Understand that GM puts this stuff in their new cars and trucks during assembly. Also recommends that when you flush and fill your radiator that you add a 1/2 bottle to the new antifreeze. It helps the seals in water pumps and makes them last longer. I used this to stop a very small leak after changing all of the hoses and belts on my truck. Worked great and no problems for the last 4 months. Wondering if I should now flush the system again to get rid of any excess Barr's or wait until the spring to do the flush and fill. Anyone use this stuff? What is your experience? Thanks
Barr's stop leak
- Thread starter Pitbull
- Start date
- Status
Have used Barr's Leak for over ten years with "No Sweat"
Would not leave home with out it.
Would not leave home with out it.
I also have had good results with this stuff. I think it is safe to leave it in the system till the next flush/change. Says so on the bottle.
Dave
Dave
I've had better luck with a product called Alumaseal. Works good.
I've used Alumaseal as well with good results. I won't use the stuff unless I absolutely HAVE to - but I did leave that stuff in my Mustang for a year with no ill effects.
I just put this stuff in my 98 chevy truck to see if it would stop a suspected intake gasket leak and it seems to have worked. It said on the bottle that it was safe to use as a maintenance to the cooling system so i would assume its safe to keep it in for awhile.
Wayne
Wayne
Thanks guys I'll leave it in until next spring and do the flush and fill.
Seems like this is just a cover up for poor design and/or inferior parts, right or wrong?
Why don't Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc..., recommend this stuff for their cooling systems?
Next they will start adding Motor Honey with the factory fill and recommend it with every oil change to mask the dreaded GM knock.
[ November 04, 2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: khager ]
Why don't Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc..., recommend this stuff for their cooling systems?
Next they will start adding Motor Honey with the factory fill and recommend it with every oil change to mask the dreaded GM knock.
[ November 04, 2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: khager ]
I use this stuff instead of anti-freeze. It has anti-corrosion chemicals, and a nice oily stuff to lubricate things and to stop rust.
The Bars Leaks web site used to have a page on the "Bars Leaks Caddy" which had the additive in it for over 100,000 miles (changed out as per normal radiator maintenance - radiator flushed and refilled every year or so), and had pictures of the radiator, water pump etc, showing how good this product is. I still have this page saved in my "Coolant" folder.
So I just flush the radiator once a year, install bars leaks with distilled water and that's it. Cost $5.80. I don't anticipate any more problems with it as with e. glycol. Of course, winter temperatures here rarely dip below 50F.
Dave
The Bars Leaks web site used to have a page on the "Bars Leaks Caddy" which had the additive in it for over 100,000 miles (changed out as per normal radiator maintenance - radiator flushed and refilled every year or so), and had pictures of the radiator, water pump etc, showing how good this product is. I still have this page saved in my "Coolant" folder.
So I just flush the radiator once a year, install bars leaks with distilled water and that's it. Cost $5.80. I don't anticipate any more problems with it as with e. glycol. Of course, winter temperatures here rarely dip below 50F.
Dave
What about boil over? I doubt Barr's Leak raises the boiling point much. Perhaps your high water content has enough better flow and heat capacity to keep the temperature down.
That is a valid point. I have no trouble with it, the rad cap is 20 psi, and the car only has highway use.
Of course, water absorbs more heat than an anti-freeze mix, maybe that's it, don't really know. The cooling system is in perfect condition. It's a V8 that sits at 1750 rpm at 60mph, so it is never stressed.
Dave
Of course, water absorbs more heat than an anti-freeze mix, maybe that's it, don't really know. The cooling system is in perfect condition. It's a V8 that sits at 1750 rpm at 60mph, so it is never stressed.
Dave
Me again,
One other thing, I have checked out the boiling point of water and water/antifreeze mixes at various pressures, and these are the results.
Plain water @ 20psi-----------Boiling Point 260F
Water/Af (67/33) @ 15psi------Boiling Point 257F
So given enough pressure (within reason) the boiling point of plain water can approach that of a water/AF mixture under a lesser pressure.
Dave.
One other thing, I have checked out the boiling point of water and water/antifreeze mixes at various pressures, and these are the results.
Plain water @ 20psi-----------Boiling Point 260F
Water/Af (67/33) @ 15psi------Boiling Point 257F
So given enough pressure (within reason) the boiling point of plain water can approach that of a water/AF mixture under a lesser pressure.
Dave.
I wouldn't use that stuff in my vehicle unless I was trying to sell something with a leaking head gasket. If something leaks, fix it... don't just pour mud in the system and hope it stops up the leak. I had a bad experience with my wife's car after the father-in-law put in a couple bottles of bars-leak. It stopped up the radiator and the car would overheat on hot days. Had the radiator taken apart and cleaned, and I flushed the system really thoroghly- I was shocked at how much crud was in there. Anyways, it cools great now, and I put in new antifreeze every time I drain it. Maybe if that intake manifold gasket leaks again and I decide to sell the car- then I'll go for the bars-leak.
You are correct that a repair is always the best however, when a new head gasket costs over $1,000 on a engine with 100,000 miles and the repair shops inform you that they really do not recommend doing it becasue they have had so many other components go after the head gasket is replaced then a top leak is certainly an option. If it doesn't work you then have an option of unloading the vehicle but the huge cost of a head gasket replacement on a high mileage engine is a real issue to contend with!
Iskerbibel is right. My experience with these radiator stop-leak additives has been negative: that is, they don't work, at least not for long. Years ago I had an old Toyota that developed a small radiator leak. None of these products worked for long, and I tried Bars-Leaks, Alumaseal, etc. The car soon ended up with a new radiator.
Racing Beat recommends that Mazda rotary owners should NEVER use stop-leak products because of their tendency to plug radiators. Proper cooling is critical in these engines, even more so than in conventional engines. Racing Beat also says that if the stop-leak products are used in an emergency, drive the car gently until repairs are possible--and figure on the possibility of replacing the radiator (at least on Mazda rotaries) as flushing it may not unplug it.
Except for road and accident damage, radiators generally will not leak unless changing the coolant is neglected. These days many cars have the air conditioning condenser in front of the radiator, further protecting the radiator from rocks and stuff.
My old '88 Ford Festiva went nearly 400,000 miles with the original radiator. With regular coolant changes and the use of an anticorrosion additive, the aluminum visible when looking through the filler neck with the cap off was as shiny as new, with no trace of rust. That little car just flat wore out--I never used synthetic lubricants in it and I wish I had--and right now it rests in peace in the back 40 with that same radiator. (Soon I'll send it to the knackers. Should have bought another one just like it when I got it new in 1988; I'd probably still be driving the second one.)
Racing Beat recommends that Mazda rotary owners should NEVER use stop-leak products because of their tendency to plug radiators. Proper cooling is critical in these engines, even more so than in conventional engines. Racing Beat also says that if the stop-leak products are used in an emergency, drive the car gently until repairs are possible--and figure on the possibility of replacing the radiator (at least on Mazda rotaries) as flushing it may not unplug it.
Except for road and accident damage, radiators generally will not leak unless changing the coolant is neglected. These days many cars have the air conditioning condenser in front of the radiator, further protecting the radiator from rocks and stuff.
My old '88 Ford Festiva went nearly 400,000 miles with the original radiator. With regular coolant changes and the use of an anticorrosion additive, the aluminum visible when looking through the filler neck with the cap off was as shiny as new, with no trace of rust. That little car just flat wore out--I never used synthetic lubricants in it and I wish I had--and right now it rests in peace in the back 40 with that same radiator. (Soon I'll send it to the knackers. Should have bought another one just like it when I got it new in 1988; I'd probably still be driving the second one.)
- Status
