Repairing a Blown Head Gasket

cylinder head, blown head gasket, repairing a blown head gasketRepairing a blown head gasket may be easier than you think!  When faced with either paying a huge repair bill or the ridiculous task of tearing down your motor and replacing the actual head gaskets it can seem like a much better idea to just scrap the car rather than deal with the headache of the repair.

The good news is, there is now a better option to repair your blown head gasket!  If a hard part repair doesn’t make sense on your vehicle either due to its age, the cost or other factors, you can try repairing the head gasket yourself very quickly with simple hand tools!

Repairing a Blown Head Gasket

  1. Remove thermostat and flush the cooling system
  2. Fill the system with water
  3. Add BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer slowly to the radiator as the vehicle idles
  4. Install the radiator cap and allow the engine to idle for at least 50 minutes
  5. Completely drain the cooling system, install a new thermostat and fill the system with the correct amount of coolant

The trickiest part of this procedure is removing and reinstalling your thermostat.  The first step is to find where the thermostat is located in your vehicle. The thermostat is almost always at the end of your upper or lower radiator hose inside a housing.  To remove the thermostat simply unbolt the housing, removing the thermostat then reattach the housing.

Removing the thermostat will increase the flow of coolant through your system allowing BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer to travel through your engine block seeking out the leak in your head gasket and sealing the leak and keeping your vehicle on the road!

For more information on how to use BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer, check out the full directions.

You can find BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer, you can find it at one of your local auto parts stores like:

  • AutoZone
  • Advance Auto Parts
  • Bennett Auto Supply
  • CarQuest Auto Parts
  • NAPA Auto Parts
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts
  • Pep Boys
  • Fast Track
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
  • S&E Quick Lube Distributor
  • DYK Automotive
  • Fisher Auto Parts stores
  • Auto Plus Auto Parts stores
  • Hovis Auto & Truck Supply stores
  • Salvo Auto Parts
  • Advantage Auto Stores
  • Genuine Auto Parts stores
  • Bond Auto Parts stores
  • Tidewater Fleet Supply
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
  • Any Part Auto Parts
  • Consumer Auto Parts

Pictures Provided By:

blown_head_gasket_repair.jpg – By Atomstudios – Licensed by Getty Images – Original Link

20 responses to “Repairing a Blown Head Gasket”

  1. Did the BlueDevil head gasket sealer process after the BlueDevil system flush. During the 50 minute plus idle runtime my engine temp never got above 112 degrees and no pressure buildup in the system. The out side air temp was about 40 degrees. Will this have any effect on the success. At more than $100 in chemical I hate to loose what is in the system before it can do its job. Engine is a Chev 454, 5.5 gal sys, used 1.5 qt of head gasket sealer.

    Thanks Ken

    Reply

    1. Ken-

      Thank you for asking about your Chevy. The BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer will start to react at a temperature around 150 degrees. If the vehicle never got up to that temperature, it would not have started reacting or started sealing. Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can better assist you.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  2. hi BDP, I have a 2010 RAM 1500 SLT with the 5.7 hemi V8 MDS. The head gasket is blown and the Freeze plugs leak too. Im not sure about any block damage. Im looking for a quick fix and from the testimonials, it seems like I can use the BD head gasket repair kit. However, my concern is how it will do with the V8 since it is recommended only for the 4 cyls and V-6s. In addition, my current situation is that the engine turns over but does not run; In addition, when I pour coolant, it leaks through the plugs. Please could you advice what would be the best way to go about this and which BD products I need to use?

    Reply

    1. Arjun-

      Based on your description, we would recommend the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer (https://gobdp.com/product/head-gasket-sealer-38386/). The BlueDevil Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer you had referenced is only intended for use in 4 or 6 cylinder engines. In order to get the benefit of using the product, the vehicle would need to be able to idle for a full 50 minutes. If the vehicle is unable to do so, unfortunately, it would not be a good candidate for the product.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  3. I have a2005 pontiac Grand am.I just bought it to find out it has a blown head gasket.I put bars leak block seal and it didn’t work.Im not knowing whart to do. I can’t afford to pay 1,900 to repair it.

    Reply

    1. Stephanie-

      Thank you for asking about your Pontiac Grand Am. What are the symptoms the vehicle is having? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  4. Hi guys I was reading your articles about the product to seal the block and the gasket. But my question is, does it works in a Heavy Rigid Truck? And if yes, how many bottles I could need?.

