I have a 2011 Chevy Malibu LYZ
4 cylinder 2.4 L engine with 160K miles.
I had the water pump replaced drove it home (30miles) which it ran normally. Then 2 days later it runs 3/4 hot. Had it checked they said head gasket leak.
But no visible signs of such ie: white exhaust, milky oil etc. So, I want to try the “Steel Seal” but I simply can’t afford the $140.00 IF you had to use or try a cheaper version of head gasket sealer which one would you recommend? One that isn’t going to mess up my vehicle?
Thank you for your time & all of your help!
Agree 100% if the mechanics who did your water pump are like some of the jokers I've encountered, they may have not gotten all the air out of cooling system or some other small but critical mistake. Thats more likely than a head gasket blowing in 30 miles.
@glen_stet Yeah, it really needs to be looked at by someone else before condemning the head gasket.
Don't waste your money. Those so-called "sealers" are snake oil, temporary bandaids at best. They can also plug up your cooling system and make an even bigger mess of things. There can be no expectation that a "mechanic in a can/bottle" type product is going to actually fix a mechanical problem.
I would get a second opinion for that kind of serious issue, or you can get a test kit to check for exhaust gases in the coolant. If the head gasket is blown and you want to keep the vehicle for any length of time have a proper repair done. However that's expensive, maybe even more than the car is worth, so if it's a choice between using snake oil or junking the car Scotty has recommended the Bars Leaks head gasket product in the silver bottle. It might give you some temporary relief.
