coolant leak out side of cylinder head

[mj2stay]

has anyone ever used Bars Leak head gasket fix? Is it a good fix or just more problems?

[rtyler8140]

Had this happen in my Cherokee and talked with my mechanic about it. He told me it was basically a band-aid that could hold for 3 months or the life of the vehicle. Really just a crap shoot. Obviously your best bet is to replace the gasket, but if you are in a pinch, that stop leak will get you through. Just make sure you follow the instructions for best results.

[james750]

Haven't done a 4.0L headgasket yet but it looks like it should be a fairly easy job to complete because of all of the space around the head and motor. Probably a weekend job for someone that hasn't done a timing chain and head gasket job before. If it were me, I would replace the chain at the same time since it has to come out for the head to come off anyway.

[Geonovast]

Haven't done a 4.0L headgasket yet but it looks like it should be a fairly easy job to complete because of all of the space around the head and motor. Probably a weekend job for someone that hasn't done a timing chain and head gasket job before. If it were me, I would replace the chain at the same time since it has to come out for the head to come off anyway.

 

...what? Timing chain doesn't go anywhere near the head. You need to remove the manifolds, valve cover, and thermostat housing to get the head off.

[james750]

the timing chain runs the cam which runs down the head to open the valves, it would need to come off to do a head gasket, I did a head gasket yesterday at work, not on a 4.0, but it should be the same.

[Geonovast]

No it's not. The 4.0 and 2.5 are not overhead cam engines, the camshaft is inside the block. It's a pushrod-rocker system.

 

[james750]

:doh: Now I feel dumb, as I should. I assumed that the 4.0 was new enough of a motor to have OHC.

[Eagle]

I assumed that the 4.0 was new enough of a motor to have OHC.

The 4.0L is a member of an engine "family" that AMC introduced in 1964 in the Rambler Typhoon.

[mvusse]

has anyone ever used Bars Leak head gasket fix? Is it a good fix or just more problems?

 

I used it once. It worked for at least the 60 minutes I owned my Suburban after I used it. Don't know how long it worked for the new owner.

 

Do I feel guilty for not mentioning the head gasket, intake gasket, transfer case and other problems going to cost $2k+ to fix? No.

 

He supposedly traded me a rust free XJ that is paint over bondo over swiss cheese and NO floor pans. I knew because I looked at it. I didn't tell him I knew. He saw me look under the XJ, and somehow assumed I didn't notice the 6 license plated stuffed between the frame rail and carpet to give some semblance of structural flooring.

 

But I'm heading off on a tangent again.

[Wildman]

Bar's leak is a crap shoot if it will work, it's the best thing to really plug up your cooling system, like the radiator :eek:

 

Someone had a similar coolant leak "out side" the cylinder head some time ago, and it turn out to be the soft plugs leaking (soft plug / freeze plug / welsh plug, what ever you want to call it)

 

Very hard to see because there located under / behind the manifold.

 

Check this out - http://gojeep.willyshotrod.com/HowtoWelshPlugs1.htm

 

Just tossing it out there to double check, before you start tearing the heads off :roll: