"Weeping" Head Gasket

Chuck C · #1 (**permalink**) 07-16-04, 10:38 PM

The mechanics at Cadillac said I have a "weeping" head gasket = not leaking but damp. I've read the sad stories about blown head gaskets ($2,800, $31,00, $4,500, and beyond) but with my condition, I'm wondering..

How many more miles I can go before it blows?

Also, what causes head gaskets to go bad? What can I do about my problem currently? What happens when a gasket blows while driving?

(btw, the damage would be $3,500 in my case)

eldorado1 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-16-04, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck C

The mechanics at Cadillac said I have a "weeping" head gasket = not leaking but damp. I've read the sad stories about blown head gaskets ($2,800, $31,00, $4,500, and beyond) but with my condition, I'm wondering..

How many more miles I can go before it blows?

Between 0.5 and 100,000 miles.

Quote:

Also, what causes head gaskets to go bad?

Oxidation due to breakdown of corrosion inhibiters in the coolant, weak head bolt "clamping force"

Quote:

What can I do about my problem currently? What happens when a gasket blows while driving?

Change the coolant if you haven't done so in a while, put in some Bars stop leak as recommended by GM... Pray for the headgasket gods to smile upon you?

Anthony Cipriano · #3 (**permalink**) 07-17-04, 01:54 AM

Fill the system with fresh 50/50 coolant/distilled water, add 6 of the GM coolant supplement pellets to the system (to the radiator hose not the surge tank) and drive it and forget about it.

The coolant supplement/sealer is excellent at sealing up "weeping" coolant. If it's an external leak that is being seen as the "weeping" headgasket I wouldn't worry about it in the least. It's not going to fail catostropically and suddenly dump all the coolant out or anything like that. If the coolant supplement seals it up or slows it down then it will probably run a long long time like that. If it does start to get worse then decide what to do - either that or have the head gasket replaced now. Same difference. Personally, I would put the sealer in the system and forget about it unless the weepage turned into a real leak that the sealer couldn't handle.

caddyshack24 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-17-04, 01:56 AM

lmao @ weepage.. sorry

Quadrasteer · #5 (**permalink**) 07-17-04, 12:07 PM

When you let the antifreeze out of the lower hose and/or rad. drain do you also flush out the block or rad.? At 90k should the hoses be changed? I think my head gskt. also leaks a little, would re-torqueing the head bolts help stop the leak?

**Ranger** · #6 (**permalink**) 07-17-04, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadrasteer

When you let the antifreeze out of the lower hose and/or rad. drain do you also flush out the block or rad.? At 90k should the hoses be changed? I think my head gskt. also leaks a little, would re-torqueing the head bolts help stop the leak?

You will get different opinions on this but my last car ('92 Deville) had 125K when I traded and still had original belt & hoses. If they are not soft and mushy, they are probably good. They are much better than they were 30 years ago.
Don't flush, just drain and refile 50/50 coolant/distilled water. Don't forget the sealant tabs or "bars leak gold".
The head bolts come with a thread lock compound on them so I would not recommend retorqueing. If the threads are starting to pull, you may speed up the prossess.

Chuck C · #7 (**permalink**) 07-18-04, 09:14 PM

Thanks for all the replies:

Where can I obtain "bars leak"
What do you mean "add 6 of the GM coolant supplement pellets to the system (to the radiator hose NOT the surge tank)?"
Are supplement pellets the same as bars leak?
What is the process for adding the pellets to the radiator hose?
Is this difficult?
Is it okay to add to the current coolant mixture? (was flushed a mere two months ago)
How come the dealer/mechanics didn't recommend/perform this?

eldorado1 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-18-04, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck C

Thanks for all the replies:
Where can I obtain "bars leak"
What do you mean "add 6 of the GM coolant supplement pellets to the system (to the radiator hose NOT the surge tank)?"
Are supplement pellets the same as bars leak?
What is the process for adding the pellets to the radiator hose?
Is this difficult?
Is it okay to add to the current coolant mixture? (was flushed a mere two months ago)
How come the dealer/mechanics didn't recommend/perform this?

