"Stop Leak" Coolant Additive. Which one?

[98FordLove]

My k seal seemed to have stopped working after a year and a bit. I just dumped another bottle in and so far it isn't stopping the coolant leak this time. Maybe I need to give it more time. Huge bummer.

How many bottles of this stuff can we put in?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

i suppose as much as you want without diluting coolant that much, i assume it aint as efficient at heat transfer as coolant, but if it doesnt work now, its unlikely it will work w 3+ bottles, imo 2 is the limit. but i see no issue with more, its jst its unlikely to seal it IMO

 

[98FordLove]

i suppose as much as you want without diluting coolant that much, i assume it aint as efficient at heat transfer as coolant, but if it doesnt work now, its unlikely it will work w 3+ bottles, imo 2 is the limit. but i see no issue with more, its jst its unlikely to seal it IMO

Thanks. I would also think this K seal stuff breaks down over time due to the heat. It can't last forever in new shape. Some have said that they've had to add more as time goes on.

 

[donalds]

... You don't have to add more it is a permanent fix it does not fix everything
You most likely have a new leak.
Imo
Time to do the repair properly otherwise it's just going to keep leaking

 

[98FordLove]

... You don't have to add more it is a permanent fix it does not fix everything
You most likely have a new leak.
Imo
Time to do the repair properly otherwise it's just going to keep leaking

I just can't see k seal lasting permanently since it's just particles. Go through all those hot and cold cycles? And I just read on here that someone had to drain their k seal as it plugged up the hose to the rad.

This looks promising but after putting a bit more in today right up to the rad neck, the driving it again today for a good run, i don't see any drop in the level at the rad neck. Will go for another drove tonight and check in the morning. Perhaps it just needed a bit more time for the new k seal to find it's place.

 

[96eb96]

My k seal seemed to have stopped working after a year and a bit. I just dumped another bottle in and so far it isn't stopping the coolant leak this time. Maybe I need to give it more time. Huge bummer.

How many bottles of this stuff can we put in?

Maybe one more. How many miles did you put on.

 

[CDW6212R]

Open the pet **** and see if it will drain, and how much of the stop leak material settled at the bottom. Too much will start to block flow through the radiator etc.

The Liquid Copper worked the best for my big timing cover leak, but eventually the 3rd or 4th bottle over 3-4 months caused the hoses to collapse. Be careful how much you put in.
Amazon product ASIN B002PX91OG

 

[98FordLove]

Maybe one more. How many miles did you put on.

Since the first bottle of k-seal that i put in last year, I put on about 20k km. I finished putting in a second bottle of k-seal two days ago. After 3 solid drives the coolant stopped leaking. I put on about 150km in these 3 drive runs.

I read somewhere that we should be putting in two bottles of k-seal at once?

I ordered another bottle of k-seal in case and it arrived yesterday since the truck is at my mechanics right now as he's replacing the front crank seal, changing the belt, JB welding the oil pan crack and said he likely has to remove the rad and hoses so looks like I will be losing most if not all my coolant in the system now and have to replace it. So theres a chance the coolant leak could resume after so that's why I'm prepared to dump another bottle of k-seal in if needed when I get the truck back.

 

[98FordLove]

Open the pet **** and see if it will drain, and how much of the stop leak material settled at the bottom. Too much will start to block flow through the radiator etc.

The Liquid Copper worked the best for my big timing cover leak, but eventually the 3rd or 4th bottle over 3-4 months caused the hoses to collapse. Be careful how much you put in.
Amazon product ASIN B002PX91OG

Oh this copper stuff in the k-seal eventually sinks to the bottom? I thought it goes to the leaky spots and stays there. The coolant in it now is likely coming out anways since the mechanic who's working on the truck to do other stuff on it likely has to remove and drain the rad and put all new coolant in. Just hope the k-seal that plugged up the leaky spots isn't going to re-open these leaky areas again. I ordered another bottle of k-seal in case the leak does resume and need to put it in.

When you say pet **** do you mean the rad neck cap under the hood? That's how I've been checking to see if the level drains or if i can still see coolant level right near the top.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Since the first bottle of k-seal that i put in last year, I put on about 20k km. I finished putting in a second bottle of k-seal two days ago. After 3 solid drives the coolant stopped leaking. I put on about 150km in these 3 drive runs.

I read somewhere that we should be putting in two bottles of k-seal at once?

I ordered another bottle of k-seal in case and it arrived yesterday since the truck is at my mechanics right now as he's replacing the front crank seal, changing the belt, JB welding the oil pan crack and said he likely has to remove the rad and hoses so looks like I will be losing most if not all my coolant in the system now and have to replace it. So theres a chance the coolant leak could resume after so that's why I'm prepared to dump another bottle of k-seal in if needed when I get the truck back.

if they replacing the crank seal, why not replace timing cover? just curious, as they still have to dump rad etc, and the balancer is off, so its not hard to change the coer imo

 

[98FordLove]

if they replacing the crank seal, why not replace timing cover? just curious, as they still have to dump rad etc, and the balancer is off, so its not hard to change the coer imo

Then i would have to buy a new timing cover (not cheap for third party) and all new gaskets. Just trying to keep the costs down. Not sure if the timing cover needs replacement, told the mechanic to let me know if he finds coolant at the bottom of the timing cover or not. He said if there is coolant coming out of the timing cover the only place it can be coming from is your heads and that is a sign of the motor failing.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Then i would have to buy a new timing cover (not cheap for third party) and all new gaskets. Just trying to keep the costs down. Not sure if the timing cover needs replacement, told the mechanic to let me know if he finds coolant at the bottom of the timing cover or not. He said if there is coolant coming out of the timing cover the only place it can be coming from is your heads and that is a sign of the motor failing.

alright, makes sense. the timing cover can crack/leak from seal, but als these ohvs are known for cracked heads. do the ohvs have a coolant passage right next to the timign cover like sohcs?

