In many cases that means you will have to gain access to the radiator cap or even remove the upper radiator hose, remove some coolant, pour in the sealer and then reconnect the hose. So most manufacturers want you to pour the stop leak chemical directly into the radiator instead of into the reservoir. And, the engine must be at operating temperature for the sealant to plug the leak. How do you install the stop leak product?Ĭoolant stop leak products must circulate through the entire coolant system to work. If your vehicle is losing a lot of coolant, it doesn’t make sense to use a product that requires an hour drive, since you’ll be losing coolant for most of the trip. Some stop leak products require a long drive, while others claim they can seal a small leak in as little as 15-minutes while at idle. How long does the coolant stop leak product take to work? You don’t want those because you can never really get all the water out and the remaining coolant will contaminate the coolant stop leak product. Some stop leak products require you to completely drain the system and use the sealer with water. The coolant stop leak product must be compatible with the coolant type used in your engine. What to look for in a coolant stop leak product First, will it work with your coolant? You can buy head gasket stop leak sealers, but they rarely work. An internal coolant leak is usually caused by a head gasket or intake manifold gasket failure. You see white smoke coming from the tailpipe even after the engine has warmed up. Here are the signs of an internal coolant leak: Your coolant reservoir is always low (at least once a week you have to add coolant) and there are no signs of an external leak. If you find an external leak, you may be a candidate for a coolant stop leak product.Īn internal coolant leak is a completely different animal. These are all signs of an external coolant leak. If you pop the hood, you may see wet spots in the engine compartment or on or under the radiator. You may smell a sweet coolant smell when driving or when shutting down the vehicle. You may see a puddle on your driveway after the vehicle sits for a while. An external coolant leak will leave some evidence. When to use a coolant stop leak productįirst, determine whether you have an external or internal coolant leak. So let’s talk about when, where and how you can use them to stop a cooling system leak. That’s can happen if you don’t follow the direction to a “T.” But there are many cases where coolant stop leak does work. Without fail, all the other contributors jump on the poster and tell them not to use it because it clogs up everything. Just about every day I see a question from forum participants asking if stop leak additives work to stop cooling system leaks. Repair Topics > Cooling System Service > Coolant stop leak Coolant stop leak Should you use a Coolant stop leak product
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