Head gasket repair

[brianMO]

Has anybody used any liquid head-gasket repair? I am skeptical of the results but facing a $111.00 head gasket, and lots of hours of labor to repair my ford 1100. Bars makes a product, as well as, many others. Any testimonies out there you want to share.

[AlanB]

I am very skeptical of any and all of the elixers that you pour into the motor and it heals it. Little to close to snake oil in my opinion.

That said, my dad has a V-6 in a Ford Van which apparently that model had some issues and he used it a couple years ago, fixed his problem and he now swears by it.

[Soundguy]

Originally Posted by brianMO

Has anybody used any liquid head-gasket repair? I am skeptical of the results but facing a $111.00 head gasket, and lots of hours of labor to repair my ford 1100. Bars makes a product, as well as, many others. Any testimonies out there you want to share.

I agree with Alan.. mechanic in a can type stuff usually doesn't work. However there are things like 'builders cubes' as well as an addative that CNH makes and sells.. and it specifically mentions minor head gasket sealing ability.. etc. I wouldn't be afraid to dump a CNH product into a ford tractor radiator..

soundguy

[skipmarcy]

In my opinion something designed to stop up & seal small holes/gaps shouldn't be put in a cooling system - the tubes in your radiator are small holes...

[Soundguy]

Originally Posted by skipmarcy

In my opinion something designed to stop up & seal small holes/gaps shouldn't be put in a cooling system - the tubes in your radiator are small holes...

The tubes in your rad are HUGE compaired to the intended pinhole or smaller sized gaps that most 'sealers' are designed to seal.

Big difference in a 1/4" crossectional tube.. or say.. a hole between a pin or human hair sized..

Gotta keep perspective in this..

soundguy

[Bill_C]

Originally Posted by brianMO

...facing a $111.00 head gasket, and lots of hours of labor to repair my ford 1100....

I dunno, I've looked at my 1100 and it looks like that head could be off in less than 4 hrs of work. Don't have to pull the engine!! Just the fuel tank, radiator, alternator, etc. All easy to get to. $111 for a gasket, and maybe $75 to have the head resurfaced, and then maybe 6 hours, lets say 8 to reassemble...throw in a few extra bucks for a gasket or two, and the project is over and done with. Good to go for years with few worries.

Otherwise, it's the very REAL possibility of permanent head or block damage...

My vote is to bite the bullet and do the job right.

[Egon]

Head gasket leak? do the proper thing now as you will have to later anyway!

[Iron Horse]

If you do decide to have the head surface ground , see if you can get an equally thicker head gasket to keep the compression ratio at factory specs .

[barneyrb]

Originally Posted by Iron Horse

If you do decide to have the head surface ground , see if you can get an equally thicker head gasket to keep the compression ratio at factory specs .

Iron,
Most of the diesel's I have torn down have a flat face on the combustion side of the head. Typically with no combustion chamber built into the head you will not raise compression by resurfacing the head.

[Iron Horse]

barneyrb.// You are dead right . I did'nt realize it was a Diesel . For anyone doing a surface grind on a PETROL engine you can get oversize head gaskets to keep the compression ratio at factory specs . This ensures that your engine will not "ping" on the crap fuel we have to use .