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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Q: Will Thermalweld NZ work in all vehicles? A: Thermalweld NZ will work in all water cooled vehicles (with a radiator) in gas and diesel engines. Regardless of year make or model (vehicle must run). This includes motorcycles, Mercedes, BMW, and Cadillac NorthStar Engines. Q: Is Thermalwed NZ compatible with Anti Freeze/Coolant (Ethylene/ Propylene Glycol)? A: Thermalweld NZ is not chemically compatible with Antifreeze. Therefore we completely flush the cooling system and replace the antifreeze with water before treating the vehicle. Antifreeze is a complex alcohol, therefore it has a solvent action on the surface of metal which will inhibit optimal adhesion. Sometimes an extra step of using a radiator flush is needed for gunk and extremely dirty radiators. Once the Thermalweld NZ treatment is completed and your vehicle is repaired, the cooling system can be flushed of Thermalweld NZ if desired and replaced with a 30% Anti Freeze/70% fresh water mixture. Many choose to just keep the Thermalweld NZ in their vehicle as it acts as a lubricant and just get stronger and stronger. Q: What types of problems will Thermalweld NZ repair? A: Thermalweld NZ will repair the following problems: Failed head gaskets and cracked heads leading to overheating and steaming out of the tailpipe, coolant and oil leaks along with missing and overall poor performance of the engine. Q. My vehicle has an external crack in the block, can Thermalweld NZ repair this problem? A: Yes.... We have had great success in repairing cracked blocks (Even in the Dodge Cummins Diesel). Q: Will Thermalweld NZ damage my engine, radiator or heater core? A: No…Thermalweld NZ stays in solution and will not cause any problems. Q: How does Thermalweld NZ work? A: Whenever there is a breach in the head gasket, a cracked head or cracked block, a hot spot develops at the point of the breach. That hot spot can reach temperatures 3 to 4 times that of normal engine operating temperatures. When Thermalweld NZ comes into contact with this superheated area, it instantly forms a perfect high-temperature seal. Once the breach is sealed by Thermalweld NZ's metallic alloys, the heat is deflected away from the patch, eliminating the hot spot and preserving the long term integrity of the repair. Thermalweld NZ will withstand the extreme heat and pressure fluctuations of any internal combustion engine –Guaranteed! Q: I have tried other products with similar claims without success can I still use Thermalweld NZ? A: Many of our customers have tried unsuccessfully to repair their blown head-gaskets with competitors' products. Thermalweld NZ solved their problem as you can read in our coming testimonial pages. Q: Can the head be removed in the future if treated with Thermalweld NZ? A: Thermalweld NZ will not hinder the future removal of the head! Q: How long will the Repair last? A: The repair will last indefinitely and we have seen upwards of 60,000 to 100,000k`s....and still going strong, on many 'installs' over the past 14 yrs in the US and 8 yrs in NZ. Q: Will Thermalweld NZ repair oil leaks? A: No if it's just oil. A: Yes If there is a combination/mixture of oil and coolant. |
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Q: Is Thermalweld NZ guaranteed? |
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A: If Thermalweld NZ fails to repair the vehicle, we will re-apply another treatment. If Thermalweld NZ still is unsuccessful we will give a refund less any service charge. |
| Our commitment to value and customer service are second to none. |
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Before deciding on having your head gasket replaced, there are a few things to think about.
In most cases 1 -2 % of your head gasket is leaking and 97-98% of the gasket is still in perfect condition (doesn't sealing the small portion that is leaking make sense)
Replacing a head gasket requires completely disassembling the top half of your engine, not to mention on some vehicles the engine has to be completely removed from the bottom of the vehicle by removing all of the suspension and steering components, or jacking the body off the frame to allow room to get the heads off.
The possibility of other components being damaged during this process is extremely common.
Head gasket failure in conventional head gasket replacement within the initial 5,000 mile break in period has been estimated to be as high as 30% and most repair shops will not warranty head gasket replacement repairs. (Approximately 1 out of 15 of our customers has already paid to have the head gaskets replaced at a shop and the problem has returned within 6 months)
Your vehicle will be in the shop anywhere from 5 days to 5 weeks depending on the shop and the vehicle!
Your cost to repair the vehicle is basically unknown because the price they give you is an ESTIMATE and a fairly low estimate!
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| Normal head gasket costs |
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Typically the lowest cost for Head Gasket replacing will be from the Mechanics and/or Automotive Shops who specialize in Engine rebuilding. They are usually the ones who have the lowest overhead costs, and yet they provide the most specialized Engine Repair and Rebuilding Service. Nevertheless, with the cost of labor alone, and the basic parts replacement (Cracked Heads - for example), the Head Gasket change can still run in the minimum range of $850 - $1100 for the 4 Cylinder engines (much more for a V6 or V8 engines) depending on the engine type and the Repair Shop locality. However, car dealers do quote as much as $2500 (and more), depending on the model, and the final bill is most of the times even higher when all other 'hard parts' are 'discovered' that absolutely require replacement, or those that are 'highly advisable' to be replaced... And this might not even include the cost of other 'incidentals' which are just as essential but are likely to be worn-out and require replacement: Various Sensors ('Sending Units'), Water Hoses, Vacuum Hoses, Belts, Spark Plugs, Cables, Engine Oil, Coolant, even the costly Timing Chain, Hydraulic Valve Lifters, etc. The expectedly highest priced repairs, and the Head Gaskets costs, are on the BMW and other 'high tech' / high priced Engines with Aluminum Heads (and Aluminum Cylinder Blocks) , and that can reach even the $4500 - $5000 range. The Cadillac Northstar engines are in a 'club' of their own as they are NOT designed to be rebuilt and the only alternative is a NEW Northstar engine - Dealer installed only - at the cost ranging from $8500 - $9500, depending on a Dealer! There is however another 'cheaper' alternative and in a $4500 price range: Dealer's replacement of the Head Gaskets only - but with absolutely NO Guarantee... and we have had some customers where the same problems do return only 3 weeks later after the Head Gaskets replacement! Or worse, many times even the complete rebuilding of the engine DOES NOT eliminate the leaks, and actually CAN NOT eliminate the leaks, when the cause of the leak is the INTERNAL CRACK(S) in the Engine Block. These INTERNAL CRACKS are UN-REPAIRABLE since most of the time they are absolutely invisible and undetectable by any means (especially in the Aluminum Engine Blocks as frequently they can be 'almost microscopic'!)... and the only alternative left unfortunately would be replacing of the whole engine - after spending upwards of $5000 for the complete engine disassembly/rebuilding - totally in vain... Well, that is not the only alternative any more!
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