bradleyheathhays

I've been smelling hot coolant in the cabin when the heater runs on high temp, and I'm wondering if a radiator stop leak would work in the heater box. Anybody with a specific product recommendation?

andrewmp6

Anything like that is a very bad idea its gonna gum up the coolant system.Either replace the heater core or bypass it is the only right things to do.

bradleyheathhays

Man that's hard to hear. Never used any rad stop leak so I'm not really sure what that stuffs about. Just so I'm getting this right, by replace you mean take the whole dash off, and by bypass you mean bye bye heat?

rzldzl

you can peel off just the passenger side

still a huge job

diskman

PO didn't let us know what kind of vehicle he is having problems with. Could be a Grand, early, mid or late XJ. Each one has its own heater core fixes...

BlueRidgeMark

Nope.

Alumaseal won't gum up anything. It is not a permanent fix, but it can buy time, and won't hurt anything.

How much time? Depends on how bad your problem is. Anything from a few days to a few years.

The only 'permanent' solution is a new core, of course.

andrewmp6

From what i have seen myself in person yes it does gum up the coolant passages in the engine.I have pulled the head off a car or two that someone used a stop leak to try to fix a blown head gasket.Most of those type stuff are a nasty bandaid when you have bigger problems.

EZEARL

I was working in a service station when "Silver Seal" first came out. Salesman had a galvanized bucket that he punched holes through with a screwdriver. Put water in along with the product. It definitely stopped the leaking. Don't know if it gums up or not but I can see it blocking passages. IMHO maybe under some kind of dire circumstance I'd use it but only if it was a had to situation.

bradleyheathhays

Well, can't believe I forgot to mention I'm in a '96 XJ.

I'd sure like to believe a stop leak would work but from the sounds of things I feel like I'd be taking a chance. Is that Alumaseal somehow different from other stop leaks?

cruiser54

Alumaseal is a fine powder.

Heater core isn't all that bad on a 96. You do have to discharge the aC system though.

BlueRidgeMark

I didn't say "a stop-leak". I didn't say, "use any stopleak". I mentined a particualr product.


Yes, quite different. It does not have the glarp that makes other stop leaks nasty. As Cruiser mentioned, it's just a fine powder. Aluminum powder. It congregates at the leak and plugs it. I have seen it put off a repair for a couple of years, and no, it does not gunk anything up.

Yes, if you use it you should probably flush your system when you finally do the repair, but that's a good idea anyway.

EZEARL

[QUOTE=cruiser54;3377977]Alumaseal is a fine powder.

SilverSeal (silver in color) was also a fine powder. Later on there was a bright copper colored fine powder product. Then Alumaseal. Anyways if it can stop up a screwdriver size hole I'd be leery unless I had no alternative at the time.

cruiser54

I'd try it.

EZEARL

Oh I've got a tube of it out in the garage. Never say never.

BrawnyDog

I may try this. My heater core leak is small. I have a core and the ac coil but am too scurred to remove the dash. It's my only vehicle.