Headgasket Sealer, I'm planning to replace the whole motor in the fall Options

[VavAlephVav]

I want to see if anybody has used pour-in head gasket sealer with any success.
I have decided it would be best to replace the whole motor than to do a head job on this one, and so I want to use some head gasket in a bottle to get me through the summer till I can do the motor in the fall.

I have a 1994 GT with a 5sfe, and the guy I bought it from put a used motor in it before he sold it to me. I understand now that the motor is most likely from a 97+ Camry and is the slightly different 5fse, they had to modify the bell housing to make it fit.



and I can see the paint-pen marks on the front of the head, which to me means he bought it from a pick-n-pull kind of salvage yard. It also leaks slightly from the intake side of the head somewhere, though not bad enough to leave spots in the driveway, and also leaks from the oil cooler I think. It looses about a quart every 2000 miles.

And when I talked to the shop I trust about doing the head they said it was 8 hours for the head and only about 10 to replace the whole motor.
So to me it makes more sense to find a good condition used 5sfe and take it apart and do a good Cometic gasket and a full valve grind on it and the timing belt kit all before we even have it put in the car. Then I can also have a proper 5sfe that fits my transmission. (wtb 5speed bell housing)

but funds for this project won't happen until the fall so in the meantimes I am gonna try some pour-in stuff. Right now the motor is pushing exhaust gas into the coolant. at first I would need to add maybe a quart of coolant a week, but is getting worse although I have not seen it smoke and the plugs are not wet or fouled. but there are traces of oil on the radiator cap and the overflow tube. When I accelerate hard I can feel slight "pockets" in the torque of the car which I take to be a bad sign. So for now I really don't run it any harder than I need to and try to keep below 3200.

From what I've read you just need to take care to do it right, take out the thermostat and give the system a good flush so all coolant, oil, and grime is cleaned out. then fill with clean water and let it idle for an hour or two, then shut it off and let it cool over night. taking care to not push it too hard for the first couple of weeks after.
What is supposed to be the best out there is Steel Seal https://www.steelseal.com/ but they literally want $100 for a bottle of it. http://www.jbtoolsales.com/crc-401232-perm...CFYlhfgodmw0AnA
this other stuff is only $35 , and blue devil stuff is like $30 .
So has anybody actually tried any of these?

This post has been edited by VavAlephVav: May 10, 2014 - 1:41 PM

[Special_Edy]

From a logical perspective, if the cylinder compression is forcing air into the coolant, then how is pouring sealant into the coolant going to fix the leak? If your tire was leaking, and you poured glue onto the outside after airing up the tire, wouldnt the pressurized leak simply push the glue out of the way. You would have to plug the leak from the high pressure side not the low pressure side. So this fact leaves me very sceptical as to how your 14lb(or is it 7?) coolant system is going to hold long enough to cure against your 140+lb on compression, 1000~2000lb on combustion pressure inside the cylinder.

It isnt that difficult to do the cylinder head yourself. The head gasket is ~$80 and the full gasket set is ~$150. If you continue to drive the car you will warp the head, coat the engine compartment in minerals from the evaporated tap water (good luck removing that crud) and most likely burn up your valves or rings. Your cylinder walls will rust and scour pitts in them and if the coolant gets into the oil you will trash your entire rotating assembly and block.

Your first time will take you maybe a weekend to change the head. If you are experienced it only takes 5-10 hours.

Oh and the reason they cut the clutch cover/reinforcement plate (it bolts to your bellhousing) is that the camry 5s has balancing shafts. When I replaced my 5s with a camry 5s I just removed the balancing shaft assembly (6 bolts) tapped out the oil supply hole to the balancing shafts and screwed(copius amounts of red lock-tite) a 7mm bolt into it, and wallered out the bolt holes on the original celica oil pickup(so the balancing assembly 10mm bolt would fit thru it). Then the celica oil pickup and pan fit nicely.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: May 10, 2014 - 12:26 AM