Ford Repair: 1985 mercury linx, losing coolant, block sealer

Question
QUESTION: this morning i checked the oil on my car and i noticed white residue on the oil dip stick.i smelled it and it kind of smelled like gasoline? could you guys please help me and maybe tell me whats wrong with it appriciate it thanx

ANSWER: white residue would be coolant-if it is a lot you probably have a leaking head gasket-if it is a small amount it could be moisture buildup from condensation if you take a lot of short trips and don't give your car a chance to run long enough to get warmed up good at least 30 minutes at a time a couple of times a week but if that is not the case have your head gasket checked out.

are you losing coolant from the recovery jug?

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QUESTION: no not really i just recently changed the water pump and timing belt do you think maybe that had something to do with the problem? my next door neighbor is a mechanic and he suggested i buy a leaking powder put it in the radiator with just water in it and run it for about 30 min. do you think this will work?

Answer
if you have a leaking headgasket it's not hard to fix on that engine and i believe in fixing the problem not patching it but if you are going to use a stop leak try k&w block sealer or blue devil both are suppose to be permanent repairs and i have used both with mixed results although if your problem is a small leak one of these may work well for you at least for several months (follow instructions to a t)