Putting Stop Leak in a Turbo Engine

[hewhobarksatdog]

I have a small coolant leak that might require that I pull the engine to fix (seepage around freeze plug). I know that there are a bunch of leak stoppers at AutoZone but I am concerned that the products may screw up my turbo. Your perspectives?

[Turbomini]

i wouldnt do it! but thats me i have had to clean blocks out and everything just to fix that, its easyer to just fix it right the first time instead of making it cost more in the long run

[tryingbe]

Stop leak will clogged your radiator and clogged your heater core. It'll cost you more money than you think you can save.

One of the worst product sold for automotive use.






This is after 6 flushes, damn stop leak is still there.

[89TonaVa]

Im glad this came up. have a leaking heater core. Guess Ill pull the dash apart.

[rockslinger]

it will even clog up the heater core. I've seen it on a used car that I bought. I would strongly strongly recommend against it. Strongly. . . . Strongly.

[rockslinger]

Did I use the word strongly? hahahaha

[The Pope]

you can hit basically all the freeze plugs if you pull the head, which isn't that bad to do it right.

Yeah stop leak sucks. I consider a leaky core ruined so I don't hold back with the JB weld as a band aid

[gunblue]

In 2010 i went to Los Vegas to buy a VNT and it had a water leak that i couldnt find, didnt see a leak and couldnt see any vapour in the exhaust damm thing ran like a bullet though and i was time limited as to get it over the border to Canada so i loaded the car up with water and several products from Auto Zone or somthin like that, went through the desert and i had to stop several times before Denver to cool down and refill the rad still couldnt see where it was going finaly i stopped filled it up agian and poured the stop leak into her freaking out as i didnt want to hurt the turbo, got back on the road and she ran like a bullet and never went over 50% on the gauge. now i say ran like a bullet i didnt drive her hard as im trying to get home but the odd little throttle tromp is needed at times...oh yaaaa. Ill tear into the engine next summer to check the health/condition.

[ohnotagain]

you dont need to pull the engine to change a freeze plug, but it is a lot easier if you pull the head to get the manifolds and turbo out of the way.

take a hammer and a flat punch and knock one side of the plug in, a screwdriver or small prybar to rotate the plug so its sitting in there sideways and use a pair of channel lock pliers to pull the plug out.

clean any corrosion or mineral build up around the plug hole with a wire brush and use a large socket that fits inside the new plug and slowly tap it in place with a hammer.

i do not reccomend using one of those universal rubber freeze plugs that you tighten a nut to seat in place. over time the rubber can lose its tension and the plug will pop out at the worst possible time.

i would only use brass freeze plugs, and if the other plugs look rusty i would replace those as well. if your freeze plug is leaking it would be very wise to thoroughly inspect your cooling system, especially the water pump and radiator. if the freeze plug is leaking there may be other areas that have corroded or otherwise need attention as well.

since you will have the head off it would be a really good time to take the head to a machine shop and have them run it through the wash, do a fresh 3 angle valve job and pop some fresh valve stem seals on there before you bolt it back on. also inspect the head for cracks. cracks between valve seats can be ignored- its common and doesnt cause problems. any cracks in the deck should definately be repaired before reinstalling the head, if you ignore them they will get worse and cost more $$$ to fix later.

[yellonoma]

No leak stop.. one of my few regrets in life at age 16 on my poor truck, seriously, it's only good for a winter beater that your going to junk in the spring. It will stop the leak, heater core, clog rad cap, clog thermostat, clog radiator, etc 10 years later it still haunts me in the truck.

[turismolover22]

If you plan on doing any mods to the car any time soon, I.E. build it up, swap turbos, etc, I would wait until then if it is a slow enough leak. If you don't plan on working on it within the next few weeks to month, then fix it now.

[Mr. Stroker]

If a quick fix is needed I like the idea of epoxy. Drain coolant and clean well then mix up some job weld and let dry overnight.

[onerippinturbo2]

replacing frost plugs isnt hard at all, i dont understand why anyone wouldnt just do that?
the 3 in the back can be done if you pull the axle and starter out, all 3 exposed then. the front ones are just as easy, pull the dizzy out and there they are.