fgraves73

I know the best way to fix a bad head gasket is to replace it but... I need to keep this car running for just a few more months before I tear into it. I'd like to know if any of you have had any luck with the quick fix "stop leak" type products. I have a 90 Firebird w/a 305 that has a bad head gasket. There's no water in the oil but there's a lot of steam out of the exhaust. There's dozens of these products on the market but I've never been in a position where I couldn't just stop driving the vehicle until I had a chance to change the gaskets so I've never had any experience with them. ANY info/advice would be appreciated. I just need a quick, dependable, short term fix so I can drive it a little longer. Thanks.

quickkris2006

iTrader: (2)

depending on which side it is, driver vs. passenger side. its not that hard.. maybe a 3 hr. job for someone that doesnt have any experience.. just that passenger side has more stuff blocking it.. but if u look at it u will be able to figure it out, as for the stop leak stuff i wouldnt use it if ur ganna be driving for a few months that stuff is really only for emergeny use as if stuck on the side of the road kinda situation.. i had a 92 civic hatch back.. pos mind u.. i beat the crap outta it and used that for work/ off road fun lol and used stop leak on the rad and it only lasted about a week and after contuined use it made it alot worse.. not that i really cared.. but still .. if u want i can pretty much walk u threw the head gasket replacement if u want just pm me all u will need is a gasket set for the intake and head gasket and some gasket rtv and basic socket set pretty much

novafirebirdguy

Replacing head gaskets on an sbc is probably the easiest engine to do it on. Plus it's all cast iron so you shouldn't need to worry about getting the heads planed or anything like that. I wouldn't trust any of the stop leak products. I have a friend with a four banger fox mustang, his headgasket started leaking a little coolant so he decided to use some stop leak stuff to buy him some time. It worked but when we went to fix it the right way the head was stuck and we spent a good three hours getting it off with out breaking anything and another two hours scraping the **** off the head and block.

nicz28

If you're going to use any stopleak go with a bars formula... They make one that you can see a lttle bit of black goo in the bottom of the bottle, that's basically a liquid rtv that shouldnt give you any issues as far as the head being stuck or anything.

MotorMouth

In my experiance Stop Leak has caused me to have to replace 3 waterpumps. Two on my cars and one on my Mothers car. It is really meant for emergancy use only. All three times the pumps went out within 2 - 4 months after using it. So from now now on if I have to use it as a last resort to get home or to a shop I will. I will then drain it ASAP!

jwande

Any stop leak is temporary at best. Change it ASAP. If you get oil in your cooling system, you will need the radiator to be boiled out at a shop, which is extra $$. I don't know what years, but my 305 has torque to yield head bolts. Get new bolts for less than 20 bucks. Torque to yield basically means they stretch. Also, use a spray called Kopper Koat. This basically is a spray with copper in it that helps dissipate hot spots across the head. Also, get the surface of the head ground flat. There is a reason you blew a head gasket.................(or it is seeping).

fgraves73

Thanks for all the info guys. I've always advised others to avoid the quick fix stop leak stuff but there's so many new brands on the market I was just hoping, maybe, one of them worked as advertised. I lucked out and bought a little truck for next to nothing. I'll drive it and let the FB sit til I have some spare time to change the head gaskets. IF I ever have any spare time. What's a running, driving, 305, '90 Firebird, with a blown head gasket worth these days?

torque_is_good

Good point about that. i always use a similar product

torque_is_good

I paid $500 for an RS that runs fine but I'm yanking the engine anyway during the restoration

HawkZ28

iTrader: (2)

They don't work worth a crap. They're bad for your heater core, too.

ALWAYS use new headbolts.

meth64

Ive had it for almost a year and havnt had any problems. Im sure my leak was very minor. If its not a very bad leak i say go for it. Just follow the instructions to a t. Forgot to add i have no heater core, so i had no worries about that.

fgraves73

What brand did you use?

ASE doc

You likely have a cracked head. Be sure to get your heads pressure tested before reinstalling them.

meth64

Ya know im trying to remember.. It was the orange can, not a bottle.. i think it was block seal or simular.. sorry i cant totaly remember but it was the only orange can of sealer from auto zone.. was about 8 bucks.