K-Seal FAQs
I have white smoke coming from the tailpipe. What does this mean?
My windshield keeps misting up. What does this mean?
What is the difference between coolant and antifreeze?
Is K-Seal compatible with all types of coolant?
I have coolant leaking into the oil. Will K-Seal fix this?
I have a creamy deposit in the oil filler cap/neck? What does this mean?
I have oil leaking into the water/coolant. Will K-Seal fix this?
I have a leaking hose. Will K-Seal fix this?
Is there any special preparation I need to do before using K-Seal?
Should I add K-Seal to a cold or hot engine?
How long does a repair made with K-Seal last?
I used K-Seal but it did not stop the leak.
What engines can K-Seal safely be used with?
Should I add K-Seal to the coolant or the oil?
Can K-Seal be used as a preventative measure?
Do I need to leave K-Seal in the cooling system after it has sealed the leak?
Will K-Seal block anything in my cooling system?
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I have white smoke coming from the tailpipe. What does this mean?
What you are seeing is not smoke but steam condensing as it exits the exhaust and hits cold air (just like when a kettle boils). The steam is the result of water entering the cylinder(s) due to a head gasket failure. The water boils in the cylinder and is expelled with the exhaust gases. You may also notice reduced engine performance, starting problems and fouled spark plugs.
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My windshield keeps misting up. What does this mean?
One cause of misting windshields is when there is a leak in the heater core. The heater core transfers heat from the coolant into warm air to heat up the cabin. If there is a coolant leak in the core then this contaminates the air entering the cabin. The moisture then condenses on the windscreen causing the misting. You may also detect the small of coolant/antifreeze and, in extreme cases, you will notice damp patches in the footwells.
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What is the difference between coolant and antifreeze?
Coolant and antifreeze are just different names for the same additive. Cooling systems now contain additives which not only prevent the water in the system from freezing but also help the cooling process in hot weather. Plus, the additives help prevent corrosion and also lubricate the cooling system.
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Is K-Seal compatible with all types of coolant?
Yes. K-Seal does not react with coolant or other additives that may already be present in the system.
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I have coolant leaking into the oil. Will K-Seal fix this?
For K-Seal to work effectively it needs to leak to an atmosphere. This can be externally or internally (across the head to the cylinders). Where coolant is leaking into the oil it is less likely that K-Seal will be exposed to an atmosphere. Therefore there is a reduced chance of K-Seal making a successful repair.
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I have a creamy deposit in the oil filler cap/neck? What does this mean?
This indicates that you have water (coolant) leaking into the oil due to a head gasket problem. The water and oil combine and emulsify (a bit like mayonnaise) which results in the deposits around the filler cap.
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I have oil leaking into the water/coolant. Will K-Seal fix this?
No. K-Seal will only fix coolant leaks and cannot stop oil leaks.
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I have a leaking hose. Will K-Seal fix this?
No. K-Seal can only fix leaks in ‘solid’ parts of the cooling system including the head, head gasket, block, core plug, radiator and heater core.
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Is there any special preparation I need to do before using K-Seal?
Unlike other block sealers, K-Seal is a simple ‘pour & go’ solution. Shake the bottle well and then add the entire contents to the cooling system where you would normally top up the coolant/water.
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Should I add K-Seal to a cold or hot engine?
K-Seal can be added to a cold or a hot engine. The important thing is that, once K-Seal is in the coolant, you run the engine up to operating temperature to make sure that the coolant/K-Seal is flowing freely around the system.
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How long does a repair made with K-Seal last?
When K-Seal repairs a leak then that repair is permanent.
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I used K-Seal but it did not stop the leak.
Unfortunately there are some problems that are beyond even K-Seal’s ability to seal leaks. Please visit our troubleshooting page to find out more.
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How much K-Seal do I need?
1 standard bottle of K-Seal (236ml/8floz) will treat cooling systems with a capacity up to 20 quarts (this includes motorcycles , automobiles and small vans). For larger cooling systems use our Heavy Duty (472ml/16floz) size K-Seal.
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What engines can K-Seal safely be used with?
K-Seal is suitable for use with all water cooled engines, regardless of size or fuel type.
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Should I add K-Seal to the coolant or the oil?
K-Seal must only be added to the coolant. Do NOT add K-Seal to the oil.
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Can K-Seal be used as a preventative measure?
It is possible to add K-Seal to the cooling system even if there is no leak. However, the effectivness of K-Seal reduces over time and, due to the varying conditions in different cooling systems, it is not possible to determine exactly how long K-Seal will remain effective.
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Do I need to leave K-Seal in the cooling system after it has sealed the leak?
It is not necessary to leave K-Seal in the cooling system after the leak has been repaired although it will do no harm if you do so. Once K-Seal makes a repair then that repair is permanent, regardless of whether you leave it in the system or not.
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Will K-Seal block anything in my cooling system?
K-Seal will not block the cooling system and is safe to use with all types of water cooled engine, including the Northstar engine.
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If I use K-Seal to fix a head gasket leak, will I have any problems in the future if I want to replace the head gasket?
K-Seal repairs a head gasket leak by filling the crack with ceramic microfibres that cure to make a permanent repair. If you decide to replace the head gasket at a later date the K-Seal repair will be removed with the old gasket.
My cooling system is pressurising and coolant is being blown out of the expansion tank. How can K-Seal fix this?
K-Seal can fix this type of leak but you need to get K-Seal into the cooling system without it first being blown out by the gases blowing back from the cylinders. A couple of solutions are:
1. remove a top hose from the radiator and pour the K-Seal into the hose so that it enters the cooling system directly.
2. Drain a few quarts of coolant/water from the system, mix this with the K-Seal and then pour it back into the system. This helps deliver K-Seal right inside the cooling system giving it the best chance of making a repair.
Even though there is pressure coming into the cooling system, there is almost always a small movement of coolant back across the crack as the pistons move up and down within the cylinder. K-Seal is drawn into the crack and is then cured as the hot gases pass back through the crack.