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coolant turning into foam

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tho...@antispam.ham

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May 11, 2005, 5:50:49 PM5/11/05
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Has anyone ever had their coolant turn into foam? How could that
happen in a closed system under pressure?

Bob Shuman

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May 11, 2005, 6:33:04 PM5/11/05
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Conjecture: Possibly from combustion gasses getting into the coolant through
a blown head gasket or cracked head?


<tho...@antispam.ham> wrote in message
news:Z6vge.10275$ya2....@tornado.socal.rr.com...

blah blah

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May 11, 2005, 7:36:54 PM5/11/05
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In article <Z6vge.10275$ya2....@tornado.socal.rr.com>,
tho...@antispam.ham says...

> Has anyone ever had their coolant turn into foam? How could that
> happen in a closed system under pressure?
>

Year/Model???

Are you actually seeing "foam"/bubbles or are you mistaking "stop leak"
for foam like people often do?

tho...@antispam.ham

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May 12, 2005, 8:58:35 AM5/12/05
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Bob Shuman writes:

>> Has anyone ever had their coolant turn into foam? How could that
>> happen in a closed system under pressure?

> Conjecture: Possibly from combustion gasses getting into the coolant


> through a blown head gasket or cracked head?

Wouldn't such a condition manifest itself in other ways, such as in
really lousy engine performance?

tho...@antispam.ham

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May 12, 2005, 9:01:37 AM5/12/05
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blah blah <b...@h.blah.blah> writes:

>> Has anyone ever had their coolant turn into foam? How could that
>> happen in a closed system under pressure?

> Year/Model???

'95 SL2

> Are you actually seeing "foam"/bubbles or are you mistaking "stop leak"
> for foam like people often do?

I smelled coolant while getting out of the car after a ten mile drive,
and inspection under the hood revealed that coolant had been forced
out of the overflow tank, with the surrounding area sporting a very
foamy coating.

During daylight the next day, the cap was removed, and what was
visible in the overflow tank was foam.

Bob Shuman

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May 12, 2005, 11:11:58 AM5/12/05
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Not necessarily. Get it checked out ASAP to prevent major damage. Have you
looked at your oil lately? A head gasket can leak between the combustion
chamber and cooling jacket, or between the oil and coolant, or from
combustion chamber to the oil. Each will provide a different experience.
If the leak is small, it can be a long time before it becomes noticeable.

Good luck and post what you learn to benefit others.

Bob

<tho...@antispam.ham> wrote in message
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Philip Nasadowski

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May 19, 2005, 5:47:24 PM5/19/05
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In article <d5vro6$i...@netnews.proxy.lucent.com>,
"Bob Shuman" <resh...@removethis.lucent.com> wrote:

> Not necessarily. Get it checked out ASAP to prevent major damage. Have you
> looked at your oil lately? A head gasket can leak between the combustion
> chamber and cooling jacket, or between the oil and coolant, or from
> combustion chamber to the oil. Each will provide a different experience.
> If the leak is small, it can be a long time before it becomes noticeable.

Out of risk of activating yet another flame war over the subject - could
a blown head gasket possibly lead to a cracked head? I could imagine if
you've got co,bustion gases blowing out, you'd get a localized hot spot
and all.

And hey, is it me, or are head gasket 'issues' a popular defect in a LOT
of cars out there from everyone?

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