I have a Subaru that was recently diagnosed with a leaking head gasket. It was not stated how severe it is, but my car's performance has not changed at all. It runs great and the coolant runs cool. I do not have the money to pay to get it fixed right now, but I need it to last me until I can pay it off. Since my car seems to be running very well right now, I assume the leak has not gotten really bad. Is there something I can do to slow the progression down so I can make this car last until I can afford to get a new one?Is there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?There is no temp fix. it will get worse as time goes on. get it fixed soon.Is there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?If the leak is internal, you should not drive the vehicle. The coolant in the crankcase will eventually cause a serious engine failure.
If it's just a minor external leak, merely keep an eye on the coolant level and continue to top it off as necessary.
I have never (despite the claims on the cans and bottles) found any magic elixir that will even slow the progress of a blown head gasket, let alone %26quot;repair%26quot; it.Is there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?It will lose lubrication %26amp; overheat if you keep driving it that way. I guess you could try JB Weld as long as there's no fluid in the area %26amp; u don't intend to sell the car. It's redneck, but thats how I roll....Is there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?Hello there. I am a mechanic with over 23 years professional experience, and am currently SR. Equipment mechanic for the state of Virginia. now that you know my qualifications let me get to your car problem....
Yes the problem will continue to get worse the more you drive it, but there is a few things you can do to help prolong it's untimely demise. Please bear in mind that performing any of these suggestions will VOID any existing warranty on your vehicle, and should only be used in extreme cases; these are by NO MEANS a repair but simply a band-aid until you can get the vehicle serviced at a certified shop =)
First of all you didn't specify if your head was leaking compression, exhaust, or coolant or if the leak was internal or external to the engine.
I'll assume that you have a coolant leak (as they are the most common) and that it is external to the engine. By external I mean it is visibly leaking out of the engine. If this is the case here are a few things you can do to help it, or slow the leaking process.
The cooling system in your vehicle is pressurized, usually somewhere between 7-13 pounds of pressure is running in your cooling system. The pressure build up in the cooling system raises the boiling point of liquid. Something like 1 PSI= 2 extra degrees to boil. Anyway, the radiator cap itself is how the pressure is regulated. If you remove your radiator cap you will see a small spring and a piece of rubber on the end of it. The rubber seals the radiator opening and the spring holds pressure to it to whatever it's relief pressure is set to. Once the cooling system reaches that preset pressure, the spring releases and relieves the cooling system of the excess pressure. This is why you have an overflow tank in your cooling system.
If you removed the small piece of rubber on your radiator cap, then the cooling system will not pressurize. If the cooling system has no pressure on it, then the leak will slow exponentially. You will still have a leak, but it will not leak as fast.
Another %26quot;Old Timer%26quot; trick is to put regular old ground black pepper into your radiator. It sounds odd but, listen to the explanation of what doing this accomplishes. Ground pepper is fairly fine in texture. If you take ground pepper and soak it in water for a few minutes it absorbs some of the liquid and swells a bit. If you have a leak in your head gasket the pepper will make it's way to this leak and become trapped. Because the pepper is in a liquid, the same expansion will result and the pepper will eventually %26quot;seal%26quot; the leak closed.
These are the only two things you can do to slow the leaking process up a bit. I hope your car feels better soon, and these steps can buy you a few more miles. Happy driving!Is there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?Hi, Head gaskets can leak a lot of different ways. If the car runs good and isn't blowing white smoke or getting in the oil (milky) I'm not sure it's really leaking. Anyway, Yes they have block sealer that I would try. The pain is that you must remove every bit of antifreeze by flushing..a long and tedious process. Go to a parts store and you'll find K%26amp;W Block Seal and others, read the labels and buy the one you like (around $10-15) then read the directions carefully and follow them. I've used them with good results. Happy motoring..GeoIs there a temporary fix for a leaking head gasket?There is a good chance you can save yourself a BIG repair bill on this, but you have to have a little bit of auto savvy. You will need to find a Haynes or Chilton's manual, and copy the head gasket tightening sequence. Get the engine to full warm. Rent a torque wrench, and loosen and retighten each head bolt in the sequence listed. You will have to have removed your valve cover on each side of the engine to do this. In so doing, the head gasket can reseat itself. I hope you have been using only GENUINE SUBARU COOLANT!!! Many coolants on the market will eat holes through expensive alloy heads and gaskets. You can also remove your spark plugs, and see which plug tip is discolored by coolant intrusion. This head, then, is the one to concentrate on. I hope you understand what I am writing, here. Power wash your engine before you start this project. It is far easier to see and work on this way. Good Luck!!
