I ised Stop Leak for a leaking pump

[JcsMI]

It will be a week before I can take my water pump in for replacement. When I bought this truck over a month ago the heat did not work well. When I checked the fluid it ended up taking almost an entire jug of antifreeze. Then the jeat was strong. Recently the leak which I thought was a hose got very bad. It was dripping steadily even when the truck was off. It turned out to he the water pump. I orderwd the part. I used Stop Leak and the leak has stopped. But now my heater is luke warm. Also it doesn't let me add alot of fluid. Either the fluid is low or the stop leak clogged the heater core. Or I don't know. I'd like to have the hest work but the leak was too bad to let it alone until next week. I guess I'll try to see if I can add more coolant as I think it may be low and that the stop leak is preventing it all from
going in at once. It lost a lot before I knew it was my truck. It does not overheat at all. Again it was almost a while jug low when I bought it. I know stop leak is frowned upon but it did stop the leak hopefully until next week when I can heat the pump serviced.

 

[crash68]

I used Stop Leak and the leak has stopped. But now my heater is luke warm. Also it doesn't let me add alot of fluid. Either the fluid is low or the stop leak clogged the heater core.

StopLeak is intended for small leaks unfortunately it doesn't know the difference between an actual leak and the small passageways in heater cores and radiators.

 

[EdGs]

When you added the antifreeze, what kind/brand did you add?

Your info shows a 2010, so I believe that is the HOAT coolant (sorry I don't have the part# for it). Hopefully others will chime in on this.

If anything else was used, there is a risk of the coolants gelling up.

Hopefully the shop will clean out the entire cooling system and fill with proper coolant. Wishing you a complete and lasting fix. Keep us posted.

 

[jws123]

stop leak = You will most likely now need to replace the radiator and possible heater core once your leak is fixed best of luck.

 

[BLUEDERANGO]

Please people,,, "Stop Leak" is an emergency band aid,, all it's going to do is plug up everything and just compound any cooling system issue you may encounter. Also of course is using the specified type of coolant, they don't mix.
We see these stories all the time, a simple repair is turned into a nightmare for so many.....

 

[PVilefort]

In my experience, StopLeak did not stop a radiator leak from a rock thrown up into the radiator. What did stop it permanently was 4 off us in the group buying chewing gum and chewing like hell and then putting the already been chewed (ABC) gum over the cracked and partly split tube and let the radiator get hot. The leak stopped and when we stopped for gas later, the gum had hardened and the radiator never leaked again.
Ten years later the radiator was recored and the gum could not be removed.
With modern vehicles that may be a problem because of the AC condenser in front of the radiator.

 

[seems fishy]

Only time to use stop leak is if you are selling your vehicle to someone you hate

 

[Burla]

You would be surprised how many new vehicles use stop leak before anyone ever buys them and nobody ever knows about it.

 

[Mojo88]

You would be surprised how many new vehicles use stop leak before anyone ever buys them and nobody ever knows about it.

That would suck, no doubt. But.... if it's indeed 'new', then warranty should cover the eventual repairs.

 

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

You would be surprised how many new vehicles use stop leak before anyone ever buys them and nobody ever knows about it.

My father purchased a new 1985 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with the 4.1L V-8 engine. This was his first Cadillac, as he had always bought Chevrolet and Oldsmobile autos.

The engine overheated within a week and the dealer suspected the water pump - requiring a water pump change and new bolts according to a GM TSB (at the selling dealer).

The engine overheated soon after my father got the car back. The dealer removed the engine and sent it back to GM for inspection and repair (per GM’s instructions).

GM determined the engine had defective head gaskets, causing the overheat condition.

When he got the vehicle back, the dealer told him they installed the repaired engine and added four special stop-leak tablets to the coolant that GM recommended (GM product). He was advised to add the tablets every engine coolant change. The GM stop leak tablets were tan and round (about the diameter of a quarter) and about 3/4” tall - they came four to a pack. The dealer gave him an extra pack of tablets.

Soon after that, my father sold his Cadillac and never purchased another one.

 

[Burla]

My father purchased a new 1985 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with the 4.1L V-8 engine. This was his first Cadillac, as he had always bought Chevrolet and Oldsmobile autos.

The engine overheated within a week and the dealer suspected the water pump - requiring a water pump change and new bolts according to a GM TSB (at the selling dealer).

