No offense Russg, I appreciate your suggestions concerning Bars Leaks, but I
really don't like adding stuff that's supposed to fix a leak and can
possibly harm something else. If the product was intended to be added by
removing the top rad. hose, and whatever else you mentioned, they should
damn well put that on the label. And if they don't, they should give you
fair warning that it may cause trouble otherwise. I tend to stay away from
those products as the majority don't work and some may "help" sometimes.

With nearly 300,000 kms on the clock, I think I'm just going to go ahead and
get all of the gaskets replaced, including the intake manifold and whatever
else should be replaced while replacing the head gaskets. I really don't
want to chance ruining this engine or clog up the cooling system. I don't
need the car all next week and I usually take my car to an older retired
Chevy mechanic who only charges me $20 an hour to fix it. I use this car to
travel on the highway, usually 50 kms or more each way, so I can't chance
having it break down on me. I'll buy the complete gasket set and tell him
to do whatever the kit includes. I've only been smelling the coolant for
about a month or less and I only lost about 1 liter of coolant, so the head
gasket is probably just starting to seep through now.

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.
Sharky

I believe replacing the gaskets is a temporary fix.
The OP said he replaced gasket before. The problem
is a design fault and I don't believe there is a better way to install the
gaskets.
We're talking a $8.00 solution, with 1 hr time from auto parts place to
completed job versus $800 job taking a week or more, and it will likely leak
again.
I put the Bars Leaks in several months ago and no leaks.
The product does not clog up the radiator and heater core, if there isn't a
leak to someplace with air, the chemical doesn't solidify.
I'm appreciative that you heard my solution and responded, and hope your car
is fixed good.

I remember using Bars Leaks when I was 18, almost fifty years ago. The
product is well established, and I admit I don't know about its' reputation.
I remember using it, incredulous that a bunch of pebbles in a dark brown
solution would do anything, but I never had a problem with it, but my cars
only lasted about 1 year back then.
The product has been around long enough that it isn't well known what its'
side effects are. I believe the dark oily solution may rot the rubber
hoses, causing hose failures, that may be.
I probably won't be able to report whether there are overheating, poor
interior heating, hose rot, or other things.
Replacing the gaskets is a reasonable solution and what I'm saying is not
even in the same realm as that.
I certainly repect replacing the gaskets, perhaps there is a better way to
seal them, and perhaps someone here has knowlege of clogging/rotting/not
working problems with it.
A fifty year old product, maybe I'm just nostalgic.

"Russg" <russgilb (AT) MUNGEsbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote

Bars Leaks to the coolant and I believe they actually add it at the factory
originally.

Don Young