You can get it at walmart... There has to be at least 3 threads that have pictures of what it looks like by now... As far as I am aware, the supplement pellets are the same ground up walnut shells that's in the bars stop leak. He means to add it to your radiator hose, instead of the place you normally put coolant to fill it up. It is fine to add it to any coolant mix. The dealer should have performed it, it is listed in the service manual. Mechanics may or may not be aware of it. I can't comment on the procedure.

here:
G12BP or HDC, I believe Anthony is referring to 6 tablets of the HDC?

http://www.barsproducts.com/origin.html

Anthony Cipriano · #9 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck C

Thanks for all the replies:

Where can I obtain "bars leak"
What do you mean "add 6 of the GM coolant supplement pellets to the system (to the radiator hose NOT the surge tank)?"
Are supplement pellets the same as bars leak?
What is the process for adding the pellets to the radiator hose?
Is this difficult?
Is it okay to add to the current coolant mixture? (was flushed a mere two months ago)
How come the dealer/mechanics didn't recommend/perform this?

Use the forum search feature and search "coolant supplement" and read some of the other posts. The coolant supplement/sealer has been explained in detail in many of them.

BarsLeaks is available at most any autoparts or discount store. Walmart specifically has the desired BarsLeaks "golden seal" powder. GM sells the coolant supplement/sealer at any GM dealer. It comes in pellets about 1 inch in diameter and 1 inch thick. The GM coolant supplement pellets and the BarsLeaks material are the same thing.

You put the BarsLeaks/GM coolant supplement into the cooling system at the radiator hose - not at the surge tank where the radiator cap is. The material needs to be installed into the main flow path of the coolant. The surge tank, by design, is a very low flow area so installing the sealer there is ineffective as it will not get distributed through the system.

The company that markets the BarsLeaks brand sealant also supplies the GM coolant supplement pellets to GM. They're the same material.

Disconnect the radiator hose when the system is cool, pop in the pellets or pour in the sealant material into the hose and reinstall the hose. Top off the cooling system to account for the coolant you will spill. Wash away any spilled coolant with a garden hose so that pets wont drink it and get poisoned. Pretty simple.

If the coolant is fresh then just add the sealer. The sealer was installed in the cooling system at the factory when the car was new. It needs to be replenished when the coolant is replaced as the sealer loses effectiveness over time and miles and most of the sealant is lost when the coolant was drained for replacement so it needs to be reinstalled with the fresh coolant. Possibly there was a slight porosity or seepage originally that the sealer was sealing up and then when the sealant was removed from the system with the fresh coolant fill it started seeping.

Chuck C · #10 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 06:00 PM

Ah thank you very much guys! I'm gonna get right on this. I wish I saved the receipt that explains all that the dealer had done when the coolant was flushed a while back. Just in case they did in fact add the pellets, how many is too much?

eldorado1 · #11 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck C

Ah thank you very much guys! I'm gonna get right on this. I wish I saved the receipt that explains all that the dealer had done when the coolant was flushed a while back. Just in case they did in fact add the pellets, how many is too much?

I would say... 50 is too much. No, just kidding

I'd put it in even if the dealer did as well. The new formulas have particles so small it won't hurt anything. Plus they have seal conditioners in it for the water pump.

**Ranger** · #12 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 09:15 PM

[quote=eldorado1]You can get it at walmart... There has to be at least 3 threads that have pictures of what it looks like by now... As far as I am aware, the supplement pellets are the same ground up walnut shells that's in the bars stop leak.

http://www.barsproducts.com/origin.html[

They are ground ginger root not walnut shells.

cadillac6 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 09:25 PM

im just wondering if I dont have any headgasket problems could i add the pellets anyway?

can you get them at wal-mart?

eldorado1 · #14 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 10:23 PM

[quote=Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eldorado1

You can get it at walmart... There has to be at least 3 threads that have pictures of what it looks like by now... As far as I am aware, the supplement pellets are the same ground up walnut shells that's in the bars stop leak.

http://www.barsproducts.com/origin.html[

They are ground ginger root not walnut shells.

I think we're both right...
"BarsLeaks brand ... is made up of ground up ginger root and walnut shells.... "
from http://www.caddyinfo.com/howtosealantconfusion.htm

Don't know if it's right or not... I doubt bars wants their secret formula out :rolleyes2:

eldorado1 · #15 (**permalink**) 07-19-04, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillac6

im just wondering if I dont have any headgasket problems could i add the pellets anyway?

can you get them at wal-mart?

That honestly made my head hurt. You are supposed to have the pellets in anyways. It's a "general maintenance" item. Like changing your oil. Yes, you can get them at walmart. :drinker: