Head Gasket -- Inexpensive, Easy Fix

I posted some time back about having blown the head gasket in my '96
Voyager 2.4. I got a couple of repair quotes but it didn't make a lot
of sense to spend $400, which I didn't have anyway.

So, I ordered Thermagasket from http://www.rxauto.com/. It worked like
a charm (except for clogging my heater core which, I do believe, was
leaking anyway).

Just thought I would give everyone a heads up in case they run into a
similar problem.

-- Christian

 

A ten year old car is worth replacing a head gasket on, unless it's
totally trashed and unmaintained. Now, you've created more
problems...a useless heater core AND radiator, as well as cooling
system deposits which will come back to haunt you soon enough unless
you get that crap out of there.

 

DESERTBOB (not its real name) is a troll.
It regularly frequents at least twenty news groups,
including many rabid/sex/racist/liberal idiot/wannabee mechanic groups.

Normally, it starts off with reasonable, even witty lines,
but rapidly drifts into lies, abuse and stupidity.
Check its details at Google Groups at this URL:

http://groups.google.com/groups/pro...YFW4KG3QbhQogR222h-kUg4S0n7nbF1Te82ZIng&hl=en

See it's pathetic picture and myspace page at this URL- as it searches
for companionship at age 50- looks like a quart of oil for the car in
that hair...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=30321125

It had 2 Ebay usernames, both banned due to abuse, auction
interference, and harassment- they were VOXPOPPER and XCALIBER44- see
them here- search history of VOXPOPPER to see how it left (8) negative
feedbacks for a seller, for items that cost only a penny each !

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=voxpopper

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=xcaliber44


It is a sad creature, deserving of pity, not anger.
Any direct response simply feeds it,
but it will go away if you ignore it.

 

Actually, aside from a little oxidation of the clear and base coats of
paint on the roof near the hatch, it's extremely nice inside and out--
much better than I've seen in many vehicles its age. And maintenance
has been excellent. It runs great, motor sounds good, tranny is still
smooth-shifting, and the AC is enough to make me chilly even on a
105-degree desert day. Its only needs at this point are a new rear
main oil seal and a front-end alignment.

Really? How useful did you think the leaky heater core was?

Cooling is splendid. Since the fix, at operating temp, the needle on
the gauge goes to just below the halfway mark and never higher (not
even around town with the AC cranked up on the aforementioned hot
days).

There's no "crap" to get "out of there." After the treatment is done,
the cooling system is fully flushed before it is refilled.

Do you even have any experience with this stuff?

-- Christian

 

When the headgasket failed on my 2.4, it was an oil leak at the
left-rear corner of the head. I never did see any problems with the
cooling system, so I don't know if this would have worked for my
situation.

It will be interesting to find out if the repair lasts until you are
done with the van. The 2.4 had a known headgasket defect, that was
corrected during the 1999 model year.

-KM

 

Justice Bros., Bar's Leaks, you name it, I've fished it out of cooling
systems while replacing radiator and heater cores. Any "top end job
in a bottle" is a ghetto repair job, at best.

 

You're sort of like a politician. You took 20 words to say "no" but
never used the word "no" itself. And, actually, I did name it
(Thermagasket) and you didn't say that was one you've seen problems
with...

There's some thinly-veiled biggotry to be proud of.

-- Christian

 

Hmmm. Probably not since there would definitely have to be good contact
with the cooling system. Likely better for failures that dump water
into the oil and/or vice versa.

That's a good point. Since DeserTBob fancies himself an expert on the
subject, maybe he can tell us what I can expect.

That sucks for those who bought the pre-'99 2.4. All-in-all, though,
I've been very happy with the vehicle.

-- Christian

 

You did a ghetto repair when a head gasket job was called for (note
other posts alerting you to the 2.4L head gasket problem) and now
you're defensive about it. Pity the poor zhlub that buys that wreck
from you. Bar's Leaks, Justice Bros., Thermowhatever...it's ALL the
same basic tool...a cheap, TEMPORARY repair to a far more serious
problem.

Due to your snot nosed response, I hope the friggin' thing lets go on
you in the dead of winter...and it will, sooner or later.

 

Not to mention, DeserTBob lives in a ghetto himself. I have rooms in
my house bigger than his entire yard. He lives in postage stamps
estates, on a cookie-cutter lot.

 

I'm only defending the facts against someone who has no clue but
enjoys spouting off anyway.

I have no intention of selling it and no reason to.

Since you seem to be so knowledgeable, want to chance a guess at how
long until this "TEMPORARY" repair fails? "Sooner or later" isn't
sufficient, since everything will give out sooner or later (much like
the original head gasket did).

We're talking about Thermagasket but, since you don't have any
experience with it, here's an interesting bit on Bar's Leak:
http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3739

Oh no, DeserTBob has wished me ill. My greatest fear has been
realized...

-- Christian

 

Interesting link. I've used Bar's, it worked very well for me, although
the leak wasn't major. I never noticed any gunking up of radiator or
any resultant overheating, but then I may have been fortunate. And I
don't see any harm with this Thermosealer chemical being used, since it
is water-borne [I presume?] and is flushed out after application.

Bottom line, if it works it works, my thinking.

 

Oh, DO shut the hell up!

*PLONK*

There...that's better.

 

Since trying to have a rational discussion with you is an excercise in
futility, I do believe I'll take that advice.

-- Christian

 

You probably won't see any problem. I've known several people that
have used Bar's Stop Leak for the cooling system (not for head gasket
failure) and, not only did it not cause problems, it usually took care
of problems.

Bar's claims that some automakers add their product before shipping
cars out of the factory. The letter I saw didn't say which automakers
but one site (http://www.quasimotors.com/about_bar.htm) lists 18
companies including Daimler-Chrysler.

It is flushed out. And, for me at least, it works. I didn't post to
start a war with DeserTBob but that's what it turned into (though I do
realize that's not uncommon).

For those thinking of trying it out, remember to follow the directions
very carefully and add in the cost of oil and filter changes to the
overall price.

It's been 7 months and 6,000 miles since I used Thermagasket to fix my
failed head gasket and I've seen absolutely no crossover between oil
and coolant in either direction. This on a vehicle with 198,000 total
miles.

-- Christian

 

I wonder if Desertbob will eventually kill file everybody in this
group. Fortunately for him, there is always a fresh supply of people to
insult and argue with.

Interesting philosophical question: If Desertbob were to start posting
at alt.insults and get into some fights and disagreements, would he kill
file people on that group as well?

 

For those thinking of trying it out, remember to follow the directions
very carefully and add in the cost of oil and filter changes to the
overall price.

It's been 7 months and 6,000 miles since I used Thermagasket to fix my
failed head gasket and I've seen absolutely no crossover between oil
and coolant in either direction. This on a vehicle with 198,000 total
miles.

<unsnip>

Like I said, if it works, it works, and glad it solved your problem
without having to pull the head:wink: .

 

That would save people from having to killfile him.

-- Christian

 

Kind of like the old "If a tree fell in a forest but no one was around
to hear it..." question. All of us that he's kill filed can talk
about him out in the open and he'll never know it - unless someone whom
he hasn't replies and quotes. Doesn't matter either way.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I just think it's kind of funny. Go to a new group, argue with
everybody, get mad, and ignore everybody. It makes me laugh. I'm sure
it makes him feel important.