Steal Seal or Blue Devil for Head Gasket

There are a bunch of threads on here where somebody has tried that stuff. Nightmares for the next owner. If it is almost time to part ways, I think you'll do the next buyer a favor if you just tell them the gasket is going, and sell them the car un-gunked, so they have can have a decent shot at fixing it.

 

That’ll lead to less potential buyers and lower list price.

 

And clearer conscience, if that's even a thing anymore.

 

I'm against the use of that stuff, with an exception for emergency evacuation. If using it is going to let you escape certain doom, then use it and dump the car afterwards.

If you want to be nice to the car, avoid headgasket-in-a-bottle and accept that it is already time for major reinvestment. Overhaul of this vehicle is needed now if you want another 10k miles, and maybe that means it's just time to move on to another car.

 

Once you pour that stuff into an engine, you cannot repair the engine by simply replacing the head gasket. The engine needs a complete rebuild or replacement, along with the radiator and all the cooling hoses.

 

I'm pretty sure @Grit was being sarcastic, or ironic. Sad thing is: it's true. Didn't unscrupulous sells put sawdust or something in tranny's, back in the day?

Apparently, with at least on such product, running a 50/50 mix of water (preferably distilled) and white vinegar, will miraculously dissolve the goop. Someone here has tested this, with blobs he managed to scoop out, and it worked, fast.

@thechuckster , if you're anywhere near San Fransisco, maybe just call Gasket Master. They come to you, do head gasket replacement, under a grand if I'm not mistaken.

 

That may dissolve all of it, not sure.

I would go straight to head gasket repair myself.

 

It’s the same internal combustion engine used in other Toyota’s. The hybrid feature has nothing to do with it.

 

Gasket Masters are cut-throat and corner cutting. The $2500 quotes might entail more, procurement and install of the complete Toyota gasket overhaul kit, sending the head out for cleaning, check over and install of fresh valve seals (part of the kit). In other words, there are different levels. But if you're considering short term, yeah someone like Gasket Master is maybe the way to go.

 

I honestly would never use that stuff (just like i'd never use "fix a flat"), all that gimmick "stop leak" crap is just that, crap! Even if you're looking to part with it sooner than later I still don't see it being of any real value or help to you. May as well put the price of whatever the bottle(s) are toward an actual repair, or the next subsequent replacement vehicle! The only real options in my mind are, literally just rock it until it doesn't "go" any more without putting ANYTHING more into it (besides gas). Once it does "die", get a replacement vehicle. Or you fix it "the right way" right off the bat! I see two ways that could be possible once you've experienced "milkshake"... Option 1) Have the head gasket done, fully, properly (including checking rods and rod bearings / entire lower end of motor - etc). Or Option 2) Drop in a replacement motor - which of course branches into two more sub-options of either 2A) you go with an OEM / brand new motor (very expensive I'm sure on parts and labor), or 2B) have a bone-yard motor tossed in (much cheaper than new ofc)...

TLDR; Honestly it's a waste, I don't care if it's only $10 for the bottle - that's $10 you could've spend on gas or toward an actual repair, or toward a replacement vehicle!

 

It can mess up a whole lot in terms of "gunkin" it up. It can not only "gunk up" the engine (and all the coolant ports where coolant is supposed to flow), which is bad enough in and of itself (gotta keep the motor cool after all)! I've heard it can wreak havok on your thermostat, water pump, heater core. Basically, it WILL "muck up" anything any everything the coolant flows through. So IMHO it's really not worth the "risk" even if it "does its job" of "sealing the head gasket", because even if you (it) miraculously sealed the gasket leak, you've now created TEN (10) more problems. Like the thermostat, water pump, heater core, etc!

Just my $0.02