Last Updated on November 28, 2022 by Lily Connel
Head gasket sealers were created because of the difficulty of finding a permanent solution for head gasket problems. The manufacturers claim that after using their product, leaks will stop in one to three months. Some sealers last longer than others, and some work better than others. On the other side, Head gasket sealer is a common problem that affects many car owners. If you have a head gasket leak, then it’s time to take action and stop worrying about your engine overheating. Stop using water as a way to cool down the engine and replace the radiator instead. This will save you from spending thousands of dollars on a new engine.
No automotive repair job is simple. Even the simplest jobs will require some expertise and a basic toolset because something you didn’t expect to go wrong may go wrong. In the case of head gasket sealer, this means there are times when it can’t save a car from certain doom.
Pros and Cons Of Head Gasket Sealer – The Comparison Table
| Serial | Pros Of Head Gasket Sealer | Cons Of Head Gasket Sealer |
| 1. | Head Gasket Sealer is Simple to Use. | Head gasket sealer is not always a solution. |
| 2. | Removing Head Gasket Sealer is Easy. | Its Install process is Difficult. |
| 3. | It works Fast. | The head gasket sealer is extremely Detailed. |
| 4. | The benefits of replacing your head gasket are numerous by fixing the problem. | Head gasket sealer is a short-term Solution. |
| 5. | Head Gasket is a Repairable opportunity. | It is too Expensive. |
| 6. | The Environmental Surroundings are Preserves. | Another issue with this type of head gasket sealant is that it’s hard to remove. |
| 7. | Head Gasket Sealer is the Cheapest solution for Engine Replacement. | There are also some disadvantages to using these sealants as a long-term solution for your car. |
Pros Of Head Gasket Sealer
1. It’s Cheaper Than An Engine Replacement
The cost of a replacement engine is about $1,000-$2,500. The cost of the sealer depends on the type you buy but typically it’s about $50-$200 while DIY kits start at around $30. A used engine will always be more expensive than a new one even if they’re both low-mileage engines.
Your vehicle was overheated and the head gasket likely is only one of the issues. Your engine will also need to be “de-carboned” which can cost between $300-$1,000 depending on who you take your car to, so in the end, an engine replacement might not save much money compared with taking care of a head gasket problem with the sealer.
2. It Preserves The Environmental Surroundings
No new engine means no need to extract more resources from the planet and manufacture a new engine, which saves additional natural resources as well as the energy that goes into making them. In 2007, manufacturing one million cars required 1,125 trillion BTU of energy and resulted in more than 1.5 million short tons of CO2 emissions, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University [1].
The sealer helps you save all that while at the same time not putting your vehicle out of commission for weeks or even months since it can be done without removing the engine. You still have to run the car long enough to get the desired effect, but you may be able to drive on your own instead of taking a taxi everywhere.
3. It Preserves Your Car
If you got a warranty, then it means that your car is new enough to have some value left in it. If you put a used engine in your vehicle, however, this will drop significantly.
Used engines are typically purchased from junkyards and they tend towards being poorly maintained, refurbished, or even abused to the point where they become worse than “junk” itself. Even if it’s installed in your car you’ll need to monitor its condition more often because the engine has been operated by someone else who didn’t follow any regulations.
You’ll end up with a junkyard car that has no future, which is why you should always be careful with decisions like engine replacement. Replacing your head gasket will not only make your car run again but also help preserve its value for the next owner (if you plan on selling it).
4. It’s Easy To Apply
There are many different products of this kind on the market today. Some are meant for professionals while others you can do yourself, and all it takes is a simple application kit and instructions. You simply clean out your engine and spray sealer into damaged areas so that everything will stay intact as much as you can manage it, and then you drive for about two weeks to give the sealer time to work.
5. It’s Easy To Remove
Sealing your engine can be undone, but depending on how much you use this method will determine how difficult it is to do that. If you sealed the entire engine then you’ll need a shop with pressurized water equipment in order to remove it. This is a very costly solution and you might want to consider buying a new engine instead, which will cost you more in the end.
