Bar's Leak question...

[namsag]

OK guys I didn't get a whole lot of response with my engine thread MY 80-series Health Report
so I guess it's pretty cut and dried that I'm going to need some major head work. I have been perusing many head gasket threads and I see that several have had good luck with the Bar's Leaks Professional. I used to think the old Bar's Leak was pretty nasty stuff and I wouldn't have wanted it in my engine but this new formula with the carbon fiber in it looks promising. I am thinking about using it to buy me some time. My question is, does the Bar's Leak make the job harder for the guy who eventually has to pull the head and replace the gasket? I don't want to add to the PITA factor for whoever fixes this for me. Any experiences/comments appreciated. Thanks, namsag.

 

[NLXTACY]

Read my rebuild thread. Bars bought me two years and nearly 40k miles. Completely rebuilt motor and upgraded after. Bars was no big deal after the tear down.

 

[namsag]

Thanks, yours is one of the ones that has me thinking about it, I think I'm gonna do it. BTW, looking forward to my lockbox I ordered!
namsag

 

[alia176]

I've had good luck with the same product, this was back in '07. Just toss it in and go about your business man, don't fret. As far as old vs new formula, that's a interesting point. I don't know if it matters since the engine is getting torn down eventually. My short block got the old garden hose up the 'ole bunghole and flushed out everything when the time came. Yup it was nasty but who cares, did the job, got me home, bought me time. Meh.

 

[pappy]

Wish I had taken pictures. The Bar's stop leak plugged up my coolant passages from the block to the cylinder head. I'm not sure if this contributed to the head gasket failure or not.

 

[namsag]

Pappy was that the carbon fiber formula?

 

[NLXTACY]

Wish I had taken pictures. The Bar's stop leak plugged up my coolant passages from the block to the cylinder head. I'm not sure if this contributed to the head gasket failure or not.

Be sure it was Bars that was plugging.

 

[pappy]

Be sure it was Bars that was plugging.

Positive. When the machine shop saw it they specifically asked if I had used a stop leak.

 

[pappy]

Pappy was that the carbon fiber formula?

It was the stuff that had large ball bearings in a liquid.

 

[WarWagon]

I used the new carbon fiber Bars a few weeks ago.....no issues yet.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Hey @NLXTACY didn't @Qball use Bars as well?

 

[LS1FJ40]

Wish I had taken pictures. The Bar's stop leak plugged up my coolant passages from the block to the cylinder head. I'm not sure if this contributed to the head gasket failure or not.

My guess would be that you already had issues...

 

[pappy]

My guess would be that you already had issues...

On a new engine with only 20K miles. Doubt it.

 

[namsag]

I'm not clear on this...if it was new/ 20K why was Bar's necessary?

 

[team420]

^THIS^ If there were no issues, and you added bars as PM, it was likely the bars that caused the issue.

 

[pappy]

I'm not clear on this...if it was new/ 20K why was Bar's necessary?

Engines don't leak, usually. Radiators do.

 

[LS1FJ40]

It is well documented by multiple people that Bars HG repair has worked well as a last ditch effort. It is not going to hurt anything to try it.

As for using it in a radiator? Well, I wouldn't use it to try to fix a radiator leak on a vehicle that is known for blowing head gaskets when it doesn't have a properly operating cooling system.

If I had a 20k mile motor and a leaky radiator I wouldn't even think about using Bars in the radiator. Especially not with a 1FZ-FE. Not a chance.

 

[Squash]

Used 3 containers of Bars to buy time for a HG change not an issue.
Mine issue was purely HG this time, I do have other issues!