stop leak
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 74
Likes: 10
From: Pennslvania
stop leak
I noticed some antifreeze coolant on my garage floor - not much but it seems to leak after I shut off the van and the pressure increases somewhat - after carefully looking for the leak I think I have a small leak at the botttom of the radiator - I was wondering if it was safe to use one of the stop leak products on the market - I don't want to clog up the system by using some kind of stop leak - I wonder what you guys think - anyone have successfully stopped a small leak - thank you
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,534
Likes: 2,664
From: Near Salt Lake City
Your heater core will possibly suffer if you use stop leak
I'd rather see you replace the radiator
That said, Bars Leak works well and GM sells pellets over the counter to put in their vehicles
Jmac Radiator (now 1-800 Radiator) has bulletins discussing the GM pellets and the damage they cause
I'd rather see you replace the radiator
That said, Bars Leak works well and GM sells pellets over the counter to put in their vehicles
Jmac Radiator (now 1-800 Radiator) has bulletins discussing the GM pellets and the damage they cause
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,414
Likes: 10
From: Thornhill , Ontario
Manicmechanic is 100 % on this .... I only used it in an Emergency ...I think it was the Barrs ...worked but I had to flush the block and replace the Heater core because it was full of crap ( and OLD ) .... I would keep driving it and Monitor the leak to check actual amount it leaks ...make sure it is not the Hoses or a loose clamp....Then rebuild or replace the Rad...
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,254
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
An altenative to using that trash aka "Barr's Leak Stop" or its variants is drain the radiator, thoroughly clean and dry the observed leak area before properly applying a known good product externally like JB Weld for the time being. At some point the entire radiator will need replaced which can be done as the budget or time permits.
That crap "stop leak" is mostly problems waiting to happen, more commonly used as a stop gap way to pawn off a used vehicle on an unsuspecting buyer.
That crap "stop leak" is mostly problems waiting to happen, more commonly used as a stop gap way to pawn off a used vehicle on an unsuspecting buyer.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,564
Likes: 5,601
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i agree 1000% with all the above comments.
the ONLY stop leak i will use is blue Devil, and i only use that for a weeping head gasket.
and even that is a stop gap only until i can fix it properly.
the ONLY stop leak i will use is blue Devil, and i only use that for a weeping head gasket.
and even that is a stop gap only until i can fix it properly.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,677
Likes: 172
I bought my son a 94 regal and shortly after it started running a bit rough on a hot start up. coolant block test indicated exhaust gas in the coolant. Also the radiator had some brownish gunk in it. We did not think about it being stop leak at the time. We bulled the cylinder heads off and sent them to a shop where they were cleaned and tested and checked out as good. It turned out to be the plastic intake. But the heads were cleaned, the intake was new, and we installed new hoses and radiator. The only stop leak crud that was left was in the block and heater core. Last year my son took the radiator to a shop to have it flushed because it was starting to appear clogged in some areas.. I think the only way to remove that stuff would require basically rebuilding the engine. There would be no point in pulling the engine to have it vatted and not rebuilding it!
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mibson
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