GM Cooling system sealant tablets

[crater]

I have read about using these tablets and it seems the opion is some what split. My question is, would you use them in my situation.

As explained in another post, I have a leaking IMG and I'm trying to delay in replacing it (again). Since it will need to be done, is there any harm in trying these tablets??

Also, since I cannot reach any of the hoses, would it be safe to put these directly into the surge tank of a '97 Malibu??

Should I let them disolve for a while, or go for a drive immediately after putting the tablets in??

Thanks for any and all input

 

[Ray H]

GM cooling system sealant tabs are Barr's Stop Leak tabs relabled. In either case they need to be crushed into powder form before adding to the radiator. Or, you can go to WalMart and by the powder version of Barr's Stop Leak to save time and money. Your choice.

 

[m2200b]

Since you are changing your coolant and still using dexcool or its clone I'd use the tabs crushed as described. I put them radiator directly but I just pull the traditional cap and add them.

The leak you are describing does not sound like the seep that these stop. I would be more concerned that you are having main bearing wear and do an UOA now. When I look in the used classified there's usually a couple of 3,1 V6 Gm
mechanic specials that sucked the coolant and usually hydrolocked. The rest of slower leakers just chew the bearings and cylinder walls until
the main is toast.

 

[crater]

Please bear with me guys. All this tech talk has got this old mans mind swimming, words like hydrolocked, etc.....

Anyway, if I can, let me try to get this straight. in my previous post concerning coolant, I had what I thought was a flush done. They told me that they replaced to coolant with Peak Global. After the flush, the car would warm up a lot sooner than before but never actually overheated. I did find coolant pooled on the engine block, so I know it was leaking thru the IMG.

I am trying to stop that leak if I can, that is why I bought the tablets.

Now, I think I might have really messed up. Please tell me if I did and what I should do. This past Tuesday, I sucked what coolant I could out of the surge tank with a Turkey baster. I am too handicapped to crawl under the car, plus I do not have a radiator as such. Now here is how I might have screwed up....I replaced the coolant that I had drained with straight Peak Global, not realizing that I needed to mix it with equal parts of distilled water. I have not driven that far since Tuesday, the most being about 13 miles without letting the car cool for about 3 hours.

Did I screw up???Should I suck out the surge tank tomorrow and fill with a mix of Peak Global and distilled water, then crush about 2 1/2 tablets and add them to the surge tank?

I greatly and sincerely appreciate all of your help and wish there was something that I could assist you guy's with.

Regards

 

[G-MAN]

I don't know where this idea that these tabs need to be crushed into powder came from, but that is not correct. In fact, GM specifically warns against crushing the tabs because there are materials used in the composition that are hazardous and if inhaled can cause upper respiratory problems.

The directions on the package say to simply drop the tabs directly into the radiator.

 

[Ray H]

Well, that's weird, then. The directions on Barr's Stop Leak directions specifically state to crush the tablets. If both of these contradictory directions are true, then the previous posts about GM and Barr's tabs being the same product over the past several years, or GM's directions are wrong. The problem with attempting to add powder or whole tabs to the surge tank is that little or none of it will make its way into the cooling system - it'll just sit in the bottom of the surge tank.

To answer your latest angst, crater, you ended up with a somewhat stronger antifreeze concentration. I wouldn't worry about it unless you believe the final antifreeze concentration exceeds 70%.

 

[Drew99GT]

I believe some GM repair manuals state to crush the tabs and place them in the lower radiator hose before refilling the cooling system.

Crater, you pretty much have to drain the radiator with the pressurized surge tank design. It's pretty easy to find the drain cock; lower passenger side of radiator. Drain it, add the crushed pellets, then refill the system with 50/50 Peak Global and water.

 

[crater]

Latest update before I kill myslef...

Took a small jar and filled it half way with Global and water. Put in a table to see just what it would do. Went to the store and was gone about 1/2 hour. Got home and was almost overcome with odor. Do not do this in a small apartment

the tablet was not completely disolved but a little shaking of the jar made it all gone.

Drained most of the surge tank and replaced what I had drained with 50/50 mix of global and distilled water, along with disolved (outside) tablets. 3 of them.

Went ahead and waxed my car making it look nice at least from the outside.

Started the car and let it run a until the temp. came to the half way mark. Took a wench to bleed the air and when fluid started to run smooth, turned the plug to close it, and guess what?

THE DARNED THING BROKE RIGHT OFF INTO THE WRENCH.

Once again,it's past closing time on Saturday for any place that might have the part in stock.

Any tricks that I should know about, to replacing that bleeder valve thingy

If I can get this thing to make it to ANY shop, that's where it's headed

What ever happened to the 8 cyl. cars from the old days, where you could crawl up inside, pitch a tent, drink a beer, hang up a movie star poster, have a beer ready for a buddy, and a sandwich, and still work on the engine

OH YEAH AND $1.00 TO GET GAS FOR THE NIGHT.....

Thanks guy's

 

[crater]

Just a short follow up. As impossible as it may seem, it appears that the three tables I placed in the surge tank, has really slowed down the leak thru the intake gasket. I know it won't last and is not a solution and won't put off the fact that I need a new gasket, but I no longer have the pooling of oil or antifreeze on the engine block.

 

[The Critic]

You crack me up. If you were my neighbor, your car would be fixed by now.

Glad to hear about the improvement. Ginger root and walnut shells work wonders, don't they?

 

[Drew99GT]

Heck, my buddy bought an Old Ford Truck with a 390. That thing had an internal coolent leak so bad that the breather filter/hoses and the entire air filter housing would just fill with white goopy slime. Sooooooooooo, he poured freshly ground black pepper into the raditator (heard that would stop coolent leaks). Sure has heck, it pretty much stopped the white milky glop from invading the crankcase ventilation system and it pretty much stopped the leak (probably head gaskets).

 

[grm386wa]

Just gotta wonder about ^^ that one.

How the heck does someone end up using ground pepper in their radiator?

Actually, I mean, how does anyone actually figure out that putting ground pepper in your radiator will stop leaks???

Just havta wonder about the first guy to actually try this......

 

[Drew99GT]

Maybe he was doing some "manifold Barbecue", had a vehicle with a leak, had the radiator cap off, and spilt some pepper in the filler neck of the rad as he was seasoning his burgers

 

[JohnnyG]

quote:

---

How the heck does someone end up using ground pepper in their radiator?

Actually, I mean, how does anyone actually figure out that putting ground pepper in your radiator will stop leaks???

Just havta wonder about the first guy to actually try this......

---

The same way this happens: A guy standing in the middle of a Walmart (pet department) scratching his chigger bites is wondering "now if I took two of those flea collars and put on on each ankle......"

Or as Gearge Carlin once said "Who was the first person to look at a Lobster and ask himself, I wonder what that would TASTE like?

 

[beanoil]

The pepper was just seasoning for the egg white added earlier by MacGyver.