How to Fix a Head Gasket With Engine Block Sealer

By utilizing science, you can fix a head gasket with engine block sealer. Sodium silicate is the main constituent of block sealer. It is a liquid that turns to glass as it dries, so the liquid fills the crack in your gasket, dries in the engine heat, and seals as it hardens. his is a cheap and temporary fix, but an effective one.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• anti-freeze
• radiator drainage pan
• radiator disposal container
• engine block sealer

1. Drain the anti-freeze from your radiator. The block sealer won't work properly with the anti-freeze in the radiator. To do this, locate the petcock on the bottom of the radiator, open it and allow all the fluid to drain into a pan.

2. Dispose of the anti-freeze in accordance with EPA guidelines. A mechanic can assist you if necessary. Anti-freeze and block sealer is a volatile mix and cannot be in the radiator at the same time.

3. Prepare the sealant mixture as indicated on the product's directions. Typically, you will add a specific amount of water to the mix, and then pour it into your vehicle's radiator. Idle your vehicle for about 30 minutes to let it settle in the cracks.

4. Do a little aggressive driving to make sure the mixture moves around and fills in all the cracks. Drive the vehicle a day for the treatment to fully dry.

5. Drain the block sealer and add new anti-freeze.

6. Get a new radiator or head gasket in your vehicle once you can afford the time and money for the repairs.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a good fix if your car isn't worth putting costly repairs into, or if you do not plan on keeping it much longer.
• Dispose of anti-freeze in an appropriate waste container. Contact your local service station for information on responsible disposal.
• Don't forget that anti-freeze and block sealer can never be in the engine at the same time. Drain one before filling up on the other.
• This repair tends to last on the order of a couple months to a few years. Get it professionally repaired as soon as possible.

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[jpwhickson]

on 12/12/2007 How do you keep the water from freezing in the winter?