Head gasket repair solutions

[John Hoggarth]

Could anyone who has used Cylinder Head Gasket repair solutions such as Steel Seal please let me know how it worked for them. And, perhaps more importantly, can anyone comment on whether the use of solutions like this make the gasket replacement job harder when the time comes please.
I suspect it's not a great idea to go down this route but the potential time and financial savings are tempting given the positive testimonials I've seen for this type of product. Any comment/advice will be very much appreciated. Thank you

[Staggard]

In my opinion, even if it works for a short time it is just putting off the inevitable, if you are going to botch to sell the car on ok, but if you intend to keep it then do the job right do the job once.

[flying farmer]

Steel seal has a reputation for blocking water ways.

Depends on what your head gasket problem is. If water is leaking out, K seal will do a good job of keeping it in.

If the cooling system is pressurising nothing will work as any sealant requires the flow of water to carry the leak blocking particles into place, and combustion gasses simply blow the wrong way.

Neil

[Seaking]

I posted about this product http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthr...et-off-subject
Still running my pug still not replaced head gasket it is my daily runner but I also only cover a couple of miles a day it it now. That was 2007 when I did put it in must be lucky
But be sure I would not be putting it in my Stag
cheers Glenn

[milothedog]

Could anyone who has used Cylinder Head Gasket repair solutions such as Steel Seal please let me know how it worked for them. And, perhaps more importantly, can anyone comment on whether the use of solutions like this make the gasket replacement job harder when the time comes please.
I suspect it's not a great idea to go down this route but the potential time and financial savings are tempting given the positive testimonials I've seen for this type of product. Any comment/advice will be very much appreciated. Thank you

As Neil has said, avoid Steel Seal. It does what it say's too well, I used it on a KV6 engine on an old free lander that was on it's last legs. it sealed the head gasket perfectly and everything else as well stopping the circulation

K seal is worth a try and cheap. I have seen it work twice now. Once to stop a leaking inlet manifold on a Stag and repair a heater matrix in a VW Golf.

Ian.

[John Hoggarth]

Thank you all for your comments. Much appreciated!

[richard1705]

hi john did you replace the gasket in the end or use sealer
richard

[Seaking]

See post 4 still going strong

Cheers Glenn

[richardthestag]

used K-Seal on my old Range Rover with 3.9 V8 and dropped liner and it sealed it for nearly 30k miles of daily grind, when it did pop again it did so dramatically and somewhat terminally.

Also used k-seal on my "new" er Range Rover also with 3.9 V8 because it was using water somewhere but I couldnt figure it out. It has sealed for nearly 50k miles and coolant loss has all but disappeared. I dont think it has blown a head gasket though because compressions were all good.

Steel Seal I used on my TV8 Stag when the head gasket popped, it didnt work! and it filled my rad with what looked like white turkish delight. Not very helpful really. coupled with ambiant temp in the mid 30s, an hour in traffic, a dead viscous fan and a device that allowed coolant to by pass the partially blocked rad caused it to overheat for the first time in over 21 years of ownership

gloop.jpg

If i were to do it again then I might try k-seal else I would fix the problem rather than temporary fix I think.

[GDPR]

and a device that allowed coolant to by pass the partially blocked rad

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35410[/ATTACH]

I'm intrigued - what was this device and where did you get it?

[Goldstar]

Was it some kind of reservoir device?

[milothedog]

Was it some kind of reservoir device?

The secrets in the plumbing

[richard1705]

hi guys an update the gaskets fine done block test and nothing at all just wondering were to go from here have put plumbing tape on the cap area and its a lot better
not losing as much water temp is good always went for nearly 100 mile run the other day topped up 1 once
can I fit a ward tank on or is it different plumbing to this 1
replies appreciated as always
richard

[KOY 23]

Good news that the heads are OK. I am confused as earlier you said HT had been tested and is OK, who gave you that information?. You then say putting tape on the cap makes it better, this coupled with the heads being OK, firmly points the finger at the HT.
Suggest you return it for full refund and incurred costs of block tester etc.

[robbo]

I use 4 life coolant in my car which changes colour from red to yellow in the event of head gasket failure or exhaust gasses in the coolant. My gaskets failed earlier this year with coolant being forced out of my header tank and there was no colour change to my coolant. I have since replaced the gaskets and now the problem is sorted. I have also read on here that somtimes these block testers don't work. Sorry to be the harbinger of doom.
All the best.
Rob.