Bars leak

[frankerooney]

Just a quick query.  
 What do people think - I've just replaced the headgasket on my 1.8 kjet scirocco. I was a bit concerned about some pitting on one of the water galleries, - should be ok with a decent gasket, but I was wondering if putting some bars leak in the cooling system might help? It obviously wouldn't solve a headgasket leak, but as it's brand new I was thinking maybe the small pits will be filled up by the small bits of (copper?) in the bars leak stuff. Apprently some american car manufacturers put this in their heating systems as standard to head with gasket problems!
Cheers..  

[Dobbs333]

Hiya - I've 'heard' that products like Barrs and Radweld should only really be used in emergenices and for as short a time as poss.  I gather that the products could possibly block up some of the smaller waterways, especially if there's some build-up in the water-ways.

I don't think that the stuff that does the blocking would help with pitting, as it needs to flow thru a hole in order to build up until it blocks the hole - kinda like platelets in the blood (thinking back many years to school biology)  

Is the pitting in such a position that you could use a gasket compound in conjunction with the head gasket?

Cheers,

Dobbs.

[frankerooney]

Oh oh,  too late! I've used a small bottle of radweld in the system - in a way it was a good idea because I had a couple of small "weeps" around certain areas. Don' t think there's enough in the bottle to cause problems..
The pits in the block aren't bad, but you weren't the first person to say use a bit of gasket sealant - went to VW and asked them. But then I read the haynes manual and it said not to. So I just cut my losses and put the head back on! At the moment it seems to be running ok - no water loss and pretty much back to it's old self. I'll wait and see!