 

[98FordLove]

alright, makes sense. the timing cover can crack/leak from seal, but als these ohvs are known for cracked heads. do the ohvs have a coolant passage right next to the timign cover like sohcs?

When I had the timing cover and heads pulled last year the mechanic inspected the heads closely and cleaned them all inside out very well. All new gaskets everywhere, even the head gasket he changed. Because we were looking for cracked heads. He said the heads were still good and not leaking but he never took them into a shop to get tested (even though I told him that don't you have to?) because he said that you don't need to lol. But the mechanic working on my truck now says you do need to get the heads tested in a shop. Obviously if the heads were cracked, I wouldn't have continued the repair.

Not sure about the passage, how do I tell?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

i would get heads tested, but cause its already got new gaskets, nto worth taking it off again at the moment unelss theres another issue. on the sohcs you can see coolant passage liek this

the two circles to the l/r sides

 

[96eb96]

When I had the timing cover and heads pulled last year the mechanic inspected the heads closely and cleaned them all inside out very well. All new gaskets everywhere, even the head gasket he changed. Because we were looking for cracked heads. He said the heads were still good and not leaking but he never took them into a shop to get tested (even though I told him that don't you have to?) because he said that you don't need to lol. But the mechanic working on my truck now says you do need to get the heads tested in a shop. Obviously if the heads were cracked, I wouldn't have continued the repair.

Not sure about the passage, how do I tell?

Water under the bridge but if he went that far and you plan on keeping the truck, would have been good to swap heads at this age. The cracks could be very tiny. I would have done mine but the rust reaper has his eyes on it. That is why I tried K-seal. If I didn't work, I may have let it go. It is still holding, but I don't drive it that much.

 

[BTR]

I have 1 bottle of K-Seal in my 2000 4.0L SOHC. I have a slow, coolant leak in the front timing cover gasket. It’s in the exact same location as can be seen in the photo posted by @Fix4Dirt, i.e., between the 1:00 and 3:00 positions in the photo.

IMHO, I wouldn't add a 2nd bottle of K-Seal unless I first flushed the system thoroughly. Too much of anything can cause clogs.

IMHO, if you know where your leak is located, then use a sealant that’s specific to that location. If a head gasket leak, then use a sodium silicate (aka liquid glass) sealant. If any other leak, then use a plugging-type (aka finger in the dike) sealant.

IMHO, to find out if a head gasket is leaking, and/or the block is cracked, and/or a head is cracked, do a combustion leak test on your coolant. The test detects the presence of exhaust gases in the cooling system.

 

[98FordLove]

Water under the bridge but if he went that far and you plan on keeping the truck, would have been good to swap heads at this age. The cracks could be very tiny. I would have done mine but the rust reaper has his eyes on it. That is why I tried K-seal. If I didn't work, I may have let it go. It is still holding, but I don't drive it that much.

I did look into replacing the heads last year when they were pulled but the mech at the time inspected them closely and said they're still good, no cracks. So k-seal fixed your leaking heads?

 

[98FordLove]

I have 1 bottle of K-Seal in my 2000 4.0L SOHC. I have a slow, coolant leak in the front timing cover gasket. It’s in the exact same location as can be seen in the photo posted by @Fix4Dirt, i.e., between the 1:00 and 3:00 positions in the photo.

IMHO, I wouldn't add a 2nd bottle of K-Seal unless I first flushed the system thoroughly. Too much of anything can cause clogs.

IMHO, if you know where your leak is located, then use a sealant that’s specific to that location. If a head gasket leak, then use a sodium silicate (aka liquid glass) sealant. If any other leak, then use a plugging-type (aka finger in the dike) sealant.

IMHO, to find out if a head gasket is leaking, and/or the block is cracked, and/or a head is cracked, do a combustion leak test on your coolant. The test detects the presence of exhaust gases in the cooling system.

I had my entire block and rad drained of coolant the past couple of days ago. Been driving it a bunch of times on good length drives and was shocked to see the coolant level not drop at all. I just had to top it up once but after that the level stayed at the top in the rad neck. I do have a new bottle of K-seal that i can put in if i wanted to see if it would do anything for the head gasket (if it's leaking). I checked it again closely last night and it seems the oil pan gasket is leaking a bit on one corner and half of one side. It runs down from the corner of the oil pan to almost half way down that the left side (drivers). Im going to throw another Liquid Moly Oiler Saver in it as I believe this product (though it doesn't stop the leak) it improves it so that the oil doesn't leave as much of a mess on the floor. I'm willing to give this product one more try.

These sealants you mention, are they spray? I can't even get me hand to the area where I see oil. It's like up and about 1/3 above and the Oil pan.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

for an oil stop leak, if its leaking froma seal i reccomend at205. worked the best in my experience

 

[98FordLove]

for an oil stop leak, if its leaking froma seal i reccomend at205. worked the best in my experience

I'm 99% certain the leak is from the oil pan gasket and could be in one other place.

Thanks, if its this one, I was about to try this last year but wasn't able to find a place who sold it. I can buy it on Amazon and have it today.

It's pricey too $54 for two bottles ouch. Would this work on gaskets? Just dont' want to waste my money.