Head Gasket Sealer

[Sunny D]

Possible blown head gasket in Kabota 300 single cylinder Diesel engine on water maker....anyone have any thoughts or info on using a liquid gasket repair sealer? No way to get repaired where currently located. Any ideas or info appreciated.

[colemj]

You don't say where you are, but those Kubota 300 series engines are used worldwide in many, many applications. Generators, small tractors, etc. Have you tried any industrial places for a head gasket? Or if you are more remote, perhaps an industrial place closest by that can either ship or you can sail to it?

Mark

[a64pilot]

About 30 yrs ago I stuck a stick through the radiator of a 574 International tractor and put a bottle of Bars leak in it. I knew it would be temporary, but 30 years later it still doesn't leak.
Products | Bar's Leaks & Rislone - Premium Automotive Chemicals

My opinion is at best it's a stop gap measure, may last an hour, may not work at all, may even clog your cooling system. I used it on a friends Toyota SUV and it worked for at least a year, he sold it so may still be working for all I know. His was a blown head gasket (coolant in oil).

[Irish rambler]

I can verify that Barrs leak is a great product and works well, there's another called Celite that is a small sachet of granules which is very effective.
As colemj says they're a temporary solution but actually end up as a permanent one.

[Salty Skipper]

A cruiser cant generally make a head gasket.....it's not like cutting from scissors a block mounted fuel pump gasket, or a water pump">raw water pump seal gasket. HEAD GASKET...although a gasket, cannot be made...on the fly...NO.....they are absolutely special...made with usually copper and high density fiber for a...ONE TIMe fit! I have aboard my sailboat a factory made head gasket that also includes all major gaskets for the Perkins 4108. I also have aboard the torque wrench to make effective if it should ever occur a need, but then, I'm way overly cautious, well beyond paranoid! I have aboard everything....I mean everything, you name it, it's here! I bought every part of my perkins 4108 from Floley, and for the overbuilt Paragon Transmission, and all the tools to service. I'd estimate over 900 pounds in tools and parts. So far, I've only voluntarily rebuilt the 4108's cam driven fuel pump because of my paranoia...and I have two sets of 12-v electric pumps new in boxes.....I bought new two outboard motors, 20 hp....I had made..built, brackets on the transom.

[Salty Skipper]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

About 30 yrs ago I stuck a stick through the radiator of a 574 International tractor and put a bottle of Bars leak in it. I knew it would be temporary, but 30 years later it still doesn't leak.
Products | Bar's Leaks & Rislone - Premium Automotive Chemicals

My opinion is at best it's a stop gap measure, may last an hour, may not work at all, may even clog your cooling system. I used it on a friends Toyota SUV and it worked for at least a year, he sold it so may still be working for all I know. His was a blown head gasket (coolant in oil).

.....Years ago...I thought about sticking a steak through my ex-wife's kidneys just to see if she could live...................How did your IH tractor work out?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Salty Skipper

.....Years ago...I thought about sticking a steak through my ex-wife's kidneys just to see if she could live...................How did your IH tractor work out?

It's still back there under the barn, not leaking along with an old JD-410 Backhoe.
The tractor tied to kill me about 1978, I flipped it over separating my pelvis, braking my left leg, essentially destroying my left hand, third degree burns on my left shoulder etc. Since then we have come to an understanding, I don't work it too hard, and it doesn't try to kill me again.
You know when your a teenager, you can heal amazingly well and fast

[JPA Cate]

Sunny D,

Sorry that you're having this problem. Best to arrange for the engine's head gasket (and a spare) to be forwarded to your closest port of call, and get there quickly. You may need to purchase some water in large containers to make the voyage, if you don't have enough tank capacity.

AFIK, there is no appropriate goop to deal with a head gasket; it must be replaced.

Ann

[Irish rambler]

Salty Skipper, I certainly carry spares but you could open a shop !
Reminds me of an Irish girl, when asked why she wore two pairs of knickers, she replied 'To be sure, to be sure' !

[Sunny D]

Thank you for your experiences and info. We went through the process of flushing and installing a sealer made by BlueDevil and so far it is working. Hoping for the best. Thanks again.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sunny D.

[sww914]

I had a small truck with a blown head gasket and I used some K&W Block Seal to get me through the week until I had time to fix it right over the weekend. I bought the gasket set and I waited. I wanted to see how long it would last. At a year and a half I decided to sell the truck so I installed the gasket, not because it was leaking but because I didn't want to sell it knowing that it may fail later.