Uh Oh - Tiny Bubbles
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Uh Oh - Tiny Bubbles
(With apologies to Don Ho)
Tiny Bubbles (tiny bubbles) in the Green
Makes me wacky, makes me scream.
Losing coolant, makes me dread
its the gasket in the head.
Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles) feeling low,
Could be time now to let her go.
Should I keep her, yes I should
I must have a head of wood.
Tiny Bubbles (tiny bubbles) in the Green
Makes me wacky, makes me scream.
Losing coolant, makes me dread
its the gasket in the head.
Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles) feeling low,
Could be time now to let her go.
Should I keep her, yes I should
I must have a head of wood.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,452
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From: Southern California
Hi Aero:
Check the lower radiator hose. If you have a pin hole there, you would see small bubbles. I seem to recall that a head gasket leak will result in bigger bubbles that go BURP once in a while. The way you maintain your car, it's hard to imagine head gaskets leaking on you, but then at over 200K miles, one should expect anything
Even if worse comes to worst, I sure hope you would decide to rebuild the old girl and stick around a little longer. What are we going to do without you here?
Check the lower radiator hose. If you have a pin hole there, you would see small bubbles. I seem to recall that a head gasket leak will result in bigger bubbles that go BURP once in a while. The way you maintain your car, it's hard to imagine head gaskets leaking on you, but then at over 200K miles, one should expect anything
Even if worse comes to worst, I sure hope you would decide to rebuild the old girl and stick around a little longer. What are we going to do without you here?
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 467
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From: northwest
im in that situation now.....
95 4wd ext fully loaded, nice shape, and uh oh, wife overheats it one time and poof the head gasket blows. tiny bubbles in the radiator, D'oh! yet, no steaming exhaust, and not water to oil, oil to water transfer.
to sell or not to sell. that is the question! to fix and then sell? or to fix and then keep? GRRRRRR i dunno!
95 4wd ext fully loaded, nice shape, and uh oh, wife overheats it one time and poof the head gasket blows. tiny bubbles in the radiator, D'oh! yet, no steaming exhaust, and not water to oil, oil to water transfer.
to sell or not to sell. that is the question! to fix and then sell? or to fix and then keep? GRRRRRR i dunno!
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,720
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From: Washington state
Yes, Yes
Let that Ole Aero go to the Happy Ford Junkyard in the Sky. She Has Earned A Rest.
Then visit the friendly Banker and with a wheel barrow of fresh loot, make a bonzi charge on the nearest Honda Odessey dealer.
As they grim and tell you domo arigato for the $35,000, they deliver your new Happy Van in Sushi brown with built in Fish Oil Aroma.
1 Year Later and You Too Can Dream of the Old Aero Days and the low cost parts and service. Now It's $10 Honda Oil and $12 Honda Premium transmission fluid which One Must Use or the Warranty is Hari Kari. And Don't Even Ask about Replacing the Transmission, If One Has to Ask the Price One Can't Raise the Yen for It.
Oh, Did I Tell You About the Short Seat Backs, Made for 5'5" statures and the 10 Year National Debt Loans. Both the Van and the Owner Are Worn Out When Paid For.
Let that Ole Aero go to the Happy Ford Junkyard in the Sky. She Has Earned A Rest.
Then visit the friendly Banker and with a wheel barrow of fresh loot, make a bonzi charge on the nearest Honda Odessey dealer.
As they grim and tell you domo arigato for the $35,000, they deliver your new Happy Van in Sushi brown with built in Fish Oil Aroma.
1 Year Later and You Too Can Dream of the Old Aero Days and the low cost parts and service. Now It's $10 Honda Oil and $12 Honda Premium transmission fluid which One Must Use or the Warranty is Hari Kari. And Don't Even Ask about Replacing the Transmission, If One Has to Ask the Price One Can't Raise the Yen for It.
Oh, Did I Tell You About the Short Seat Backs, Made for 5'5" statures and the 10 Year National Debt Loans. Both the Van and the Owner Are Worn Out When Paid For.
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Postmaster
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Originally Posted by 96_4wdr
As they grim and tell you domo arigato for the $35,000, they deliver your new Happy Van in Sushi brown with built in Fish Oil Aroma.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,720
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From: Washington state
Reaching down into the neck of the radiator fill neck, any greasy black sooty deposits? Tell tale for blown head gasket or cracked head into exhaust port.
