyota avensis 2.0 d4d 1adftv engine just wondering as tbh i was thinking of buying one of those lexus before i came across my 2014 toyota avensis business edt low miles tbh was to good to pass up i would have never came across one like mine again but tbh was thinking about of the lexus but maybe the 2.0 engine as well i liked lexus style and well interior compared to the toyota avensis