Bar's Leaks "Head Gasket Repair"

blunted · #1 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 07:04 AM

Hey everyone.. so today while at the auto store I was about to pay and out the corner of my eye see a bottle of this Bar's Leak "Head Gasket Repair" stuff. I'm not having cooling system issues but figured I'd pick it up for the heck of it since I had never seen it before. It claims on the bottle to supposedly "stop block leaks,seal cracked heads, and repair blown head gaskets". I'm personally not one to believe in a miracle in a bottle but since Bar's Leak does make those good cooling system pellets, I'm curious as to what Bbob would say regarding putting this stuff in your system. There's also something they sell called "engine oil stop leak" which is supposed to be good for worn seal and gaskets and I'm wondering if this might help out my leaking/smoking oil issue. I read a thread where Bbob says that it is possible to remove the oil pan bolts which creates a gap, and then to put some silicone/RTV sealer in.... perhaps this would be a better idea. But anyway, I'm not endorsing these products or anything just curious to see if they have worked for anyone, so everyone please feel free to chime in with any past experience with this stuff. Thanks!

**Ranger** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 06:52 PM

If it sounds too good to be true ........
It may be a band aid at best.

haymaker · #3 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 09:41 PM

The question about the Bars’ stop leak for blown head gaskets as came up before and I responded to that post and I will repeat my response for you in hopes of saving someone some money and time.
I tried it twice and it failed twice (I just couldn’t believe the Bar’s hadn’t worked. the first time so I tried it again). My ’97 SLS was suffering from the classic loss of coolant by way of the expansion tank. When I disassembled my N* to install the time-serts and replace the head gaskets the Bar’s stop leak material was piled up about one inch deep in the bottom of the water-jacket at all four corners (at the bottom toward the outside of cylinders 1, 2, 7 and 8). Both head gaskets were blown on my engine and I used the Bar’s twice so the way I see it the Bar’s head gasket stop leak had four chances. Four-time loser in my book and the stuff isn’t cheap by a long shot. I wasted a lot of antifreeze, time and money in this little experiment. It all would have been worth it if had only worked but it didn’t. Spend your money on the time-sert kit and head gaskets. Do it right the first time and get it over with.

BTW I have used other Bar’s products with good success for over forty-years so I was very surprised when thid one didn’t work.

blunted · #4 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 09:46 PM

Has anyone had success with their Oil stop leak additives?

68l89 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 11:20 PM

your not going to beleive this but when i was in high school i cracked a head due to overheating...........A hillbilly friend of my grandfathers told me to put a full can of black pepper in the radiator...........I drove the car for two years with no leaks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dkozloski · #6 (**permalink**) 02-13-05, 11:58 PM

I fixed a flathead Ford V8 with a crack from an exhaust valve seat down the cylinder wall by staurating steel wool with JB Weld and driving it in the crack with an old screwdriver. At the valve seat I drilled and tapped down into the crack and screwed in a threaded cast iron plug I made, cut it off flush, and reground the seat. I filled the cooling system and added NAPA stopleak made from cellulose and Bentonite drilling mud. As far as I know it ran for years.