Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this.
I have a 2014 Chrysler 200. I took it to Midas and they said I have a blown head gasket because exhaust was getting into my coolant reservoir. I can see this being the case since my coolant would bubble alot when it got hot.
So I used Bar’s Leaks Head gasket seal in a bottle because I can’t afford the $6000 fix and my car isnt worth that much. Its silver in color and thick. I poured it into my reservoir per the directions and the bubbling has stopped.
However, it still overheats and now the heat inside my car doesn’t work when it did before I used the liquid. It just blows out cold air even after warmed up. Any ideas on what I can do?
TLDR: I used a headgasket sealant in a can and my car still over heats but now the heat in my car doesnt blow hot air.
The Bars may have clogged the heater core. Head gasket sealer is iffy at best. I and several folks have tried sealer without success. Unfortunately the only real way to fix this is to have a legitimate mechanic (not Midas or a chain) repair it. Good luck
Which engine does your car have? The 2.4L 4-cylinder, or the 3.6L V-6?
If this is a 4-cylinder, I would argue that the car is definitely worth repairing, and that a proper repair could be done for less than $3,000–including replacing the radiator, water pump, all coolant hoses, and chemically flushing the heater core. It does not require removal or replacement of the entire engine, because the cylinder head can be removed and reconditioned (or replaced with a remanufactured head) with the engine still in the car.
In today’s overpriced used car market, it is unlikely you could buy a different used car of comparable quality for less. Sure, you can still buy a “cheap” used car which runs, but it will be very old and high mileage, and/or have cosmetic issues/body damage. It is very likely that any “cheap” used car you could buy would need repairs and/or maintenance which will cost a lot of money unless you can DIY. The “devil you know” is the clear winner here.
If this is a V-6, the engine would have to come out in order to replace the head gaskets, and due to the labor costs involved, a shop might very well recommend replacing the entire engine. This, of course, is not an economical repair–not because the car itself “isn’t worth it”–but because you can buy a decent used car which runs for less. And of course, you would still have the Chrysler 200, which you could sell on Craigslist as a “mechanic special” for $1000 or more to recoup some of the costs.
Th bars lleak did not sal the head gasket but it did s`al the heater core †hus running up the repair bill/. Midas is a Muffler shop and ok for that but it is not a place I would get a head gasket fixed.Look for a local shop that is clogged with cars that you will have to make an appointment at.
Perhaps the shop did its due diligence and performed a complete inspection of the car. Perhaps that $6K figure includes a dash pull to replace a heater core that is now stopped up with Bars Leaks and needs to be replaced. Maybe that quote includes a new radiator as well, and replacement of various “lower end” components. Once an engine has been severely overheated there may be oil consumption or bearing issues that were not present before.
Or maybe the car is just too far gone for a reliable, successful repair to be performed. And rather than just say that, the shop throws out some ridiculously high number to get the customer to take the terminal car somewhere else.
Thank you to everyone who has replied so far. So I drained the system and took out the head gasket sealant that was in my reservoir.
To my surprise the reservoir hose was clogged with some other light brown material not silver. So none of the head gasket sealant got into the system I believe. It is a 2.4 engine.
Does anyone think that flushing the heater core via the hoses will help potentially unclog it before I spend time trying that? Thanks again.
You have nothing to lose in trying to flush the heater core, but you still have a head gasket problem and as others have said probably many more problems. You are in an unfortunate situation and there is no cheap fix
I expect the only long-term solution is a new head gasket. But if I had this problem and willing to take a shot at a quick-and-dirty fix, I’d do a complete drain and flush of the entire cooling system, including the heater core, then add all new coolant, purge any air, then add the product per the instructions to the radiator. I probably wouldn’t try this approach myself, but in OP’s case, might be worth a gamble. OP might stand a better chance of success to ask their shop do this work, rather than take it on as a diy’er attempt. Note that the shop will almost certainly not guarantee that it will do the trick. That would be entirely at your risk.
On a 2014 model? We are still in 2021, so even in the Rust Belt, the car should still be in excellent condition unless it was involved in an accident. You are correct that depending on how many times the engine has been overheated, and how long it was driven while overheated, there could be additional problems (typically high oil consumption due to worn rings/cylinder bores). However, once the engine is disassembled, it should be possible to determine if a head gasket repair is feasible, or if there is additional damage.
I would do the same, and while at it flush the heater core and its hoses while disconnected from the rest of the system.
When you put in the head gasket stuff, put it in the radiator, not the overflow tank (see step 1.) When it says fill the rad and reservoir/overflow to the proper level, that’s with the fresh coolant.
Really? Perhaps one day you should pack a lunch and sit at the door of the shop, watching just what kind of rolling junk comes in and out the door that’s “only” 8 years old.
Last spring I turned away a 6 year old car because of the mold and rotting food on the passenger floorboard. There was a 2012 Prius towed in that I promptly told the customer to tow right out because it was infested with fleas. We see cars with interiors wasted from spilled baby formula and rotting diapers. The dog that chewed up the steering wheel and seat belt didn’t know the car was only 5 years old.
Let’s also take into account that the Chrysler 200 that the OP drives is one of the least long-term reliable cars I can think of. At 8 years old I wouldn’t be surprised to see worn out tie-rods or a failed air conditioner. It’s not just about the engine. I often “pass” on engine repairs where it’s clear the rest of the car is at the end of its useful life.
