General Chat
Q:
I have a good friend with a 1992 lexus es300. The thing runs great, but it had a bit of an overheating episode due to a plugged radiator a little while back. These days, it consumes a bit of coolant constantly, which is then spit out the exhaust pipe. The mechanic who replaced the radiator believes that the head gasket is leaking. I am inclined to believe what he says because of a good past history of work done by him and of course the coolant in the exhaust.
On these particular motors, the head gasket is quite difficult (in comparison to the L series lol) and my friend doesn't want to spend (read:doesn't have) the money to get it fixed properly.
So here's the question. What are everyone's experiences with a product like bar's block sealer?
'71 240z bone stock. Beginning Restoration.
A:
Try egg seal
A:
Worthless. Try up to 2 tubes of Aluma-seal in a CLEAN sys. and pray.
Rusty but running.
Polish cell phone and two tubes of Aluma-seal.
And, now we are historic.
A:
It worked in my buddies GM truck from the early 60's that had a pin hole rad leak.
I guess Aluma seal would be better for the head according to the guys above.
Injector Cleaning Service
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A:
It will either seal the leak or seal the water passages in the engine...
Pray that it knows what holes to plug.
A:
Barrs leak is a brown lumpy goo that gets all over everything and makes a real mess to clean up later. Aluma-seal has small metal flakes that find the holes in the system and collect to form a blockage rather like a blood clot. The aluma-seal will probably last longer than Barrs leak, but ultimately is a temporary fix, and only delay the expensive repairs.
A:
Whatever you decide to use don't put too much in as sealer will plug up the heater core, radiator and other stuff.
Best of luck...
Had a 77 280Z and two 70 510 Wagons once upon a time...
A:
Kidding,
My sister was rear ended so the parents replaced her car with a newer model taurus with the 3.0V6. It had a blown head gasket, that the dealer had tried to cover up with that stuff.
It lasted long enough for my mom to get a few hours down the interstate before it gave up and started to overheat. It sucks to have to pay it out but you got to think about were your gonna be driving. If you stay right around town or close to home then maybe risk it until he can save a little money, or you two decide to tear into it. I hate the thought of my mom being stranded on the side of the interstate for a couple hours because of some band aid repair from a dishonest car dealer.
Matt
A:
me and my dad used a product like that(dont remember which) on my old 280ZX several years ago when the crank case got filled with coolant. Drove it for years like that, never missed a beat. It's now sitting in retirement in the back yard with a badly rusted frame, engine still runs fine.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)
A:
I helped a young lady on the side of the road just the other day. Someone had tried barsleak on her radiator (happened to be a taurus as well). It didn't seem to work very well because the filler neck was crammed full of it. I couldn't even add water. After digging through it with a screw driver I was able to add water, get her down the road a few miles until a idler pulley decided it was going to come apart. That poor car went no further. Just think, she and her 2 little kids (both under 3) could've been sitting there for some time if I hadn't stopped. Cell phone wouldn't work where she was at, so she couldn't call anyone. If your buddy doesn't mind sitting on the side of the road in the middle of no-where, I'd say go for it. If not, pull the head and spend the weekend fixing it right.
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James Roraback
1983 280zxt 11.39 @129.38 - FOR SALE
ZCAR.COM member since Nov 1999
A:
Barsleak has to be shaken for a long time and added to a hot system if I recall. Anyway if the PO didn't do it right then that would explain the glob in the neck.
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product