How to fix a coolant leak and sludge in an old car
Low coolant levels and sludge buildup typically indicate oil mixing with the coolant, often caused by a failing head gasket or oil cooler. Trying to fix a leak with temporary tape or sealants on an older vehicle will not resolve underlying mechanical failures and can lead to complete engine overheating.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using a pressure tester to locate the leak
- 2Using tape as a temporary fix
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Not sure what’s going on at all”source ↗
wormsicle_ · r/AskMechanics · 1 upvotes
“Been noticing a leak of coolant under my CRV. It’s and 08 and on its last leg but trying to ride it out for at least a couple more months. Could I use some sort of tape? Or any recs?”source ↗
Nivet08 · r/AskMechanics · 1 upvotes
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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