Author Topic: Rad stop leak (Read 3058 times)

saint_satan · « **on:** January 21, 2005, 11:03:55 am »

During the horrendously cold weather I have been noticing a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit of coolant steam coming from my Jeep. If I smell hard, I can detect a coolant smell. I haven't noticed any drawdown of the rad or the reservoir and there is no sign of dampness and the rad, hoses and no sign of coolant in the snow. I suspect I have a pin hole leak in my rad or tank or a leaky hose. Maybe in the cold weather as eveything contracts there is some seeping going on. I will have it pressure tested tomorrow but my Father recommends I use stop leak pucks available from GM if it is a small hole. He has been told that they are used from the factory as an additive to coolant and they are very effective in fixing miniscule leaks. He has used them with great success but he drives old junk with 300,000km and if there is a danger that it could effect my cooling system, I might take a pass.

Does anybody have any knowledge of these products? Is this stuff safe to use? In the worst case scenario it seems a waste to replace a rad with a mega-small pinhole if this stuff might work...

mrthompson · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2005, 11:23:01 am »

My wife's car has a small coolant leak that seems to be made worse by the cold weather, just as what you describe. There are no signs of dampness, but every so often I have to top up the reservoir. December 19th we had a drop in temperature with severe windchill. That day I drove the car around town without any problems. However, that night as I left to pick up my wife from work, the low coolant light came on. It was down a full litre of coolant so I topped it up. It seems to be fine now. The cold snap seems to have made the coolant leak worse than normal.

Sorry, I haven't tried any stop leak additives. Just thought I would relate my story.

saint_satan · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2005, 11:33:47 am »

Mr. T:

In the year I've owned this thing I have added about 500ml to the reservior. Not because it was leaking but because it appeared CT didn't put enough fluid in it after my rad flush in March. The fluid levels floats between Full Hot and Full Cold as it should. I figured that a new rad or tank might be overkill if this product works and won't plug up my heater core or ruin my waterpump. Maybe needs a seal along a lose crip? (hoping)

Like I said before, my Dad tells me the GM "Pucks" are excellent and are actually added to the vehicles as they leave the factory (it is hard to completely seal engines). I am, however, a little more cautious about how I treat my 2001 with 142K than I would be if I was driving his '94 Explorer with 300K

mrthompson · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2005, 11:40:38 am »

Hopefully Barrie1 or Articsteve will chime in soon with their advice.

If you aren't confident in using the stop leak, keep an eye on your coolant level and see if any drips in the snow appear.

safristi · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2005, 12:18:08 pm »

Any loss of fluids(unintenional ,of course) demands immediate attention..Nuff Said..

mrthompson · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2005, 12:35:01 pm »

It

's on the situation, Saffy.

safristi · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2005, 12:49:05 pm »

mrthompson · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2005, 12:52:10 pm »

...

Airing (heiring?) out your dirty laundry, Saf?

barrie1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2005, 01:10:18 pm »

This may be the cause of the rad itself as some of these newer rads like to be down to a certain level. On the GM's with a cross flow radiator they always are down about 4-6" beneath the cap level. They loose it out of the overflow. If you have a leak in the rad you should be able to see the moist area upon close inspection. If not and there's no anti-freeze in your oil then I suspect this is the cause. The GM cubes are a very good product and do work well. They do no damage unless you use way too much.

saint_satan · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2005, 01:27:55 pm »

Thanks, Barrie:

My oil level doesn't change one way or the other between oil changes so it is not a head gasket leak (and I don't burn a drop of oil either).

It was just a very little steam coming from the tank area. I didn't see any wet areas on the rad but it was pretty darn cold. Again, there is no discernable drop in coolant levels either. It was cold (-30)and there was a little bit a steam - I took a smell and smelled coolant.

Are you suggesting that it may be designed to do this?

slybry · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2005, 05:15:19 pm »

I do not think there are any magic cures in a bottle. I would worry about product clogging up more than just the leak you wanted fixed.

