Liquid head gasket/block seal
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Liquid head gasket/block seal
I hope this hasn't been covered before, I couldn't find anything in the search...
The truck is using coolant but leaving the reservoir full. I'l be checking all the hoses this evening and it has a new cap, but fixing thatwon'tchange the fact it's using coolant. The heater core sounds like microwave popcorn when I rev it after a cold startup because of the air in the sytem. It also has a steady miss at idle so I'm guessing cracked head.
What's the general consensus on Bar's head gasket/block seal. I know it's an easy way out and probably a temporary fix at best, but is there any potential damage from trying a product like this?
The truck is using coolant but leaving the reservoir full. I'l be checking all the hoses this evening and it has a new cap, but fixing thatwon'tchange the fact it's using coolant. The heater core sounds like microwave popcorn when I rev it after a cold startup because of the air in the sytem. It also has a steady miss at idle so I'm guessing cracked head.
What's the general consensus on Bar's head gasket/block seal. I know it's an easy way out and probably a temporary fix at best, but is there any potential damage from trying a product like this?
Captain
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 528
Likes: 1
From: Colchester, CT
RE: Liquid head gasket/block seal
i've used it and it worked good. I've also heard that it was bad for the motor but i cant remember y. probably something to do with clogging water jets. thats the only thing i can think of.
Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 533
Likes: 0
From: Jackson, MO
RE: Liquid head gasket/block seal
Here are the reasons that you do not want to use sealer in the coolant. If indeed you do have a headgasket leak.
#1 you woud have white smoke in the exhaust at idle and lots of it at start if not hard starting also.
#2 Most of those "leak sealers" have metal chips in them. It is forseeable that if you had a large enough leak into the cylinder a chip or two could work its way into the bore causing massive block damage.
#3 Is there water in the engine oil? If so then you could have a cracked block head ect and that sealer could easily make it into the oil system, plugging oil galleys and hence causing mass engine damage due to oil starvation.
#4 Even if the sealer does what it is supposed to and stops the leak into the cylinder, all the extra sealer that gets left in the block attaches wherever it can. causing hotspots on the cylinders radiator heads. Unequal heating and cooling by little spots here and there eventually cause cracks.
#5 That sealer will more than likey attach to the places where hoses attach to the nipple they are on making them hard if not impossible to get off
my reccomendation is to take the engine apart especially if it is around time for a rebuild. you can potentially save alot of money and headaches in the longrun
#1 you woud have white smoke in the exhaust at idle and lots of it at start if not hard starting also.
#2 Most of those "leak sealers" have metal chips in them. It is forseeable that if you had a large enough leak into the cylinder a chip or two could work its way into the bore causing massive block damage.
#3 Is there water in the engine oil? If so then you could have a cracked block head ect and that sealer could easily make it into the oil system, plugging oil galleys and hence causing mass engine damage due to oil starvation.
#4 Even if the sealer does what it is supposed to and stops the leak into the cylinder, all the extra sealer that gets left in the block attaches wherever it can. causing hotspots on the cylinders radiator heads. Unequal heating and cooling by little spots here and there eventually cause cracks.
#5 That sealer will more than likey attach to the places where hoses attach to the nipple they are on making them hard if not impossible to get off
my reccomendation is to take the engine apart especially if it is around time for a rebuild. you can potentially save alot of money and headaches in the longrun
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
RE: Liquid head gasket/block seal
i don't believe in the miracle sealers for head gaskets, and i try not to use radiator sealers unless all else fails. better to find and fix the problem.
if coolant is disappearing, it has to be either leaking on the ground, leaking and evaporating invisibly, leaking into the oil (milky white) or leaking into the cyl and burning (sometimes white smoke, but not always).
check leak into cylinder using a compression tester.
there is a coolant pressurize/leak down test thing-a-majig. might have to visit a radiator shop for that test.
how old is water pump ? seal around pulley shaft is likely leak spot. heater hose o-ring on drivers side is another. should be able to cut heater hoses in convenient spot and flush the air with water hose, then resplice. i've always run heater on to help flush air. its a bitch in the summer. any overheating ?
if coolant is disappearing, it has to be either leaking on the ground, leaking and evaporating invisibly, leaking into the oil (milky white) or leaking into the cyl and burning (sometimes white smoke, but not always).
check leak into cylinder using a compression tester.
there is a coolant pressurize/leak down test thing-a-majig. might have to visit a radiator shop for that test.
how old is water pump ? seal around pulley shaft is likely leak spot. heater hose o-ring on drivers side is another. should be able to cut heater hoses in convenient spot and flush the air with water hose, then resplice. i've always run heater on to help flush air. its a bitch in the summer. any overheating ?
