# Steel seal , does it really fix a head gasket **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** plymouth\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270 "2009-02-10T00:04:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wallyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@wallyd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wallyd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/1 "2009-02-10T00:04:11Z")
i own a 98 plymouth grand voyager , i noticed a leak of antifreeze from the head . does products like steel seal really work? ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/2 "2009-02-10T01:00:21Z")
A leak from the head or the head gasket? Big difference when it comes to getting educated answers. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/3 "2009-02-10T01:52:42Z")
If it really did work, I don’t think you would see all those head gasket replacements done. Edit: I should have noted that a number of materials may help in a head gasket situation, but they are not a proper fix and any real head gasket fix is to replace it while checking to make sure the mating surfaces are flat. In the case of a old marginal car, I might give them a try. I don’t know which ones are better than others, so if Tester says it is one of the better ones and he uses it, I would consider that a good endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/4 "2009-02-10T02:12:00Z")
This stuff is just sodium silicate, ie: Water Glass/Liquid Glass, (look it up). And it does work. Only these guy’s figured out how to market it with a fancy name, and charging three times what it would cost to purchase a bottle of the stuff from a chemical company or pharmacy. As a matter of fact, there’s a vehicle in the shop with a blown head gasket right now. And it’s not worth the price to replace the head gasket. So, the sodium silicate’s going into the cooling system to stop the leak. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/5 "2009-02-11T23:08:47Z")
Just to let everyone know, the sodium silicate stopped the head gasket leak. No more overheating, no steam/water out of the tail pipe. I called the local pharmacy and they ordered up a pint on the stuff for $20.00. Much cheaper than the Steel Seal. So if anyone has a head/head gasket/block coolant leak, and the vehicle’s not worth the price to repair it properly, and you need to get back on the road long enough to get a replacement vehicle, this is the way to go. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. Tester ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/6 "2009-02-12T14:13:22Z")
That’s pretty interesting Tester, thanks for the info. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![amoeba2315](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@amoeba2315](https://community.cartalk.com/u/amoeba2315)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/7 "2009-02-21T09:13:38Z")
Hi I was wonder what specific brand did you get from the pharmacy, or at least the specs. I was looking for sodium silicate, and I get questions on what type do i want. like this link [http://cquestchem.com/sodiumsilicate.html](http://cquestchem.com/sodiumsilicate.html) is there a difference. Also does it depend on how bad the blown head gasket to the variables in that link. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/8 "2009-02-21T13:52:32Z")
Tester, What Do You Suppose The Residual Stuff Is Doing To The Cooling System? ---
**Author:** ![Dustmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@Dustmouse](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dustmouse)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/9 "2009-02-21T15:38:58Z")
There are lots of different brands - most of them are around 10-20 dollars where I live - gunk has one too. I’ve heard to use it properly you should drain your antifreeze, then refill with water and the silicate, then drive for awhile 500miles, then drain and refill with usual antifreeze mix. I may have to try it as I have a 10 year old van and its not worth a 1,000 job. What I am wondering is, can you tell if its been done before by the previous owner? And are there some problems you shouldn’t use it on? I am thinking of getting a coolant pressure check to see exactly what’s wrong, but I’m worried this will put pressure on the old cooling system and make it worse. Trouble is, where I live its not going to be above freezing enough till about another month (or two). ---
**Author:** ![kwg2005](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/0ea827/32.png) [@kwg2005](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kwg2005)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/10 "2009-09-21T17:55:07Z")
Hi Tester. I read your posts and you seem very knowledgible. Would this Sodium Silicate be a long term solution, or would it eventually fail? Also, is there any procedure in putting it in a car? Do I just add it to the coolant, or do i drain out the coolant first, then put it in? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![ulysses01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/74df32/32.png) [@ulysses01](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ulysses01)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/steel-seal-does-it-really-fix-a-head-gasket/26270/12 "2011-02-27T00:16:45Z")
approximately how long does this “temp” fix last? and is there risk of it creating a bigger problem within the engine? my only vehicle has a bad leak, and being a single parent, i can’t just drop the money and time to get it fixed right now. thank you very much.