1. Home
  2. Automotive Technologies
  3. Headgasket sealant: I try stuff so you don't have to!

Headgasket sealant: I try stuff so you don't have to!

OK, 'repairing' the headgaskets on the Subaru. Using some stuff called Bar's Head gasket repair.

formatting link
Yeah, I've got some snake oil in the refrigerator, too.

All the car has to do is last until April or May. If this stuff works, fine. It's supposed to be permanent, but I'm keeping my betting money in my pocket.

If you want to try this stuff, be prepared to spend a couple days (or one good summer day; of course, the gaskets on my car couldn't wait for nicer weather...) I was also looking at K&W Permanent Head gasket and block repair

formatting link
I bought the Bar's stuff since they're as old as dirt. I called tech support at both places before beginning and they both stressed one thing: Make sure ALL the anti-freeze is out of the engine! If you flush the system, and the water is running yellow, flush it again. It has to be clear water. The were both adamant about this.

So, I spent yesterday draining, filling, draining, flushing, draining, filling, flushing until the water coming out of any open orifice was crystal clear. By this time it was 9PM and I had to eveict the Supra from the heated garage, since there was still some water and NO anti-freeze in the engine.

This morning I put the thermostat back in and placed a hose to bypass the heater core. This was a thought I had, and even though it is not mentioned on either bottle in the detailed instructions, both tech support people recommended this since the heater core has smaller passages than the radiator.

I mixed the stuff according to instructions; one bottle with 3 quarts warm water, and filled the radiator. They want to make sure the cooling system is full, so you run the car until the t-stat opens, shut it down ,wait and check. Refill and start again. Do this a couple times until the radiator is full.

Then start the car and run it at a high idle. This is where I am right now. I have to admit, the 'chuffing' sound the car was making is subsiding. You have to run the car at a high idle for 20-30 minutes. It also says if the leak has just started or is very small, to return the engine to normal idle and run of one hour. Since the gaskets just started going, this is what I'll do. I am almost at the end of the 20 minute high idle cycle now, and as I said, the chuffing noise is drastically diminished.

After this is complete, you cool the car again, and drain the mixture out of the car. My poor Supra is going to have to stay outside (first time it's seen snow in 5 years...) because you have to drain the colling system thoroughly and let it sit for at least 12 hours, and then flush again, then refill with regular anti-freeze.

Wish me luck...

Reply to
Hachiroku
Loading thread data ...

Be prepared for more head gasket leaks. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

Big Bunch Snipped

Parden me for asking Mr. Hachiroku but from what you've said you had to do to use this stuff, wouldn't it be faster to just replace the head gasket? Yeah, it would cost more money but then you'd know it was fixed.

Jack

Reply to
Retired VIP

Ya know, Jack, right around suppertime I was thinking the very same thing!

However, it's 23 degrees today, and I have to do most work on the apron outside the garage, 'cause garage space was not a big priority for the people that built this house. There's just about enough room to swing a cat...

Reply to
Hachiroku

Well ask ANY reliable radiator shop what they think of "Bar's" products....when the guy stops laughing at you he might tell you WHY...

It's a poorly designed fix, for a poorly designed engine. You think you have problems now, wait till you put that shit in your cooling system :)

Reply to
Roger Buttsnort

I said in the original post, the people I talked to at Tech Support said you have to get ALL the anti-freeze out. They said I would only have a problem if there was anti-freeze in the system.

It's done...we'll see...

Reply to
Hachiroku

A couple of old ''tricks'' I read about many, many years ago for leaky radiators.Drop a raw egg in there,,, or put some oatmeal in there.I have never tried it before and I wouldn't.

There is a new Snake Oil out there, I read about it (full page ad) a week ago in my February 2008 snail mail Popular Science magazine.

formatting link
cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

Yeah, I know...but at 23 degrees and a boxster engine, I'll take my chances!!

Spring is coming!!!

Reply to
Hachiroku

good luck, keep us posted!

Andy

Reply to
alf

Snip..

I did the same thing on a Toyota with a bad head gasket. It fixed it. Then the transmission started acting funny. So I sold it. Car only had 100K on it and it was falling apart... so much for quality Toyota products. And it had been bought new by my in laws and they did not abuse it in any way.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Every car maker makes a few bad cars.

The plural of anecdote is not data.

Reply to
Jeff

Hachi,

If it's any comfort to you, I had a Peugeot about 15 years ago with a head gasket problem - lots of water in the oil - and drove it over to Newport Beach, to the only Peugeot mechanic within many miles, who said he'd replace the head gasket for about $1500. When I got up off the floor, I asked why, and he said it would include a valve job, etc etc. I told him NO valve job. He said he wouldn't do it and got a little snotty, so I bade him goodbye. Went home and bought a bottle of Bar's Stop Leak and poured it in the radiator (without draining the coolant out, as your guy recommended). It was about $5 as I recall, in a bottle about the size of one you'd get rubbing alcohol in. Long story short, I drove the car another two years until I sold it with no water in the oil, and no problems with the cooling system. worked for me, and I hope it does for you!

Reply to
mack

Well, this is encouraging. What product did you use?

Hmmm...this is not good. I have had a passle of Toyotas, and each one is better than the one before. My first was in 1974, so by the 80's I had some pretty decent cars!

Every once in a while you hear a horror story about a Toyota, but nowhere near as much as Fords or Chevys...or Chrysler trannies!

Reply to
Hachiroku

I'm on the last stage now; flushing and refilling. It's taking a while since it's hovering right around freezing, and cracking the block is the last thing I want to do right now!

But, the gaskets were JUST starting to go; no oil in the water, no water in the oil, and it just started spitting steam from the tailpipe Friday. The mechanic said they were very light leaks and doing this should get a few more months at least before I have to pull the heads.

Reply to
Hachiroku

It's only permenent if by that you mean "works long enough to get out of warranty so SOA doesnt have to pay for a gasket replacement."

Reply to
.._..

I once read somewhere that American (and I think some foreign car makers too) car makers pour a bottle of Bar's Leaks into the radiator water/antifreeze mix of every vehicle (cars/trucks/vans/suvs) before the vehicles leave the factories. I have used Bar's Leaks before and it worked for me.

formatting link
cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

formatting link

Ask the companies that build the cars/engines.I think it was in the

1970s when I read the article.I don't remember which auto magazine. cuhulin
Reply to
cuhulin

There's also some risk associated with the repair- quality of services is not always top notch (people encounter various problems associated with the repair such as mis-alighnned belt teeth, etc.), also Subaru head gaskets can be a nasty re-occuring problem.

I am a great fan of giving patch-up jobs a chance.

They do work many times and can be economical, if done the right way and without delay (!). If the guy can get 10K, or

15k, miles out of some cheap fix what's wrong with that?

M.J.

Reply to
M.J.

How Bar's Leaks works.

formatting link

Click onthe T Bird engine tear down thingy. I am in favor of Bar's Leaks.I know it has worked for me several times/every time I used it before.Next time I drain and flush the cooling system on my 1978 Dodge van, more Bar's Leaks. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

So far, so good. It seems it may have actually worked. Once I clean up the anti-freeze that spilled all over the car, I'll see if any more appears...

It's not sluggish anymore, it's not steaming, and seems to be running ok.

One thing...there is a kind of a grinding noise from the front of the car. The guys at Autozone think maybe it also sealed the bearing on the water pump...?

Eh, water pump's $35...and another weekend...

Reply to
Hachiroku

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.