The engine overheated soon after my father got the car back. The dealer removed the engine and sent it back to GM for inspection and repair (per GM’s instructions).

GM determined the engine had defective head gaskets, causing the overheat condition.

When he got the vehicle back, the dealer told him they installed the repaired engine and added four special stop-leak tablets to the coolant that GM recommended (GM product). He was advised to add the tablets every engine coolant change. The GM stop leak tablets were tan and round (about the diameter of a quarter) and about 3/4” tall - they came four to a pack. The dealer gave him an extra pack of tablets.

Soon after that, my father sold his Cadillac and never purchased another one.

Yeah Caddy's were the worst offenders in my knowledge base and those tablets were ginger root. To fix a small issue of leaky hoses in production they risked engines. Most never knew about it, but others like your example there ya go. GM said they were "natural" and had a OEM part number for it. Sad buy the best of the best and a 10 cent tablet can ruin it. My pops was a caddy guy as well, although he never bought anything else. Couldn't afford food, but he was always in a caddy.

 

[Slinge]

Mopar # 04318005 stop leak tabs

 

[mdc1990zr1]

My father purchased a new 1985 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with the 4.1L V-8 engine. This was his first Cadillac, as he had always bought Chevrolet and Oldsmobile autos.

The engine overheated within a week and the dealer suspected the water pump - requiring a water pump change and new bolts according to a GM TSB (at the selling dealer).

The engine overheated soon after my father got the car back. The dealer removed the engine and sent it back to GM for inspection and repair (per GM’s instructions).

GM determined the engine had defective head gaskets, causing the overheat condition.

When he got the vehicle back, the dealer told him they installed the repaired engine and added four special stop-leak tablets to the coolant that GM recommended (GM product). He was advised to add the tablets every engine coolant change. The GM stop leak tablets were tan and round (about the diameter of a quarter) and about 3/4” tall - they came four to a pack. The dealer gave him an extra pack of tablets.

Soon after that, my father sold his Cadillac and never purchased another one.

I had that engine in a 1984 Seville. It was an aluminum block with cast iron heads. There was a TSB on the intake gasket. I had that done by Kmart of all places. Those pellets were crushed walnut shells if I remember correctly. I even used those pellets in a 5.4L Ford with a leaking gasket. I was leaving a trail of white smoke behind the truck. Put the pellets in and I watched the smoke dwindle to nothing. Lasted a year or so before I had to give it another dose. Gave that truck to my metal scrappers and told him about the problem and what I did, and he’s still running the truck by adding more pellets periodically. He works the truck pretty hard and runs it up and down the east coast from Pennsylvania to Florida.

 

[yogibear18]

Not a legit Mopar part number?

 

[Slinge]

Mopar parts giant
Leakstop 04318005

 

[RamDiver]

Pardon Our Interruption

https://parts.moparonlineparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-sealer-4318005

https://www.canadamoparparts.ca/oem-parts/mopar-sealer-4318005

.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Pardon Our Interruption

View attachment 584396

https://parts.moparonlineparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-sealer-4318005

https://www.canadamoparparts.ca/oem-parts/mopar-sealer-4318005

.

That’s exactly what the GM pellets look like. Crunch them up and put them in the lower radiator hose if I remember correctly. Never had a problem with them gooing up anything

 

[Mojo88]

I've used 'Stop Leak' many times over the years. Never once had a problem, and it always seemed to work, at least for a while. I will say that I ALWAYS used it sparingly and carefully, haha.

 

[RamDiver]

I've used 'Stop Leak' many times over the years. Never once had a problem, and it always seemed to work, at least for a while. I will say that I ALWAYS used it sparingly and carefully, haha.

Is that like carefully sniffing carbon tetrachloride?

.

 

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

I began working in a Texaco gas station in the 1960’s - at age 15.

We sold a lot of Bar’s Leaks radiator stop-leak. It was a very dark liquid and looked like molasses, with pellets in the goo. It was packaged in a glass jar.

We also removed a lot of radiators then for repair, as there was a radiator repair shop nearby.

Then, a trick to slow the leak was to turn the radiator cap partially to open (but still partially locked on the flange), relieving the pressure but preventing the engine coolant from bubbling out quickly.