any one ever used Blue Devil ...

[Mr.OverKill]

any one ever used Blue Devil engine and cooling system sealant before and if so how did it work? i am asking because my daughters dodge neon has a blown head gaskit and is over heating, not all the time but often enough that it is unreliable and we cant afford the $1200 the shop wants to just do the gaskit let alone the valves and water pump. even more if the head is cracked, like $3K and we bought the car for $2200 a year ago from a buy here pay here lot. i could do the work my self but time is the issue there, i have my DD my wife has her DD and my daughter has the dodge, and needs it for to and from shcool and my wife and i need ours to go to work and back and i only have sat and sun to do the work every week because i am out of town during the week. and dont even suggest the jeep for her to drive for several reasons

1. it is illeagle to drive on the street
2. she cant drive a stick ( and i am too far out of town to drive it even illeagaly)
3. rear drive shaft vibes on the road ( off road i go too slow to get them )
4. and the final kicker the jeep has a radiator leak. ( got that one under control with silver sealer )

ideas and thoughts welcome.

 

[willyb]

Thoughts - Neon's are notorious for this... Is it SOHC or DOHC?? That'll make a difference in the price. There is no temporary fix for this... If you fix it now you may/may not have a head or block thats finished... If you keep driving on it, you will need a complete rebuild and the block and/or head maybe scrap metal at that point...

My opinion... Decide if it's in your budget to fix. If it is, then don't drive it, and fix the dang thing... If you cannot afford the time/money to fix it try to sell it - but be honest...

It is fixable in a weekend, if everything goes well [this is considering you have a garage/shop with adaquate tools, and you have the experience. A lift makes this job - or any for that matter much nicer] and the head and/or block are in good conditions...

How long have you been driving on it with the problem... That might be the deciding factor in this situation... HTH

Will.

 

[old_man]

Neons had a recall or the like for the head gasket problem. The dealer did my daughters 95 for free about a year ago. You just have to know to say it should be covered and stick by your guns. Make sure when they replace the camshaft seal that they add the new designed retainer or the seal will pop out and leak in a few months. Do a web search and take the pages in with you.

 

[bajacalal]

Never have used the stuff but the customers who buy it at Napa swear by it and say its worth the $50+ dollar/bottle price. I generally distrust those "fix in a bottle" items though. $1300 sounds high to just have a head gasket redone on yer basic SOHC fwd engine. I would try what old_man said first.

 

[Dingo509]

I worked at a dodge dealership for 3 years and have seen enough to know there is no cheap fix. Either fix the head gasket now or the head gasket and head later. $1200 seems high thought. IIRC the head gasket set was about $250 that leaves alot of room for a better price. If you're feeling gutsy catch on of the techs after work and ask if he has any reccomendations on who should do it. Some of them will say they can do it. trust me it will be alot cheaper. Remember that any Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler dealer can get the parts so shop around there too. We have seperate dealers for a 3 line in my town and the price varies by about 20% between the three for the same P/N!

Good luck

Dingo