A once asked a garage to flush my rad and instead he put in some sort of magic antifreeze extender (without talking to me). This crap ended up screwing up my thermostat and wrecked all my hoses.

I do not want to see any more magic in my car.

Like said before you car is a 2001. Not old enough to risk more trouble with cheap fix.

articsteve · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2005, 07:27:58 pm »

Saint: Bars Leak claim that their product is in 80% of all domestic production at the factory. Bars leak is good on water pump seals and bearings. Maybe Bars Leak maunfactures those GM cubes mentioned here.

Other stop leak products that are in dry form have metal particles in them and you should always try and pinch off you heater hoses so that the stuff doesn't get into the heater core first. Although, it will eventually get there.

Saint, the older Cherokees had fluid overflow tanks that would eventually just split in half. I don't know what they used in 2001, but the earlier ones were 100% guaranteed to leak.

I have bars leak in everyone of my vehicles.

(Message edited by articsteve on January 21, 2005)

barrie1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2005, 09:45:52 pm »

These are 2 different products and not made by the same Company. Bars Leak is made from Corn and its byproducts in Chatham Ontario. The other little cubes are made elsewhere and by a seperate company. Used in proper moderation they can do a very good job. If you use too much then you plug everything up and only do a cheap temparaly fix. To me its fix it right now or pay more later. Your Choice.

articsteve · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2005, 11:32:00 pm »

I always have a bottle of Bars Leak on hand. I justed use one at Xmas. It worked or I would have been going nowhere. The bottle says made in U.S.A.

here is the link to the company:

http://www.barsproducts.com/origin.html

ericthejet · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2005, 11:28:09 am »

MY upper rad hose had a slight drip this week with the cold snap we have been going thru. The coolant level has remained the same since I bought the car 4 years ago. I change the coolant every 72000k. I try to avoid any additives as I prefer straight coolant. I have never had a problem with my cooling system, luck and maintanece I guess. It is my understanding that a proper flush every 4-5 years will do wonders for the cooling system. My 2 cents.

saint_satan · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2005, 12:00:28 pm »

Thanks for the advice folks,

The pressure test revealed a small leak in the rad. I had it replaced for $450. I plan to keep the Jeep for awhile and being a 2001 with only 142K I decided not to mess with it. If it was a 1991 with 300K+ I probably would have been less fussy. It is the only major repair I've made the year. My non-maintenace repair bills for this year is now only $850 including the rad (Throttle Position sensor, Evap line leak and broken hood cable). Besides I bought the Jeep wholesale ($12500 tax in) so I can't be too cheap, I guess.

Thanks folks

articsteve · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2005, 01:18:39 pm »

The newer models now have plastic tanks attached to both sides of the cooling fins instead of the usual metal tanks. Here in lies the problem. These plastic tanks are crimped on and not sodered.

They do tend to leak even right out of the box. Lite weight and cost reduction = problems. I had a plastic tank unit go on my 95 525. I tried Bars Leak but not 100% stopped. Ordered a new OEM and dropped it in. Week later it was leaking out of one of the seams at the plastic tank. Got another one and it was good.

However, I have had great luck on my Porsche which was over 3 years ago. It has plastic tanks. Saab as well, but that was less than a month ago. 78 Dodge at least 10 years ago and still holding. My experince is once Bars Leak gets into the leak and stops it, that is it for that particular spot. It won't leak again in that spot.

Bars Leak will not work on head gaskets. For that you need a product called "Irontite". It's miracle stuff, but doesn't work on rads.

Saint; keep your old one it may come in handy.

barrie1 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2005, 08:54:05 pm »

Bars leak is out of the US now, sounds like the original inventor from Chatham Ont has sold out his rights to this product. He created it in the beginning in his garage at home.

articsteve · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2005, 11:21:56 pm »

They are in Michigan so that is pretty close to Chatham. Hope he got enough cash for it because it is one widely used product.

barrie1 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2005, 11:55:56 pm »

I used to pick it up by the truck load at his shop in Chatham years ago. I would imagine he received a good dollar for the formula and business. Definitely a good product.