I’m pretty sure I have a blown head gasket. I have white smoke coming out of exhaust and the oil is brownish in color indicating radiator fluid is leaking into engine. The car has over 200K on it. I purchased Steel Seal. The guy I talked to from Steel Seal said if radiator fluid is dirty (which it is)than I should flush radiator before using product. Can anyone tell me if I’m doing the right thing? I don’t have money to replace the gasket and I don’t have money for a new car right now. Can this be a fix that gets me through a couple months? I appreciate anyone’s help.
Normally the answer would be no-no-no – this is no way to fix a car.
But its an Elantra with 200K on it & probably not worth the trouble.
So give it a whirl. Do not expect any miracles. That way, if you get a miracle you can just be thrilled but don’t have to be too bummed out if it doesn’t help.
Follow whatever the Steel Seal character said to do. You can probably also find stories about stuff like this on YouTube.
It may be worth calling around to local shops asking what it would take to get a used/junk yard engine into the car.
I don’t think anyone can give you a definite answer on this one. Automotive chemicals like Steel Seal are hit or miss. I’m sure there are people on this site that think they’re garbage and others that would state it bought them some time. In your case, it sounds like you’ve got nothing to lose. I would definitely flush the radiator first.
Give it a try. What have you got to lose? Your engine is likely beyond repair anyway. With over 200K on it, a repair shop wouldn’t just replace head gaskets, they’d recommend complete teardown and overhaul. The economical thing to do would be an engine transplant with a good used unit. Short of that, try the sealer.