I know I need to replace my catalytic converter... probably due to slow coolant leak through my head gasket that I found after buying my truck 7 years ago. Because of my high mileage, mechanics are quoting prices that are higher than what I paid for the truck. What are your thoughts on sealant products like this: K&W Permanent Metallic Block Seal I'm just looking for something that will allow me to continue driving my truck. I don't need for it to look beautiful. If none of these products are recommended, I may just install the new cat and O2 sensors for my California smog check and then remove them and replace them with the old parts, till I repeat the process 2 years on with the next required smog check. Please share your thoughts on this.

 

Correct me if I am wrong:
7 years driving the truck with leaking head gasket, and you want to replace the bad cat temporally to be able to pass the smog check, and after that install the bad one back... and repeat that every 2 years...
Replace yourself the head gasket!

 

I will always say fix things the correct way but I have been poor and eating road kill myself sometimes we just need to do what we can to keep a vehicle alive.

There is one good sealer ( Blue Devil ??) it is about $60.00 a quart it is used by the School District to keep buses in service till the summer when things are slow enough to pull things apart.

if your going this direction take the heater core out of the cooling system or it will be blocked .

Follow directions 100% any coolant left in the system will cause most sealers to fail.

These have gotten much better in the last 20 years as compared with 40 years go.

One does what you need to.

 

Being in my 70s and not having another vehicle to drive, it no longer makes sense for me to do something this major. After all, who knows what I'd find... and then I'd be stuck.

I lose very little coolant, but I read that can lead to a cat failure. I talked with a mechanic, and he stated the problem is oil, not coolant, but he feels I've gotten more than my share of miles from my cat. I never need to add oil between oil changes. Considering this is the original cat, and I have almost 220K miles on it, maybe I should just replace the cat every 6 years and not bother with the sealer or saving the cat for just the required smog tests. I've been quoted a minimum of $2500 to do the head gasket.

 

I see, I understand your point now, a new cat for the smog check and re-install the old one after that makes sense. But I would keep the new one in the truck. Other option is clean the catalytic converter as Scotty does, maybe it works:

 

Try G2P

Guaranteed to Pass. It’s an in tank cleaner. It was my go to quick solution when I was a PA state inspector.


This stuff

 

How does this differ from the Amsoil Power Foam and Redline Complete Fuel System Cleaner I use before every smog test?

 

I can’t speak of the Amsoil additives, but I have had success with G2P on vehicles that I couldn’t pass normally, tune-ups, timing tweaks, etc.