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MG MGF Technical - hgf bodging

After a long and hard think about whether to repair or scrap the beast after a likely HGF ( a slow innie one thats been developing over a couple of hundred miles/few weeks) I've came down on the side of repair & sort out water pump, cambelt and lots of other odds & ends too. This was only because i'm chasing my losses after around 3K in repairs/maintenance over the 18 months i've owned it...the HG repair & extras will prob take this to 4k! It must surely pay me back eventually... surely!

with rock bottom residuals we must be at the point that a HGF will effectively write off an elderly F in poor nick.

With this in mind, and acknowledging all of the perfectly good reasons NOT to do it, has any careful thought been given, tests made or detailed analysis of whether Bars leaks Liquid HGF repair (or similar) would provide a DIY way of keeping an F on its last legs out of the scrapyard for a year or two. (especially for these slow innie types - water into oil, might even be inlet manifold gasket)
http://www.barsproducts.com/product.cfm?id=41
clearly i decided not to... but if/when it happens again...
Just a thought (helmet donned)
james
J LEWIS

I wouldn't.

The bars stopleak is designed to close pinholes in radiators, when a HGF happens in an F it is usually due to the elastomer seal moving and allowing coolant into the sump or outside world. What might be of interest is 4life coolant which apparently does not pressurize and as such would put less pressure on the seal, however it would enhance the pressure difference between the oil gally and the water jacket, so you might just end up back where you started!
Will Munns

Repairs:

Blown Head Gaskets
Cracked Heads & Blocks
Porosity Seepage
Intake Gasket Leaks

not the same stuff as Radweld.

4Life is interesting... Is that the same stuff as MR2's use?
surely it must pressurise - otherwise it would defy the laws of physics (thermal expansion)
J
J LEWIS

As Will says it won,t seal around the gasket seal on a water/oil mix hgf.
When my H G went the garage put in 2 lots of this so called sealing compound ,don,t know which type but it was said to be pro stuff .
It sealed the leak for 10 miles...enough to get me home.
When i saw the head gasket seal that had gone when i got the repair done there was no way it would seal it for long imho.
Mel..
m e johnson

Thanks for the opinions... I'm similarly sceptical, yet intrigued..

"contains a blend of Aramid and refractory fibers giving the strength of a bullet-proof vest and the heat resistance of fire-proof clothing. As these particles penetrate a crack or the blown head gasket area, they lock together and bond forming a hard ceramic type seal. Works effectively on cast iron or aluminum blocks & heads."

I'm guessing that there must be some evidence the stuff works or they wouldn't be able to sell it.

You do read about some amazing advances in chemical/materials engineering - especially in an academic context,

I dont know what refactory fibers are by aramids are kevlar group so it sound like seriously strong stuff.

Mel, were there any untoward effects on other parts of the engine (was it harmless?)

J LEWIS

>I'm guessing that there must be some evidence the stuff
>works or they wouldn't be able to sell it.

Halfords still sell Slick50

http://www.ftc.gov/os/decisions/docs/vol124/FTC_VOLUME_DECISION_124_(JULY_-_DECEMBER_1997)PAGES_503-601.pdf

Scroll to page 66


being able to block a small hole is significantly different to blocking a 0.5mm deep opening. If the thing can stop coolant out of the side of the engine, how can you be sure it won't block the thermostat, the bleed valve, the heater matrix etc.

>I dont know what refactory fibers are by aramids are
>kevlar group so it sound like seriously strong stuff.

Yup, just enough science you understand to keep you interested, and then a load of boswolox you don't understand, typical FUD
Will Munns

James,
Without any specific knowledge, I add my scepticism to those already expressing it for use in an F.
1. Any thing that sounds too good to be true invariably is. Remember the 'third way'!!/free lunches etc!
2. Running old cars is expensive even if they were well designed/built at the time.:o(
3. When it is nearly all working properly and the sun is nearly out, it is still the most fun at a reasonable price on the road by a long way.
4. You didn't buy it for transporting your mother in law at low cost ad infinitum.
5. The irreplaceable social support of your fellow victims is humerous and priceless.
6. It will get better, eventually.......
Go and have a word with the bank manager - you will probably regret it either way.:o)
Best wishes,
Charles
C.R.B. Simeon

The interesting thing is that is seems that in Mels case it DID block the leak and it didn't block anything untoward. this was the sort of information I was after...
The questionmark remains one of longevity, but if it survives a few thermal cycles and is chemically akin to a ceramic... The gasket is after all engineered as a weak point - I see no scientific reason why a kevlar/ceramic bonded section should be weaker?.
Remember the advanced materials research of the 80's & 90'S is now reaching consumers
J LEWIS

Hi, in my case the f was dumping most of it,s water into the oil after only 3 or 4 miles and the oil was white like melted ice cream.
The gaket had gone on the inner seal.
The amount they put in it was not surprising that it stoped for a while it was a mess of oil and grey sealing compound when it was stripped down.
From what the garage said (they thought it was a cracked liner)the compound they used should have bought me a month or so time to make a decision about a new engine.
It was however the inner gasket seal and not the liner so it didn,t last.
I have heard of other,s using these type of fix,s on rad leaks cracked liners etc.. and from what i,ve read they can buy you some time on some leaks but are not a permanent fix.
If the gasket seal is already pushed out of place inwards in my case,i can,t see how it would re seal it as the sealing ring has broken/moved away from where it should be ?
However it did work for a while ,the garage drove it untill it had cycled ,i presume to harded or whatever i drove 10 miles and the oil was still clean.
However the water level dropped from the exspansion tank when the car was stood in the garage for a few days and as soon as i topped it up and started the f it was dumping water in the oil again .
Mel
m e johnson

Thanks for the details Mel,
James
J LEWIS

This thread was discussed between 09/01/2007 and 11/01/2007

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