Radiator Leaks and Chemical Fixes

Driving a Chevy Aveo 2004 with 146k miles on it. Radiator has a slow leak...takes about 5 days or more to get seriously low. Initial estimate for all the parts is over $400 at minimum, and after spending over 1k on the car in the last six months, I am not sure this is a good idea. :sad5:

Does anyone have experience using KSeal or a product like it as a temp solution? I will likely get it fixed in a month or two, but I am still recovering from the 1k before Christmas. Any thoughts or other solutions you have used successfully? Anyone know what the long-term effects of these products are on the vehicle?

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: K-Seal ST5501 Multi Purpose One Step Permanent Coolant Leak Repair

Thanks for your advice!

I wouldn't use any of that stop leak stuff unless you were just trying to get a few more months before junking it - JMHO on that.
Jt sounds like you're planning to DIY this job. If so, you can get a quality rad shipped from Rockauto for under $200, and there are lower priced ones available as well. Outside of the coolant and a couple of clamps, what is the rest of the $400 for?

Keep refilling it until u get the proper funds together, if ur lucky its warmer where u live so ur mixture can be more heavily biased towards water. Don't put a band aid on an open wound, u will only be buying time. An average Joe can swap a radiator, give it a shot, or buy some beers and call a friend or 2...

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Originally Posted by sonanova

Driving a Chevy Aveo 2004 with 146k miles on it. Radiator has a slow leak...takes about 5 days or more to get seriously low. Initial estimate for all the parts is over $400 at minimum, and after spending over 1k on the car in the last six months, I am not sure this is a good idea. :sad5:

Does anyone have experience using KSeal or a product like it as a temp solution? I will likely get it fixed in a month or two, but I am still recovering from the 1k before Christmas. Any thoughts or other solutions you have used successfully? Anyone know what the long-term effects of these products are on the vehicle?

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: K-Seal ST5501 Multi Purpose One Step Permanent Coolant Leak Repair

Thanks for your advice!

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Believe it or not, some radiator stop leak products actually can be effective. Bar's Leaks is an old product, but it works. It will tend to make the coolant dirty looking, however.

Actually a cheap remedy that can work as well is plain old ground pepper. Another product that I have used in the past resembles tiny flakes of aluminum. The way these dry products (like the ground pepper) work is to float into the area where the leak is and plug it. Unless the leak is really large these things often do work and can even continue to be effective indefinitely.

my thoughts on this. the solution all lies in what part is leaking. if it is an end tank, the seal around the end tank then a quick fix additive wont work. It could also just be the o ring around the drain and that is replaceable for less than $1. If there is a hole in the tubes, i would use a product like thymeclock suggests, the old bars leak or pepper are decent. I have had luck with these. I would not use some of the equally priced epoxy alternatives. It could even turn out to be a "permanent" repair.



I agree though that $400 in parts is way high. A rad can be bought off ebay for $60 shipped, $15 max for coolant, and even if you replace the hose clamps. Unless they already looked at it and determined your auto transmission cooler lines will need replaced (unlikely) or something, this is a $100 in parts job.

Do it yourself save money, rather easy repair.