Ghetto head gasket repair

[Mr. BILL]

I know it's blasphemy to say this about a BMW. But, I had a head gasket leak in my '97 528, (I also have a 525 e34). I'm low on cash, so I didn't have the funds to do a proper repair.

I did some research online and ran across a product called CarGo Seal Up. I'm very skeptical of these type of products, so I searched some more. I found a government study on this stuff where they tested it on cooling systems for neuclear reactors and it worked. The tests included exposure to high pressure, neuclear waste water and radiation. I figured if it worked in that application, it was worth a shot.

I bought a bottle of the stuff at Pep Boys for $3.99. Then I really got skeptical, it seemed too cheap. So, I called the company and spoke to a guy who assured me it WOULD work and WOULDN"T clog up anything in the cooling system and that it wouldn't mess me up if/when I decided to do a proper repair, but I shouldn't have to because it was a permanent repair.

The only thing he was adamant about was that I followed the directions to the letter and that iI make absolutely sure I had ALL the antifreeze flushed out. I ended up flushing it a dozen times or more until the water ran clear, especially the last little bit.

The scary part of his instructions was I had to let it idle for 40 minutes! This car wouldn't sit at a long light without the temp gauage heading north. So I had a big fan at the ready just in case.

Well, it the needle never went past straight up normal the whole time. Within 10 minutes, no more water dripped out of the tailpipe. So far, so good. I shut it off and according to instructions, let the whole system drain. Then, I left the drain plugs out and let it sit overnight, 15 hours to be exact. This lets the stuff cure. Then, several good flushes to remove any remaning product and fill with coolant.

It's only been a day, but the car runs /starts like new. I had been getting coolant in #3 cyl and it ran rougher than a cobb on a cold start. This morning, it fired right up and purred like a kitten. I had to sit in heavy traffic for almost an hour and it never went beyond normal. What a relief!

I'm not suggesting anyone use this as a permanent fix, but, if you're in a jam, this stuff seems to really work. I spoke to a friend of mine who used it two years ago and it's still holding with no adverse effects. Just thought I'd pass it along. The secret to success is to follow the directions and get ALL the coolant out.

[Kalevera]

Good info, man...I saved this post...hopefully won't have to do any of this in the near future..

Best, whit

[632 Regal]

scary stuff! It's hard for me to imagine that it would work but like you said the guy was very adament about the procedure which makes me think that there is some science behind it. To think it's a permanent fix is even farther off the wall...keep us posted on this one!

[Randell]

wow... i've heard about people using this stuff on 1982 corollas with success, but on a 97 bmw ?! i wouldn't have dared to try it, though in australia your car is still worth about $40000, i'm sure it's not that pricey in the states

good to see it's worked well, i'll refer people to this post next time i'm asked about 'head gasket repair in a bottle' !

[632 Regal]

i'll refer people to this post next time i'm asked about 'head gasket repair in a bottle' !

.

[shogun]

Might be an interesting test on a BMW. If it really works on old cars, why not on knew ones. Of course it always depends on the actual situation and the wear of the headgasket. So one test is for sure not enough.
But if someone is short of cash and sees no other way, why not. Others with the cash and headgasket probs might just try it to test it. So if the engine goes down the river and one has a spare engine anyway, might be worth a trial.
Keep us up-dated. Thanks for the info.