New Bar's Leaks Product

[Timo1124]

Has anyone heard much about or used this new product from Bars, claiming to stop head gasket coolant leaks? Seems a little far fetched, I dunno...

http://www.barsproducts.com/1111.htm


Also, there are a few things I am wondering about my coolant system. I have done a great deal of searching and reading on this site, and haven't found exactly what I'm looking for, so I apologize if I am asking about something previously discussed.

I have an '02 STS with 88k that I bought a year and a half ago with 65k on it. Not sure what the previous owner did for cooling system maintenance, but about two weeks after I got the vehicle the water pump had to be replaced, luckily under my 30 day used car warranty! This was during a very cold snap here in Minnesota when it was about -20 overnight.

My local mechanic recently did a flush and refill and added the Peak Global lifetime coolant, similar to Dex. My owner's manual doesn't say anything about adding tablets or supplements - just that if the proper coolant is used no additives are required. Are the supplements only for the Northstars of the late 90's and not the 4.6L that I have? I figured maybe the manual was just stating that to cover their asses... With the cold weather up here, should I be adding the supplements?

What model years have the same engine as my '02 STS?

Thanks,

Tim

[JimD]

Originally Posted by Timo1124

Has anyone heard much about or used this new product from Bars, claiming to stop head gasket coolant leaks? Seems a little far fetched, I dunno...

http://www.barsproducts.com/1111.htm

Are you having to replace lost coolant in your car or is there some other reason you are concerned about head gaskets?

Long term, repairs-in-a-bottle do not work.

My local mechanic recently did a flush and refill and added the Peak Global lifetime coolant, similar to Dex.

Similar to Dex-Cool is not the same as being GM licensed Dex-Cool. And Peak is not on the GM licensed list.

My owner's manual doesn't say anything about adding tablets or supplements - just that if the proper coolant is used no additives are required.

And Peak is not the proper coolant.

Are the supplements only for the Northstars of the late 90's and not the 4.6L that I have? I figured maybe the manual was just stating that to cover their asses... With the cold weather up here, should I be adding the supplements?

The cooling system supplement is much misunderstood and is not related to ambient temperature. GM/Cadillac recommended the supplement at least through 1998 and possibly later model years. The supplement was recommended to provide insurance against nuisance cooling sytem leaks. Nothing more. No magic in a bottle.

[submariner409]

I'm going to put this page from the 2002 Seville Factory Service Manual in this thread and then keep my mouth shut.

Understand that aftermarket head gasket repair sealers are designed to stop coolant from leaking into either the combustion chamber or oil passages. The Northstar problem is that the lifting of the cylinder head allows combustion gas into the coolant, just the reverse of the "stick it shut" theory.

Click on the page and scroll in. (The referenced supplement is our old familiar Bar's tablets.)

[Timo1124]

I haven't been losing any coolant, nor have I had to add any...I am just worried about future costly repairs. I don't know much about Cadillac's or cooling systems in general, but I have noticed that when I shut off my engine after driving for at least 20-30 minutes, within about 2 minutes or so I hear what sounds kinda like a gurgling sound while sitting inside my car. I have no idea what this could be - possibly coolant in the surge tank or something moving around? But I have also heard that hearing this sound means future trouble with the cooling system - anyone familiar with this?

Submariner - I do not have the manual that you referenced for adding the tablets, I only have the small black book that says '2002 Seville' on the front...so I wasn't trying to dispute the fact that GM recommends it, I was just trying to figure out where you were reading that info so I could check into it too...is that an aftermarket service manual you purchased?

Why is it that Peak Global Lifetime is not on the GM licensed list? The bottle states that it meets the GM 6277M DEX-COOL® Spec and contains the OAT formula.

Tim

[submariner409]

That's the $135 Helm, Inc. GM Factory Service Manual, Vol. 1 of 2. I rebuilt my first Ford flathead V8 in 1953 and rapidly learned that aftermarket service manuals are woefully lacking important details and accuracy, as well as usually compressing several, or many, years of a model run into one volume, which you cannot do in the Cadillac/Northstar breed of cat.