Dura-seal vs. Bar Leaks

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ericthepig

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I have an '06 Mazda 6 which apparently has a very slow coolant leak into the engine oil. Last two UOAs showed inexplicable trace sodium which Blackstone warned may be from coolant. I am also losing 12 to 16oz coolant per 12 to 15k miles. So to be safe, I am considering a sealant.

The only two recognizable names to me are Dura-seal and Bar Leaks. Does one of these trump the other in technology and results?

Thanks!
 
I'm not a huge fan of the sealers... but either should get you buy... It's like dumping a bottle of pellets suspended in oil...

[censored], even ford OEM has their own version of this stuff, so I guess the car makers aren't afraid of it.

Most everyone makes this stuff in one form or another... and they are all very similar. I have used Bar's successfuly on our "Rag" work cars. On tiny leaks it works. If the coolant is seeping into the engine, that worries me much more than it making a puddle on the ground. I wouldn't worry if it were a puddle on the ground.
 
I am a big fan of Bars Leaks Heavy Duty Stop leak with the pellets in it. That stuff works! If it doesn't work, you have major cooling system issues.
 
Thanks for all the info. Focusing now on Bar Leaks. Question - my leak is apparently very slow (as stated in OP) - it seems a leak could be so slow that this stuff wouldn't make it to the correct location. Any worries here? Can a leak be so slow that this stuff wouldn't find it?
 
This is getting mind boggling, especially when my Mazda 6 engine may be at stake.

There's the Barz Leak Head Gasket Repair for $9.99. Barz Leak Head Gasket Fix for $30.00. Seal-a-gasket for $30.00 (description reads almost word for word the same as Dura-seal), and Dura-Seal for $70.

Gads.
 
As the coolant is going into the oil and not external into the air products that contain ginger root as their main ingredient probably wont work very well.
These would include the GM tabs, bars leak gold, and a few others, ginger root is the best sealers there is when exposed to air but will not expand in oil or in the absence of air.

I dont know if would want metalic compounds going into the oil either. IMO your best bet is to bite the bullit and fix it.
 
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Flushed the system today and put in SuperTech Extended Life (50/50). The stuff turned out to be green - thus I'm a bit spooked since Mazda says NO SILICATES. Looking on the web, I think color coding is no longer used for silicate vs non-Sil. So I think I'm ok.

Also bought Barz Leaks Head Gasket Fix ($30 at AAP). Haven't put it in yet. I want to call (Monday) their tech support and make sure it's "high tech universal compatible silicates" (my phrase) are compatible with my "no silicate" system. Finding info on any of this has been tough. I put in search criteria in google, and THIS BITOG thread is one of the view things that pop up that's no a commercial for product. Ugh.
 
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I read this in their FAQ.

Quote:
I accidently added the Bar’s Leaks Head Gasket Fix into my engine oil, what
should I do?
Bar’s Leaks Head Gasket Fix is only designed to be added to the cooling system. If the product is
installed in the engine oil and the engine has not been started, in many cases you can remove the
valve cover and drain the oil leaving the drain plug off. Then use an engine flush washing out the
head keeping special attention to the oil return holes that run down to the oil pan. Clean these out
and pour the engine flush down these holes flushing everything into the oil pan and out the drain
hole. If the engine has been run, you need to take the vehicle to have a professional mechanic
evaluate what can be done to clean the inside of the engine. This might include taking the engine
apart to clean all of the parts.


It sounds deadly if any got into the oil, i would ask them if this product is suitable for coolant to oil leaks and what amount of the product is tolerable if it does get into the oil with coolant.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I read this in their FAQ.

Quote:
I accidently added the Bar’s Leaks Head Gasket Fix into my engine oil, what
should I do?
Bar’s Leaks Head Gasket Fix is only designed to be added to the cooling system. If the product is
installed in the engine oil and the engine has not been started, in many cases you can remove the
valve cover and drain the oil leaving the drain plug off. Then use an engine flush washing out the
head keeping special attention to the oil return holes that run down to the oil pan. Clean these out
and pour the engine flush down these holes flushing everything into the oil pan and out the drain
hole. If the engine has been run, you need to take the vehicle to have a professional mechanic
evaluate what can be done to clean the inside of the engine. This might include taking the engine
apart to clean all of the parts.


It sounds deadly if any got into the oil, i would ask them if this product is suitable for coolant to oil leaks and what amount of the product is tolerable if it does get into the oil with coolant.


Adding it to the oil can be a very costly mistake.
 
Trav, you've added to list of things to be spooked about. Whatever happened to simplicity. It really has been discouraging trying to research this. I've spent quite a bit of time on google - concerning Barz, Dura-seal, Seal-a-gasket, etal - their use in a Mazda engines, their use.. period, etc. Very little data to find. Perhaps I've delved into an area of snake oil.
 
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You know, the Barz is called "Head Gasket Fix". So they're assuming you're using it for intrusion into oil type of leaks. I guess if it fails, then it can fail in more ways than one.
 
Might not be a head gasket it could be a intake gasket leak. I would try tightening up the corner intake bolts first, just give them each a 1/16th of a turn...usually when a intake gasket starts leaking it is on one of the corners. If that don't fix it I personally would tear it down and fix it right, could be a cracked head, warped head, head gasket, ect.

Mechanic in a bottle is for $200 beater cars not your daily driver!
 
Quote:
So they're assuming you're using it for intrusion into oil type of leaks


One could assume that to be case.
Lots of assuming going on here don't you think?

I honestly have no idea if it will work or not but they seem adamant about keeping this stuff away from oil.
All i can say it i would definitely call them with some specific questions before risking any further damage.
 
Talked to Barz tech support - apparently only one guy ("he's on the phone, would you like to hold")

Everything is a go on using Barz Head Gasket Fix in a (non-silicate) Mazda engine. He was confident of it's efficacy and safety (quoted "millions of cars in the test pool").

He stated there could be trace intrusion into oil at time of fix. But I'm sumping this flush fill soon anyway.

I understand the poster above stating don't use in primary vehicle. There was a day when I would always follow this advice. But with one income and five dependents that are increasing in expense (and the Mazda 6 cv joints are clicking) - I'm hemmed in to where I'll likely spin the cylinder and put the gun to my engine block. I'm fairly confident that 1/2 bottle of this stuff isn't going to take down my engine.
 
Despite the horror stories that these threads always bring out I've used Barr's stop leaks in many of my jalopies over the years and never had anything other than success with them. Granted the head gasket is taking it to another level but what's the worse that could go wrong? It's already in bad shape and maybe it gets you through enough pay periods to have better options than where you're at now.
 
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