Head Gasket -- Inexpensive, Easy Fix

A ten year old car is worth replacing a head gasket on, unless it's totally trashed and unmaintained. Now, you've created more problems...a useless heater core AND radiator, as well as cooling system deposits which will come back to haunt you soon enough unless you get that crap out of there.

Actually, aside from a little oxidation of the clear and base coats of paint on the roof near the hatch, it's extremely nice inside and out-- much better than I've seen in many vehicles its age. And maintenance has been excellent. It runs great, motor sounds good, tranny is still smooth-shifting, and the AC is enough to make me chilly even on a

105-degree desert day. Its only needs at this point are a new rear main oil seal and a front-end alignment.

Really? How useful did you think the leaky heater core was?

Cooling is splendid. Since the fix, at operating temp, the needle on the gauge goes to just below the halfway mark and never higher (not even around town with the AC cranked up on the aforementioned hot days).

There's no "crap" to get "out of there." After the treatment is done, the cooling system is fully flushed before it is refilled.

Do you even have any experience with this stuff?

-- Christian

When the headgasket failed on my 2.4, it was an oil leak at the left-rear corner of the head. I never did see any problems with the cooling system, so I don't know if this would have worked for my situation.

It will be interesting to find out if the repair lasts until you are done with the van. The 2.4 had a known headgasket defect, that was corrected during the 1999 model year.

-KM

Justice Bros., Bar's Leaks, you name it, I've fished it out of cooling systems while replacing radiator and heater cores. Any "top end job in a bottle" is a ghetto repair job, at best.

You're sort of like a politician. You took 20 words to say "no" but never used the word "no" itself. And, actually, I did name it (Thermagasket) and you didn't say that was one you've seen problems with...

There's some thinly-veiled biggotry to be proud of.

-- Christian

Hmmm. Probably not since there would definitely have to be good contact with the cooling system. Likely better for failures that dump water into the oil and/or vice versa.

That's a good point. Since DeserTBob fancies himself an expert on the subject, maybe he can tell us what I can expect.

That sucks for those who bought the pre-'99 2.4. All-in-all, though, I've been very happy with the vehicle.

-- Christian

You did a ghetto repair when a head gasket job was called for (note other posts alerting you to the 2.4L head gasket problem) and now you're defensive about it. Pity the poor zhlub that buys that wreck from you. Bar's Leaks, Justice Bros., Thermowhatever...it's ALL the same basic tool...a cheap, TEMPORARY repair to a far more serious problem.

Due to your snot nosed response, I hope the friggin' thing lets go on you in the dead of winter...and it will, sooner or later.

Not to mention, DeserTBob lives in a ghetto himself. I have rooms in my house bigger than his entire yard. He lives in postage stamps estates, on a cookie-cutter lot.

I'm only defending the facts against someone who has no clue but enjoys spouting off anyway.

I have no intention of selling it and no reason to.

Since you seem to be so knowledgeable, want to chance a guess at how long until this "TEMPORARY" repair fails? "Sooner or later" isn't sufficient, since everything will give out sooner or later (much like the original head gasket did).

We're talking about Thermagasket but, since you don't have any experience with it, here's an interesting bit on Bar's Leak:

Oh no, DeserTBob has wished me ill. My greatest fear has been realized...

-- Christian

Interesting link. I've used Bar's, it worked very well for me, although the leak wasn't major. I never noticed any gunking up of radiator or any resultant overheating, but then I may have been fortunate. And I don't see any harm with this Thermosealer chemical being used, since it is water-borne [I presume?] and is flushed out after application.

Bottom line, if it works it works, my thinking.

Oh, DO shut the hell up!

*PLONK*

There...that's better.

Since trying to have a rational discussion with you is an excercise in futility, I do believe I'll take that advice.

-- Christian

You probably won't see any problem. I've known several people that have used Bar's Stop Leak for the cooling system (not for head gasket failure) and, not only did it not cause problems, it usually took care of problems.

Bar's claims that some automakers add their product before shipping cars out of the factory. The letter I saw didn't say which automakers but one site

lists 18companies including Daimler-Chrysler.

It is flushed out. And, for me at least, it works. I didn't post to start a war with DeserTBob but that's what it turned into (though I do realize that's not uncommon).

For those thinking of trying it out, remember to follow the directions very carefully and add in the cost of oil and filter changes to the overall price.

It's been 7 months and 6,000 miles since I used Thermagasket to fix my failed head gasket and I've seen absolutely no crossover between oil and coolant in either direction. This on a vehicle with 198,000 total miles.

-- Christian

I wonder if Desertbob will eventually kill file everybody in this group. Fortunately for him, there is always a fresh supply of people to insult and argue with.

Interesting philosophical question: If Desertbob were to start posting at alt.insults and get into some fights and disagreements, would he kill file people on that group as well?

That would save people from having to killfile him.

-- Christian

Kind of like the old "If a tree fell in a forest but no one was around to hear it..." question. :) All of us that he's kill filed can talk about him out in the open and he'll never know it - unless someone whom he hasn't replies and quotes. Doesn't matter either way.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

I just think it's kind of funny. Go to a new group, argue with everybody, get mad, and ignore everybody. It makes me laugh. I'm sure it makes him feel important.

If a man speaks in the forest, and there's no woman around to hear him, is he wrong anyways?

Ken