Running the Xantia with Forte Stopleak..
Moderator: RichardW
Running the Xantia with Forte Stopleak..
I've been running the Xantia since January with Forte Stopleak in the cooling system. Previously it was losing a litre a day of coolant, now I top it up every fortnight by not very much at all. The leak was coming from the heater matrix. The car runs great, the heating still works fine. Done about 7k with it like this. I just wonder, how long before the seal fails, how long before the stopleak seals stuff it shouldn't? The car is the XUD turbo deisel. Would ideally like to get the heater matrix changed but a full days labour from the garage is putting me off a bit!!! Thoughts anyone?
mattpc,
I recall that someone treated their Xantia thus on this group, and the car ran for 15K+ at least, and may still be running with it.
My local Citroen indie uses it as a semi-permanent repair, to good effect.
Another former Citroen indie is now a distributor for Forte, and says that the stuff stays active in the system (but he did not say for how long), rather than being a "one shot quick cure" fix like Radweld, et al.
It's excellent stuff! Carry some on board as standard equipment!
rg
I recall that someone treated their Xantia thus on this group, and the car ran for 15K+ at least, and may still be running with it.
My local Citroen indie uses it as a semi-permanent repair, to good effect.
Another former Citroen indie is now a distributor for Forte, and says that the stuff stays active in the system (but he did not say for how long), rather than being a "one shot quick cure" fix like Radweld, et al.
It's excellent stuff! Carry some on board as standard equipment!
rg
Jaguar always used to recommend using Barr's leaks all the time. I know that some of the beautifully polished alloy external waterway castings could be porous for antifreeze and this may have been the reason.
I also recall some fun trying to get the muck out of a mini engine but I did have it out of the car and it had settled out of harms way at the bottom of the water jacket.
Personally I have used anti-leak compounds over many thousands of miles and must record my self as being a satisfied customer. Having said that they were generally rather tired cars and at the moment we are running 2 diesel Citroens and neither is on the stuff - miracle I suppose!
I have never used Forte which could well be a better product.
jeremy
I also recall some fun trying to get the muck out of a mini engine but I did have it out of the car and it had settled out of harms way at the bottom of the water jacket.
Personally I have used anti-leak compounds over many thousands of miles and must record my self as being a satisfied customer. Having said that they were generally rather tired cars and at the moment we are running 2 diesel Citroens and neither is on the stuff - miracle I suppose!
I have never used Forte which could well be a better product.
jeremy
I used Bar's in my ZX cooling system due to 1)a leak in the radiator and 2)a leak in the heater core. The results: AWESOME.
It really worked in half a day. I was losing something like 1/2 liter per week (if I didn't let the temperature go over 90) to 1 L per day (if I got stuck in heavy traffic). Now, nothing and the heater works just fine.
Before adding this stuff to the rad, I flushed the system as the bottle said. And just as a precaution, I flushed one week later just to be sure nothing else got clogged. Also I used only half a bottle (about 3 ounces)again just to be sure nothing that didn't need to be patched got.
It really worked in half a day. I was losing something like 1/2 liter per week (if I didn't let the temperature go over 90) to 1 L per day (if I got stuck in heavy traffic). Now, nothing and the heater works just fine.
Before adding this stuff to the rad, I flushed the system as the bottle said. And just as a precaution, I flushed one week later just to be sure nothing else got clogged. Also I used only half a bottle (about 3 ounces)again just to be sure nothing that didn't need to be patched got.
Nice to hear some positive feedback for "Barrs Stop leak " for a change.
I`ve been enthusiastic about it`s results in cooling systems-with no apparent adverse effects,including heater matrix blockage or gungeing-up of the system - ever since I cured a nasty probable head gasket leak in my 405 and subsequently ran that car for a further 60k miles until I part-exed it 5 years later.
I have since used it in several cars ,always with good results.
I`ve been enthusiastic about it`s results in cooling systems-with no apparent adverse effects,including heater matrix blockage or gungeing-up of the system - ever since I cured a nasty probable head gasket leak in my 405 and subsequently ran that car for a further 60k miles until I part-exed it 5 years later.
I have since used it in several cars ,always with good results.
I noticed the Aura ran a bit hotter than the Avantage, and on checking I found a damp patch at the bottom of the rad, so I added a can of Fortes rad seal, that was a year ago! No sign of any water/coolant related problems since the Fortes was added..
I personaly think its a permenant cure as long as the original leak is only a minor one. And I can see no reason to believe it would "congeal" and thus cause problems elsewhere. If it did, it would almost certainly have been removed from the market long ago.
.
I personaly think its a permenant cure as long as the original leak is only a minor one. And I can see no reason to believe it would "congeal" and thus cause problems elsewhere. If it did, it would almost certainly have been removed from the market long ago.
.
My experience over the years has always been that whilst it may work and possibly work well at present, you can bet pennies to peanuts that when it decides to really fall in a heap it'll be either in a wet season, in a freezing winter or when you need the car urgently to go somewhere. I'd be looking at doing it properly at the first opportunity.
Why is it you guys all seem to be in endless strife with leaky cooling systems though in the first place? Don't they have a decent coolant/anti freeze available over there or is it through topping up with tap water constantly? If that's the case, you'd have to reckon it's false economy when you see the alternatives.
We do have the problem over here but nowhere near percentage wise you do which is why I ask the question.
Alan S[;)]
Why is it you guys all seem to be in endless strife with leaky cooling systems though in the first place? Don't they have a decent coolant/anti freeze available over there or is it through topping up with tap water constantly? If that's the case, you'd have to reckon it's false economy when you see the alternatives.
We do have the problem over here but nowhere near percentage wise you do which is why I ask the question.
Alan S[;)]
My local garage stock all the Fortes products, and swear by them.. [:D]
As for leaky cars I too found the leak on the Aura after I bought it and made the 70 mile drive home [:I].. I have changed the water a couple of times on the Avantage and it appears to be fine, so will do the same on the Aura starting when it has its MOT which is due anytime now, but will replace the Fortes sealer just in case [;)], if it was my car I would replace the radiator, but I must admit the one in the car looks to be in very good condition.. [8)]
Prior to my buying it, (on behalf of a lady friend) the Aura was owned by a lady from new, and serviced by her local garage where I bought the car. Aparently the lady part exchanged it for a Xantia auto of some sort. [^]
.
As for leaky cars I too found the leak on the Aura after I bought it and made the 70 mile drive home [:I].. I have changed the water a couple of times on the Avantage and it appears to be fine, so will do the same on the Aura starting when it has its MOT which is due anytime now, but will replace the Fortes sealer just in case [;)], if it was my car I would replace the radiator, but I must admit the one in the car looks to be in very good condition.. [8)]
Prior to my buying it, (on behalf of a lady friend) the Aura was owned by a lady from new, and serviced by her local garage where I bought the car. Aparently the lady part exchanged it for a Xantia auto of some sort. [^]
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Brian Oblivion
- Posts: 98
- Joined: 19 Jan 2004, 14:48
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
Hi. Forte products are from South Africa. Following earlier threads regarding Xantia heater matrix leaks and their advice I managed to track some down by mail order from C and C in Reading. By retutn sevice £15 a bottle. Good news is my damp carpets have dried and the pungent pong has disappeared. Heater still works fine, and water level is stable. Phew...7 hours labour at Cit. dealer £500 !!!hopefully saved.Thanks to all you earlier postings for your always helpful advice.