Bar's Leaks Tech Tip: Bad Head Gasket Causes Overheating

Bar’s Leaks Tech Tip: Bad Head Gasket Causes Overheating

Tech replaced water pump and radiator, and then turned to Bar’s Leaks Head Gasket Repair.

When a customer brings in a smoking, overheating, high-mileage vehicle and not much cash, what’s a tech to do?

Vehicle: 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada 

Mileage: 269,000

Problem: Vehicle overheating due to extensive cooling system issues.

Details: Customer’s good old Olds was overheating and blowing white smoke. The water pump was locked up, so the technician replaced it, as well as the thermostat, radiator and radiator cap. But on the test drive, the SUV started to overheat in just a few miles, with bubbling in the reservoir, lots of white smoke and coolant loss. 

It looked like it was time for a teardown to install a new head gasket. But the customer didn’t want to pour any more money into this vintage vehicle, so the tech turned to Bar’s Leaks.

He grabbed a bottle of Bar’s Leaks Professional Head Seal Blown Head Gasket Repair (HG-1), the strongest antifreeze-compatible sealant on the market. He knew that it would not only seal any head gasket damage but would also stop any other coolant leaks in the system. Plus, its Xtreme Cool additive would address the SUV’s overheating and bring the coolant temperature down.

He added Head Gasket Repair directly to the radiator, turned the heater on hot and the fan on high, and ran the engine until it hit normal operating temperature. There was still some white smoke, but he switched the engine off and let it cool back down. After topping off the radiator, he took it for another easy drive of about 15 minutes. Problem solved. No more smoke or overheating.

Conclusion: After 200 miles of driving, owner says the Bravada is running better than it has in a very long time. 

Like all Bar’s Leaks products, Professional Head Seal Blown Head Gasket Repair is made in the U.S.A. Based in Holly, Michigan, Bar’s Leaks is an ISO 9001 certified company. Learn more at barsleaks.com.

You May Also Like

Ultimate Frame Coater Kit for Inside-Out Rust Protection

The kit provides everything needed for inside-out rust protection for auto frames, auto bodies and more.

KBS Coatings’ Ultimate Frame Coater Kit provides everything needed for ultimate inside-out rust protection for auto frames, auto bodies and more.

The easy-to-use DIY kit employs the KBS 3-Step System combined with KBS Cavity Coater to prepare and coat up to 50 square feet of metal. KBS Klean, a non-toxic and biodegradable super cleaner removes dirt, grease, grime and other contaminants. Next, water-based and biodegradable RustBlast effectively dissolves rust and corrosion while etching metal for best adhesion of KBS RustSeal. RustBlast also leaves a zinc phosphate coating to stop flash rust from forming. The third step is RustSeal, a rust inhibitive and preventative paint that’s applied by brush, roller or spray gun. RustSeal chemically bonds to metal, including rusted metal, to isolate it from moisture and oxygen. Without those present, metal can’t rust.

Rislone Hy-per Cool Cleans and Protects Entire Cooling System

Remove deposits, neutralize acids and promote longer cooling system life.

Heated Jackets, Vests and Hoodies from Milwaukee

Adjustable heat technology allows users to increase or decrease the heat level with the touch of a button.

Milwaukee 2022 Men’s and Women’s Heated Gear lineup, featuring next-generation jackets, vests and hoodies
K-Seal Coolant Leak Repair Gets Customers Back on the Road

Permanently seals leaks in the head, head gasket, block, radiator, heater matrix and water pump.

LUBEGARD Introduces RUSTGARD Rust & Corrosion Preventive Oil

This corrosion preventive oil provides a long-lasting protective barrier for metal surfaces on tools, equipment and more.

Other Posts

Streamlight Dualie Is a High-Performance LED Flashlight

The dual beam light offers three output modes: a spot beam; a soft, wide flood beam; and a combined spot and flood beam.

Streamlight Inc. has introduced the Dualie 3AA Color-Rite, an intrinsically safe, high-performance LED flashlight that provides the option of bright, white light or high CRI light with Streamlight’s Color-Rite Technology for true color recognition in industrial, automotive and other applications.
Rotopax Tank Holder Mounts Without Drilling

The tank holder secures up to a 3-gal. model on the vehicle exterior, and mounts and removes quickly without leaving marks.

Bar’s Leaks Celebrates 75 Years

Today, the Bar’s Leaks brand encompasses stop leak and repair products for multiple vehicle systems.

Rislone Leak Repair Eliminates Whining, Leaks, Sluggishness 

High Mileage Power Steering Stop Whine’s unique formula quiets noise, smooths steering and renews worn rack and pinion.

Rislone High Mileage Power Steering Stop Whine with Leak Repair