Practically Classics Forum

Has anybody tried this?
http://www.irontite.com/

I am trying to find a "bodge" solution to avoid having to replace my engine twice in 6 months. According to the blurb (and several forums) it does work to "fix" the 4.6 v8's porus block issue. I was curious if anybody on here had tried it.

I know someone who used it on a Rover V8 with liner problems and it seems to have worked - worth a try if it is liner problems? If it is head gasket/gasket problems you are trying to sort I have found K Seal to be good but not sure if that would work so well with a liner so would give the irontite a try?

I've just changed both head gaskets (because i fitted them wrong, DOH!) but it is still pressurising the coolant and loosing a bit so i can only assume it is a "porus block". i was thinking it's worth a go for the £70 or whatever the kit is before taking the damn thing out again.
Assuming it's not normal for the pressure relief on your header tank to be "hissing" after a run.

stagman wrote:....I have found K Seal to be good but not sure if that would work so well with a liner so would give the irontite a try?

Did you use K-seal in the Triumph V8? I ask because I know of three 1854 slants that failed their carbon water pump seals after the stuff had been poured in to solve minor heater matrix leaks.

yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but I know a number of people in the Stag Owners Club who have also used it and seems to be OK so fingers crossed !!!!!!! Seems to be the most common way of sorting leaking inlet manifold gaskets on them ! have to keep my fingers crossed although it was a while ago. You have got we worried now - in the SOC we call it Stag paranoia

TerryG wrote:Assuming it's not normal for the pressure relief on your header tank to be "hissing" after a run.

not a duff cap is it ? just a thought?

I have tried 2 (both from bearmach) with the same result. for the sake of £5 i suppose i could try a 3rd one before filling my engine with "tar". Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm not familiar with the Rover V8 engine, does it have wet or dry liners? If they are wet liners they may have sunk in the block and are not protruding enough to make a gas tight seal. We had a lot of trouble with Ford,Nuffield and Volvo engines doing this in the'70s/80s. The liners could be shimmed up to the correct height by removing the liners and putting a shim under the shoulder of the liner. If they are wet liners that are porous usually the first sign is water in the oil. this usually happens quite quickly. The liners will usually go before the block but the symptoms are the same. Replacing wet liners is a fairly easy(famous last words!) job. The only experience of dry liners I have is with Perkins engines and we never had a problem with them becoming porous as they are not in direct contact with the coolant. I think that the liners used to protrude on these engines but am not sure. Put a straight edge on top of each liner and measure how much they protrude and you may have found your problem. Best of luck.
Dave

I've tried most of these sealants in my impoverished marginal motoring days and they've never been very successful. I've usually ended up with a blocked heater matrix. I don't see how a porous block would pressurise the system, I would have thought you'd get water in the oil. If you're not getting bubbles in the coolant if you run the engine with the cap off and it isn't overheating, I'd run it for a bit and see how it goes and re-torque the heads after a few hundred miles.

Hi I can well remember a 3-5 which has/had plain liners and tightened up a bit and the liner moved down by a good 3/8" because there was nothing to stop it. I dont know the larger V8's but I should think that they should have a machined lip to stop the liners moving, perhaps some one could please enlighten me why a porous block should be a problem if linered? Just interested to know.
Have used K seal in a high performance 16 valve ( 4 cylinder lump.) as a tempory measure for a blown head gasket that was 3 years ago and it's still fine.
Good luck.
Cheers.
Geoff.