Does anyone know if Bar's Leaks products work? Specifically their "Radiator Heavy Duty Stop Leak" http://www.barsproducts.com/PLT11.htm

I have a small coolant leak, I think its coming from behind the water pump. I probably didn't clean off the old gasket before i put the new water pump on. But i'm going on a trip and don't have time to fix the leak.

Would it be ok to use the Bar's Leak stuff for temporary fix?

 

DO not use this.

THat will cause so many problems and lead to water pump failure and clog your radiator.

I do not thionk it will help your water pump leak. Meant more for radiators.

ALso, I tried it once for my water pump...it didn't work.

 

One time I threw about a half teaspoon of some ground pepper in the radiator of one of my old dirt bikes. It stopped the leak for the most part in a couple bashed up tweaked up radiators on my old cr500. Don't know if it would help you.

 

I was gonna mention the pepper thing, also a couple eggs will temporarily fix a coolant leak, I wouldn't trust it to go on a trip though....

 

It might stop the leak, but then again it might not. It will probably clog the lower portions of the (block's) water jacket, which will cause the engine to run hotter and may prevent you from using a block heater should you want/need one. Later (much later), it will flake and circulate through your cooling system, plugging passages.

I keep a single tube of AlumaSeal for emergency use only, and if I'm forced to use it I follow up with a proper repair just as soon as possible and an overkill cooling system flush which I repeat a few months later. It can make the repair more difficult by hiding the leak, and it will shorten the lifespan of the water pump.

You'd be much, much better off just taking a few hours to fix the problem before your trip. It might be a royal PITA but it'd make a lot more sense.

 

100% agree. Not only will this stuff trash your radiator, it does no favors for your water pump at the same time. Imagine that.

If you have a leak, carry a 5 gallong jug of water around. That's what I had to do for a week while I waited to get my truck in our shop.

Nothing is going to stop that waterpump from leaking now, so just replace it and get it over with.

 

My old neighbor had good luck with a leaking radiator using that stuff, but like the above have said I wouldn't use it. I saw that years ago. Someone used it on my old mustang at one point. Found out when I swap'd the water pump and thermostat out. The thermostat housing was half clogged with buildup from that junk, and there was buildup in the water pump fins itself.

 

Water pump leaks just get WORSE the longer you wait. I would not trust it for a trip. Send it to the shop and you will get it back 1.5 days later. or do it yourself in a day.

 

Last fall I threw a bottle of Bars into my Camaro hoping to plug the heater core up enough to give me heat for the winter. It held fine until the first time I got on the throttle, then I was back to a puddle of coolant on the passenger side foot area. I ended up replacing the heater core but I didn't flush the Bars out. Big mistake.

When I pulled the engine out this winter EVERYTHING was coated with that crap. The intake, inside the block and heads, the hoses, water pump, etc. I would never use it unless it's for a few hundred dollar beater.

 

wow, this stuff sounds pretty bad. everyone seems to be on the same side as to recommend not using it and just fix the leak properly. so that's what i'll do. Thanks for the helps guys