Stop Leak

Can this stuff damage your cooling system? I have brought my vehicle into the shop multiple times for the same frost plug issue...When I got home and popped the rad cap to check the fluid level...There is balls of crap floating around in the coolant...

 

If you've got balls of crap floating around in your fluid, its time to flush everything out and put some new stuff in. Granted....if you flush out the old crap, you might discover some new problems/leaks. You're better off finding them now while you're expecting it, then it leave you sit somewhere. Not only that, but that 'solid' debris could destroy other things (water pump, thermostat, heater core, etc etc etc)

 

I think the "Stop Leak" added to the coolant is supposed create little balls like that...not too sure though because I've never used the stuff before...Also I believe my coolant has been changed many times due to the fact the shop has replaced the frost/freeze plug 3 times already...This is becoming a nightmare haha...

 

Here's some pics...

 

The first 2 pics are of the frost/freeze plug leaking...running down and dripping of the bottom the trans...the last 2 pics is a completely new issue that just started happening after I got my truck back from the shop and they put the stop leak into the rad...

 

Not really sure what those pictures are trying to show other than black looking spray everywhere...???

Have you located where that dark shit is coming from? Because...I can't tell where its coming from or can't even guess what its supposed to be.

 

Are you telling me you can't see the bright green drips in the pics...look at the last one theres like 10 in a row on the steering gear dust boot lol...

 

Who put that frost plug in, is it factory, it looks like a plug that expands as you tighten the nut, I am wondering if the sealing surface was cleaned before the install, and that anti freeze doesn't look like Toyota coolant, which possibility may be causeing a chemical reaction to the metal, I never mix coolants,or transmission fluid, hope your heater core doesn't start to leak, just my $0.02.

 

The shop put an expansion plug in...It's not factory and the recommended fluid for my vehicle is Ethylene gycol based anti-freeze (green) I think your referring to the "Toyota Long-Life Coolant (red) for 2001 and later models...

 

never ever put anything in your car that comes in a bottle claiming to stop some sort of leak. Unless it's a car you are ready to send to the junkyard.

 

I didn't put the stuff in...the shop did without my permission...That's why I'm asking if it's harmful to the cooling system...Should I flush it out? Anyone ever had any experience with Stop Leak product?

 

I would go back to the shop and get a refund, if ti were a credit card payment dispute it, on the repair the stop leak fix is like the guy that wanted his brakes fixed and the tech said I couln't fix your brakes so I made the horn louder.F That!

 

I used it in my prior vehichle, a 97 Jetta. The stuff did what it said and stopped the leak...for a few weeks. In the end it caused more problems and I cursed myself for using that crap.
If it was put in there by a shop without your permission then it's time to tell them to flush that shit for free.

 

i'd do a full full flush....are you able to do any of this yourself?

i'd also get the proper frost plug from the dealer...remove that crappy one, clean up the area and mating surfaces and put an oem one in

 

LOL ya you would think only slimy used car saleman would use that junk...not a reputable mechanic shop...

 

So I spoke with the owner today...The reason it kept leaking is beause there is the tiniest fracture/little black dot ...barley visible to the eye on the inside lip of the hole that they were able to spot with a mirror...They cleaned up the area...sanded...put some sealant around the hole and used the the expansion plug because the rubber is supposed to seal better...As for the Stop Leak...They used the liquid kind which is somewhat of a relief as opposed to using the pellets or granules...There was crap accumalting on the rad cap...around the filler neck and managed to bung up the hole for the over flow reservoir which I cleaned up...

 

Exactly. If I had a shop and a customer requested me to try it,,I would say no, and would refuse the work if they insisted,,because it could cause a whole host of other problems that can be blamed back. (plugged heater core, ect).

If the shop did it without your permission or knowledge,,then they are ex-slimy used car salesmen. If they were good mechanics, then they would have called you and made you aware of what could happen if you/they use it, or in generally just to let you know the status of your vehicle.

You can try to get them to flush it,,but because you gave them the go ahead to fix it,,you might have to seek service some place else, which is what I would reccomend.

In the end,,do your own work if possible.