    Any help will be highly appreciated.

    Cheers

    Reply

    1. Alberto-

      Yes, the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer is able to work on larger trucks with larger cooling systems. The amount of product you would use would be indicated based on the cooling system capacity table on the back of the bottle, below the directions. If you are unsure of the cooling system capacity, you may check your owner’s manual or contact the dealer for this information.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  5. My 2000 BMW has exhaust and high pressure in the coolant . So I bought the product Car was idleing fine. Then I removed the spark plug that had low pressure and with that spark plug removed the car will not idle for 50 minutes straight it’s dying every 10 minutes or so should I leave the spark plug in place and re try the product.

    Reply

    1. Rose-

      Thank you for asking about your BMW. Are you possibly getting water/coolant into multiple cylinders? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

    1. Larry-

      Yes, the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer would treat cracked heads on your Dodge Ram. Be sure to follow the cooling system capacity table on the back of the bottle to ensure the proper amount of product is used.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  7. on a 2005 Subaru forrester 2.5 sohc with front external headgasket leak , no smoke , no cross contamination, runs smooth which product to seal it up ? the pour and go or the 32 oz of the regular sealer?

    Reply

    1. Tony-

      Thank you for asking about your Subaru Forrester. You may use either of the Head Gasket Sealers that we manufacture. The “Pour N Go” (16 oz./white label) is a less concentrated formula that does not require the removal of the thermostat or a flush of the cooling system prior to use. Whereas the “Mechanic Approved” (32 oz./yellow label) requires both the removal of thermostat and a flush before applying the product; the 32 ounce is the more concentrated formula.
      The product with the yellow label will give you best overall results as long as you can remove the thermostat and flush the system prior to use. With the use of either product, be sure to follow the guidelines for the proper amount to use. Be sure to use the correct amount based on the cooling capacity of the vehicle.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  8. I have a blown head gasket cylinder,can I use your product to repair it on a C180 Mercedes Benz…?My mechanic tells me the whole engine must be stripped and then skimming it….I need your help.

    Reply

    1. Sam-

      Thank you for asking about your Mercedes Benz C180. Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  9. If I read the description properly, the Blue Devil Head Gasket sealer is the ideal product for my specific leak (small leak only to cylinder 1 found by looking at cylinder tops, normal operation except for consuming a pint of water over a week/200 miles).

    But my car doesn’t have a radiator cap, so pouring slowly into the radiator while running the engine is not possible. On the pour-and-go the alternative way is to pour it into the top radiator hose which obviously must be done while the engine is not running. Is this fine with this product as well, or is it a risk that it will not mix properly – or as alternative, can the fluid be premixed outside the engine and used to fill up the system or will that not mix properly? Is it imperative that the engine is running when the fluid is added

    I assume the warning about pouring slowly is to avoid too high concentration that may trigger unwanted reactions – or is it anything else, like the sealant ends up at the bottom if there is no flow?

    Or do I have to make a makeshift solution to force-feed the sealer when the engine is running?

    What is your best suggestion on adding the sealer to my system that is missing a cooler cap?

    Reply

    1. Dan-

      You are correct. If your vehicle only has a reservoir/overflow rather than a radiator cap, instead of pouring BlueDevil through the reservoir/overflow, with the car off and engine cold you should disconnect the top radiator hose and add the product there; do not pour it into the reservoir. It may be added into the hose or the opening on the radiator. Once BlueDevil has been added, reconnect the hose and start the idle from that point. It is imperative that the engine is cold when the product is added. You are able to premix the product with water/coolant prior to adding it, as long as the product is added directly into the system.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

  10. Recently i have repaired my car engine(Mitsubishi pajero ) but after using for almost 8days service the crankshaft broke and i need to replace the crankshaft with a new one. my question is can i reuse the seal gasket after removing it. it have to be removed to check whether the connecting rod has defects or not in the case of the crankshaft failure.
    thank you.

    Reply

    1. Seyoum-

      Thank you for asking about your Mitsubishi Pajero. What did you have repaired before the crankshaft seal broke? You should be fine in reusing the seal as long as it is not damaged, however, it is typically recommended to just replace the seal once it is removed as a preventative measure.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      Reply

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