My '97 Voyager Van has 240,000 miles on it. Usually, Voyager Vans of that vintage have their transmissions fall out at 90,000 miles. This one has lasted the entire 240,000 miles. I would try for a quarter million, but (alas!) the engine is blown--at least, technically. I am still driving it to work.
The trouble began about 6 months ago. While driving home from work, the temperature gauge rapidly climbed to the top of its range. I turned on the heater-- a common way to take some heat out of an overheated engine. At first, it worked, blowing 120 degree air into the passenger compartment. That lasted 20 minutes. Then the air began blowing cold. The radiator was clearly out of fluid. Fortunately, I was almost home by then, and the engine made it back, but the radiator developed several leaks. Oddly, the radiator reservoir was still full of fluid.
The garage couldn't figure out what was going on for a while. I took a gamble and got a new radiator, and it seemed to fix the problem for a while, but the engine kept leaking radiator fluid--about 250 ml a day. It seemed to leak only after the car was stopped, and neither the mechanics nor I could figure out exactly where the fluid was leaking from.
Finally, they noticed exhaust gases in the radiator fluid, and all became clear. The head gasket had developed leaks from at least one cylinder into the coolant. Exhaust gases were displacing coolant in the radiator, forcing the coolant level to rise in the overflow tank. Coolant went out of the overflow tube, then as the engine cooled, the gases contracted in the radiator, bringing the overflow tank level back to normal.
"Drive it 'Til it Detonates!"
I could get the engine rebuilt. But remember the legendary failing transmission of the Voyager Van? It won't last forever, and I noticed it was getting balky sometimes going into gear. Replacing the drive train and engine on a 240,000 mile van is just a bit too much.
My brother in law's opinion? "Drive it 'til it detonates!" I think he's right. But how to continue to drive it until I find another car?
After another close call with the new radiator, I find that the exhaust gases accumulate at the top of the radiator. It is necessary to top off the fluid directly through the radiator cap, when the engine is cold, about every 2 days (90 kilometers) of driving. Adding fluid to the overflow reservoir no longer fills the radiator. If I don't add fluid thru the radiator cap, exhaust gases displace more and more coolant until the radiator is nearly dry. The engine overheats, and is likely to seize.
So far, the head gasket is leaking gases only one way, into the coolant. When it starts leaking coolant into the engine oil, I will see light brown creamy deposits on the inside of the oil cap. That will mean that the engine is truly blown, and detonation could happen at any time. Meanwhile though, I have a few weeks to drive my old car while I try to find another one. It's a good thing. :-)
The trouble began about 6 months ago. While driving home from work, the temperature gauge rapidly climbed to the top of its range. I turned on the heater-- a common way to take some heat out of an overheated engine. At first, it worked, blowing 120 degree air into the passenger compartment. That lasted 20 minutes. Then the air began blowing cold. The radiator was clearly out of fluid. Fortunately, I was almost home by then, and the engine made it back, but the radiator developed several leaks. Oddly, the radiator reservoir was still full of fluid.
The garage couldn't figure out what was going on for a while. I took a gamble and got a new radiator, and it seemed to fix the problem for a while, but the engine kept leaking radiator fluid--about 250 ml a day. It seemed to leak only after the car was stopped, and neither the mechanics nor I could figure out exactly where the fluid was leaking from.
Finally, they noticed exhaust gases in the radiator fluid, and all became clear. The head gasket had developed leaks from at least one cylinder into the coolant. Exhaust gases were displacing coolant in the radiator, forcing the coolant level to rise in the overflow tank. Coolant went out of the overflow tube, then as the engine cooled, the gases contracted in the radiator, bringing the overflow tank level back to normal.
"Drive it 'Til it Detonates!"
I could get the engine rebuilt. But remember the legendary failing transmission of the Voyager Van? It won't last forever, and I noticed it was getting balky sometimes going into gear. Replacing the drive train and engine on a 240,000 mile van is just a bit too much.
My brother in law's opinion? "Drive it 'til it detonates!" I think he's right. But how to continue to drive it until I find another car?
After another close call with the new radiator, I find that the exhaust gases accumulate at the top of the radiator. It is necessary to top off the fluid directly through the radiator cap, when the engine is cold, about every 2 days (90 kilometers) of driving. Adding fluid to the overflow reservoir no longer fills the radiator. If I don't add fluid thru the radiator cap, exhaust gases displace more and more coolant until the radiator is nearly dry. The engine overheats, and is likely to seize.
So far, the head gasket is leaking gases only one way, into the coolant. When it starts leaking coolant into the engine oil, I will see light brown creamy deposits on the inside of the oil cap. That will mean that the engine is truly blown, and detonation could happen at any time. Meanwhile though, I have a few weeks to drive my old car while I try to find another one. It's a good thing. :-)
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