It never rains ... but it pours

[Profpointy]

Small world @Profpointy . I did nuclear C&I too - the 'I' bit and not the 'C' bit. Testing was a bit OTT but then we've never lost a power station.

To be more precise most of my stuff was
about the switchyard and transformer side of things rather than nuclear per se, though I did do a small changed on the reactor monitoring for, I think, Hunterston

 

[Marchrider]

If the gasket has failed in one place and you have bunged the leak up with some sort of gunge, then it will probably continue to fail, next time the water may get into an oilway then its goodbye engine

 

[Profpointy]

If the gasket has failed in one place and you have bunged the leak up with some sort of gunge, then it will probably continue to fail, next time the water may get into an oilway then its goodbye engine

As an aside a mate at uni had a Czech CZ motorcycle and the head gasket went. He'd was returning from shopping so was able to make a replacement gasket out of a cornflakes packet. A fellow CZer stopped to help, but upon being told what my mate was doing, left him to it. Evidently making a new gasket out of a cornflakes packet was perfectly normal !

Good effort though.

I assume he replaced it with a proper one pretty soon afterwards.

For the avoidance of doubt, this isn't meant to be a money saving suggestion for the Merc gasket

 

[Jameshow]

As an aside a mate at uni had a Czech CZ motorcycle and the head gasket went. He'd was returning from shopping so was able to make a replacement gasket out of a cornflakes packet. A fellow CZer stopped to help, but upon being told what my mate was doing, left him to it. Evidently making a new gasket out of a cornflakes packet was perfectly normal !

Good effort though.

I assume he replaced it with a proper one pretty soon afterwards.

For the avoidance of doubt, this isn't meant to be a money saving suggestion for the Merc gasket

Might add value to the Merc! 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Bristolian]

Which engine does your car have? I’m familiar with the two diesels- OM651 inline 4, and OM642 V6 - but not the petrols.

Generally, I’d be nervous around those sodium silicate additives, in this context. Modern combustion engines are obscenely complicated, and highly refined; I’d be reluctant to inject a coagulant into a system that depends on a lot of tiny holes. I appreciate this is after the fact - but everything is recoverable.

Especially now your wife is on board, in your position I’d be getting quotes for the head gasket. But you luckily have an expert on hand: this will be stock in trade to him, so I’d recommend that you follow his lead. Good luck. Working, they are lovely cars.

Hi, the engine is the inline 4 - OM651. I wish it was the V6 but they were rarer than rocking horse manure when I was looking

I'm well aware of the risk I'm taking with the Steel Seal but I figured that as long as I keep an eye on things I won't be do any actual damage.
🤞 I'm right.

My tame mechanic is due back from holiday in 2 weeks so I just need to keep the car running for that time. Even if he needs to be doing stuff to earn a crust I can wield a spanner provided he tells me what to do. I've worked on everything from old British motorbikes to Challenger tanks in the past. It might even save me a few bob back-charging him for my time