Head gasket issue on 2005 Buick Allure - head gasket sealer?

[92redragtop]

Tapping the collective wisdom of TMC. My wife's co-worker sent this email today re a head gasket issue with her daughter's 2005 Buick Allure beater - sounds like replace wins out in the repair vs replace choice given the repair cost and age/value of car.

Any thoughts/experience on head gasket sealers as a temporary solution while they look for a replacement? How much time does this buy (if it actually works)?

Thanks!



It is clear that my daughter’s Buick 2005 Allure has a head gasket problem. The signs are classic: burning lots of white smoke exhaust; coolant level keeps dropping; engine started to overheat this summer, etc. She already replaced the hoses but obviously that wasn’t the problem. Car has over 270,000 km. Our mechanic whom we trust says that’s the problem. Of course the labour is the major cost at $1,000-$1,300 versus parts of under $300.

I see lots of car info sights saying that you can try a head gasket sealer and it may work for a short-time or it may last quite awhile. They also say it doesn’t hurt the engine or other parts. Don’t know how much it costs.

This is my daughter’s first car and it’s a banger, so she’s kind of at the limit for spending big money for repairs on such an older car.

Is it worth trying a top quality sealer like Bar’s or Blue Devil for the short-term while she shops for a car?

[5.4MarkVIII]

I think it depends on how bad the leak is.

I tried one long long time ago and it didn't help but that was a blowing coolent out the rad kind of leak.

IIRC Chev had what we used to call "the Cadillac pill" which was a head gasket temp fix when there were having all those NorthStar head gasket problems. remember being told it was one of the better temp fixes available.

[Spock]

Tapping the collective wisdom of TMC. My wife's co-worker sent this email today re a head gasket issue with her daughter's 2005 Buick Allure beater - sounds like replace wins out in the repair vs replace choice given the repair cost and age/value of car.

Any thoughts/experience on head gasket sealers as a temporary solution while they look for a replacement? How much time does this buy (if it actually works)?

Thanks!



It is clear that my daughter’s Buick 2005 Allure has a head gasket problem. The signs are classic: burning lots of white smoke exhaust; coolant level keeps dropping; engine started to overheat this summer, etc. She already replaced the hoses but obviously that wasn’t the problem. Car has over 270,000 km. Our mechanic whom we trust says that’s the problem. Of course the labour is the major cost at $1,000-$1,300 versus parts of under $300.

I see lots of car info sights saying that you can try a head gasket sealer and it may work for a short-time or it may last quite awhile. They also say it doesn’t hurt the engine or other parts. Don’t know how much it costs.

This is my daughter’s first car and it’s a banger, so she’s kind of at the limit for spending big money for repairs on such an older car.

Is it worth trying a top quality sealer like Bar’s or Blue Devil for the short-term while she shops for a car?


Another name for the sealer is snake oil

Don't waste your money

[ZR]

Only time I've seen them work, when leak just barely presents as smoke or leak, once it's a cloud, no turning back.

[Ponyryd]

Ya I doubt anything will work, and if it does you’ll likely plug the heater core and have no heat as well, lol. Depending what engine the car has, it may be a failed intake gasket and not the head, but if it was properly diagnosed that difference should show in the testing.