Some manuf. used to make a strong aromatic liquid that mechanic could put in cooling system and if there was a cooling system leak into exhaust, aroma would show up at tail pipe. Haven't seen it for years?
Why don't these auto manuf.'s learn and put in compressible stainless steel head gaskets. With all these dissimilar metal corrosion problems and short head gasket life they must make a fortune on the service, new vehicle market.
Some manuf. used to make a strong aromatic liquid that mechanic could put in cooling system and if there was a cooling system leak into exhaust, aroma would show up at tail pipe. Haven't seen it for years?
Why don't these auto manuf.'s learn and put in compressible stainless steel head gaskets. With all these dissimilar metal corrosion problems and short head gasket life they must make a fortune on the service, new vehicle market.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
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flush the system,install a can of pellet bars leak and new antifreeze and keep on going.
ive gotten by for two more years doing this and still going.
i know that the head caskets are prolly the cause
ford is known for this problem
ive gotten by for two more years doing this and still going.
i know that the head caskets are prolly the cause
ford is known for this problem
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Northern California
yup
Aero, I use liquid Dawn dishsoap in my radiator, believe it or not and you would not believe the crap that comes out. I run it with dawn in it then drain and flush. makes a nice soapy pile when done. then maybe the bars leak. be careful though, I used it in my '64 Chevy p/u with 350 and clogged everything up, including the heater core. I use that powdered aluminum looking stuff. works great. just use it when you flush.
L8R
Aaron
L8R
Aaron
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Mitchell, SD
Originally Posted by Nappers
....then maybe the bars leak. be careful though, I used it in my '64 Chevy p/u with 350 and clogged everything up, including the heater core.....
Senior User
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Areo,
You have helped so many; you cannot count those who want to help you.
I use an industrial rust inhibitor that I got from a commercial HVAC guy. I do not know what it is called. A couple of ounces literally turns that nice green antifreeze a deep rusty (go figure) red color. It stains everything. I have found some very small pinhole leaks by looking for that stain. Just something you might want to try to run down in your area.
You have helped so many; you cannot count those who want to help you.
I use an industrial rust inhibitor that I got from a commercial HVAC guy. I do not know what it is called. A couple of ounces literally turns that nice green antifreeze a deep rusty (go figure) red color. It stains everything. I have found some very small pinhole leaks by looking for that stain. Just something you might want to try to run down in your area.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,452
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From: Southern California
Hi Aero:
Intake manifold? Water pump? Still a chore to contend with, but much less painful than head gaskets. At any rate, even if you have to redo the head gaskets, it should be easy enough for a man of your flexibility and dexterity
By the way, could it be that your water pump is cavitating, producing these small bubbles?
So, what are you going to do? New van or CPR on the old girl?
Originally Posted by aerocolorado
Where else could air enter the system or coolant leak out undetected?
By the way, could it be that your water pump is cavitating, producing these small bubbles?
So, what are you going to do? New van or CPR on the old girl?
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(best John Wayne imitation) Well now pilgrims, I just haven't decided yet what to do with the old girl.
Thanks to all for the various creative thoughts. I'm driving around with a jug of water and a gallon of coolant between the seats. The old fossil is sucking down about one gallon of coolant every 300-400 miles. Still no leaks either while running or sitting overnight. With this much coolant disappearing, she still runs just fine, no missing, no odors and no mileage loss. Other than an empty reservoir you would never suspect a thing was wrong.
The water pump, manifold, pinholes and other suggestions were pondered, but I think there is a small scale exchange of fluid for air going on in one of the cylinder heads - meaning a small gasket leak. What really need to do is pull #5 plug and re-check it for deposit confirmation. (This one looked odd at the last plug change.) Of course, that would spoil all the fun.
Thanks to all for the various creative thoughts. I'm driving around with a jug of water and a gallon of coolant between the seats. The old fossil is sucking down about one gallon of coolant every 300-400 miles. Still no leaks either while running or sitting overnight. With this much coolant disappearing, she still runs just fine, no missing, no odors and no mileage loss. Other than an empty reservoir you would never suspect a thing was wrong.
The water pump, manifold, pinholes and other suggestions were pondered, but I think there is a small scale exchange of fluid for air going on in one of the cylinder heads - meaning a small gasket leak. What really need to do is pull #5 plug and re-check it for deposit confirmation. (This one looked odd at the last plug change.) Of course, that would spoil all the fun.
Last edited by aerocolorado; Jul 26, 2005 at 03:14 PM.
