Head Gasket Sealer for winter beater

[Stranny64]

Hey everyone,
I have a winter beater Toyota T100 truck. The head gasket is bad and we all know the right way to fix it but I'm thinking of just dumping the head gasket sealer in it. Has anyone had any luck in a certain brand?

[topside]

never did that hate to brake down doing that

[cdowns]

You will just about guarantee yourself to break down in the middle of the night about 10miles from nowhere and no cell phone reception on the minus 20 degree night but if you dont mind that go for it

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Ive never worked on a Toyota & never will. Ive used Bars leak before with good results on domestic vehicles. It might get you by till you get a good American vehicle.

[Oldtruckfanatic]

A couple of things here. First off all that stuff is good for is plugging up radiators and heater cores. Secondly and this part is important...if you have coolant leaking externally you MIGHT get it to stop with sealant however if you have compression leaking into the coolant passages you may as well not waste your time. I get an average of about 3 cars per month that have hydrocarbons in the coolant and excessive pressure or venting of the degas bottle or radiator cap. Just about all of them pour that garbage in the cooling system trying to solve the problem and all of them that follow through with the correct repair usually end up replacing the radiator and or heater core in the following months even when I try to flush the system after repair. None of that stuff will flow into a void that has compression blowing out of it and what does manage to get in during engine off periods is blown right back out when the vehicle is started again. Theres just nothing to keep it in there. That stuff works under the premise that the solids will fill a void under pressure and build up and that pressure will help keep it in place after the void is filled. It was never meant to fill a void that has pressure coming from the other direction. Simply put. It wont work.

[Stranny64]

Checked it out and the coolant is leaking out of the engine on the drivers side. A drip every other second probably on to the exhaust manifold. Did a test on the anti freeze and it was good. It is a V6 3.0. There is none leaking into the motor. I figured I would hear not to use it, just thinking a can of it and even a new radiator is cheaper than the grand plus to have it fixed. I can work on my old truck all day long but these newer ones are a bugger. You spend more time moving other parts out of the way than actually fixing!

[Oldtruckfanatic]

For that leak it will probably work temporarily but use that stuff at your own risk.

[Oldtruckfanatic]

And read the directions carefully before you buy anything. A lot of that stuff requires you to drain the system and fill with only water before pouring the sealant in. There are only a couple that say they can be used with the antifreeze in the system.

[Redline novdog]

Really! leave the rad cap loose and when it locks up scrap it

[MySons68C20]

Drain the radiator and flush until nothing but water in the engine and radiator. Fill with water and add the Bars Leaks and let run for 15 to 20 minutes. Shut off engine and drain the radiator and LET SIT OVERNIGHT!! Fill with 50/50 coolant and water and drive. I did this with a 6.9 Ford diesel engine with your symptoms and it worked for years. I did see where you said it was your winter "beater". If it was a rig I cared about I would do a head gasket replacement but this should get you by for awhile. Good luck!

[michael bustamante]

I had a 92 toyota hi lux with the same engine. They are well known for bad head gaskets. Id use bars leak too for a temp. Fix. Follow directions above

[Stranny64]

Is the Bars Leaks liquid? I might just go for it. Where did you get it at?

Thanks!!!

[mechanicalman]

I won't recommend using or not using stop-leak, it is what it is. However,

Envision how large the leak is that you are seeing, in terms of how small the hole or crevice is (a drip every 2 seconds, under system pressure) that needs to be plugged by stopleak. Then, visualize how much stopleak you are putting in there that will be needed to plug that opening and then realize how much of that stuff is in your system left over. Every time you turn it off stuff can settle. Whatever you put in there, stays in there less the very small amount that actually finds it's way to the leak.

So consider then if it does plug your radiator, your engine overheats then you have to fix the radiator AND fix the head gasket. And maybe strands you, etc.

Sure it's not an intake manifold gasket? Freeze plug? Always start from the very uppermost leak and work your way down.

[Unionwelder]

Had an 85 Mazda 4 banger with a cracked block. Litterally poured out a gallon of water in a couple mins. Bought the bars leak " block and head gasket sealer" to try to make it home. Bought another truck the next week and Wound up just giving the truck to a co-worker who still drives it to this day. never made a repair or added more sealant. The stuff works but if you know how to fix it properly than do it the right way.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Ive sold & used it for years & have never pluged up a heater or radiator. Car manufactors have used it for warranty & recalls. I never have drained anything. Warm up the engine till the therm opens. Make sure the coolant is above the rad. core. Pour it in. Run it for a while. It is a thick liquid. It used to have pellets in it but lately they must have homogenized it. It is available at practically every parts store.

[Stranny64]

Well, a update. A stopped by a retired auto mechanic friends house awhile back and asked him his thoughts. He of course explained to me the right way to fix it and I said I know. He said since it is only leaking out the back of the head and not inside he told me about a old trick. Use Carnation condensed milk! He said he has seen it used before and he has taken apart motors that have had it in them and no cloggin of radiator, heater core, or motor. Well, II did it awhile back. It worked!!! Just thought I would pass this on if anyone needs this trick. Just to clarify again that this truck is my winter beater because I drive my 68 in the summer and I have a service truck for work. Don't want you guys to think I'm a hack!!!

[Daner]

I've heard black pepper works in a pinch. Also egg whites. So if you break down on the way to a picnic...

[SiCk_DiAbLo]

Originally Posted by Daner

I've heard black pepper works in a pinch. Also egg whites. So if you break down on the way to a picnic...

I heard using pepper as well. Just sprinkle some in the radiator while sprinking some on your sammich...

[Grumpy old man]

Use Bars leaks Dump it in the radiator and drive it ! Don't drain anything it's not going to clog up your heater core or the radiator, It will either fix your problem or it won't . I had a slow leak from a bad freeze plug on a Chevy 5.7 driven daily it stopped the leak and lasted more than 2 years . If it clogged radiators and heater cores Bars leaks would have been out of business many years ago . Everybody knows the right way to fix it , but if you can't do it the right way use the only other option you have

Never had any luck with pepper or the egg remedies

[hamjet]

Got milk?