6. Repairable Head Gasket
What if you had sealer only in areas that were damaged by excessive heat from combustion? In this case, your vehicle will still be able to run without any problems while the head gasket is repaired. You can also sell it as is or run it for a couple more months hoping that the head gasket will become loose again (in which case you can reapply sealer on these areas).
7. It’s Fast
How long does it take to replace an engine? Typically, this job requires 4-8 hours of work and it can be very expensive since you’ll need to order a new engine and pay for labour. Granted, removing your old one will require additional time, but at least it’s not an impossible task and anyone with basic tools should be able to do it.
Do-it-yourself sealer doesn’t take so much time since only the head gasket is replaced by the sealer. You’ll get a new engine in the end, but since it’s not your original one it won’t take long to achieve that.
Cons Of Head Gasket Sealer
1. Inadequate For All Problems
One of the most important disadvantages you should know about is that this type of product is only suitable for small cracks in the gasket. If the gasket is cracked in more than one spot, then that means multiple tiny leaks in your car’s engine. And this requires a repair that’s much more complicated than sealing it with sealants.
2. Difficult To Install
Even if you have applied head gasket sealers correctly, there are numerous problems you might face when trying to drive the car. The engine’s performance can be diminished, because of extra complications that come with trying to get this product into the gasket. Plus, you may encounter issues like leaks and popping noises while driving your vehicle because of improper installation.
3. Messy Process
Another disadvantage related to using head gasket sealers is that their installation requires a lot of attention to detail. You have to pay close attention to the instructions that come with the product and follow them carefully. Failure to do so may cause further damage to your vehicle’s engine.
4. Inefficient
While it’s important not to overuse this type of sealer, people also tend to use too little of it. This means that they don’t get the full benefit of using one of these products. These users may be under the impression that head gasket sealers solve all problems, which they don’t.
5. Short-Term Solution
Many people who choose to use head gasket sealers as a quick fix for their vehicle’s problems are disappointed with the results. These people typically end up back at the mechanics, and they’re told that there’s more serious damage to their engine than what was originally diagnosed.
6. Long-Term Damage
There are also disadvantages related to using these sealers as a long-term solution for car engines. For one thing, this type of product can cause serious damage to your engine if it’s overused. And this type of damage can be difficult to diagnose. Another factor related to using head gasket sealers as a permanent fix is that they reduce the efficiency of your car’s cooling system.
8. Leaks Remain
Another problem with sealing the head gasket with a product like this is that it’s difficult to get rid of leaks. And this means they can be dangerous, especially if the engine overheats and melts down. If you’ve tried using head gasket sealer products in the past, then you understand why these products are not the best option for repairing damaged cars.
9. Too Expensive
Since head gasket repair is a serious job, it’s best not to take shortcuts by using this type of product. Not only will you have to pay more money in the long run for car repairs, but you’ll also harm your engine if you use head gasket sealers too often.
All You Need To Know About Head Gasket Sealer
In order for the engine in your car or truck to run smoothly, a lot has to happen. The cylinder in the engine block has to be sealed off from the rest of the engine. Then there has to be a way for it to seal the piston within that cylinder so that pressure can make it move back and forth without leaking.
Clearly, this is where your car’s head gasket comes in. The job of your car’s head gasket is to maintain the seal between the engine head and the engine block, which allows all of this to happen.
A great way to think about it is like this: you have a jar full of water with a lid on top. When you want to open it up just enough for air in the form of bubbles, but not so much that any of the water comes out, you need a gasket. The gasket keeps the jar sealed just enough that air can get in and be released but not so much that anything spills out.
The purpose of a head gasket sealer is simply to replace the head gasket’s function of stopping leakage between adjacent engine fluid pathways. The reason this sort of repair is necessary is that the joins between these components are sealed by metal-to-metal contact or are simply fitted together, without any sealing compound. With time, wear and tear will result in microscopic breaks or even flaking, allowing fluid to leak out. When the engine first overheats, it’s often because this problem has just started.
Conclusion
When there’s a problem with your car’s engine, the head gasket is usually to blame. And when you’ve made this discovery, you may be tempted to use head gasket sealers as a quick fix for the malfunctioning engine. This strategy can seem like an appealing solution because it costs less than fixing the issue properly at the mechanics’. However, there are a number of pros and cons to using this solution.
