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If you didn’t know by now, your car or vehicle has different essential fluids.
With time, these fluids might leak through cracks (big or small) and weak points on your radiator. It is with this that many people turn to stop leaks.
While it is evident that stopping leaks are ideal, many still have doubts about whether or not they should use them.
With this, we’ve put together this post on the pros and cons of radiator stop leaks.
What Is A Radiator Stop Leak?
Before delving deep into the pros and cons of radiator stop leaks, here is a small brief on what they are.
Radiator stop leaks are products used by car experts and other users to seal minor internal leaks.
Given the number of manufacturers and third-party companies producing different radiators, radiator stop leaks today have different components.
Three components are shared with just about any radiator stop leak, and they are:
- Sodium Silicate
- Aluminum, Copper & Iron Particles
- Fiber & Ceramic Particles
Understanding the different components of the radiator you are using is very important. It can help you understand how it will affect your radiator and car.
Luckily, many manufacturers and third-party companies indicate the components contained in any radiator stop leak.
Regardless of the radiator stop leak you are using, they all work the same. The radiator stops leaks from hardening when there is a leak or crack.
They harden because the components inside the radiator stop leak are things like aluminum, copper, and sodium.
Pros And Cons Of Radiator Stop Leaks – All You Need To Know
With some slight knowledge of what radiator stop leaks are, we can shift our attention to the pros and cons associated with radiator stop leaks.
We will first look at the pros of radiator stop leaks and then the cons of radiator stop leaks.
Pros Of Radiator Stop
While there are many pros associated with radiator stop leaks, some stand out, and those are the ones we will focus on in this post.
That said, the pros of radiator top leaks that this post looks at are:
- Cheap
- Perfect Seal
- Easily Accessible
- Prevents Breakdown
- Improves Performance
Cheap
High up on the list of radiator stop leak pros is cost. If you have trouble with your radiator, the ideal solution is usually replacing it.
The problem with this solution is cost. Replacing a radiator is nothing cheap.
On the other hand, using a radiator stop leak is cheaper than replacing one.
However, it is worth noting that this particular option is only applicable with small leaks on your radiator.
If you are dealing with a significant leak, you’ll have to replace your radiator.
Using radiator stop leaks on radiators that are significantly damaged ultimately ends up being expensive in the long run.
They are a danger to you and other road users; if you opt to use them on a severe damage radiator, then use your car.
Perfect Seal
High up on the radiator stop leak cons list is its sealing ability. Let’s face it; the chances are that your car’s radiator will, at some point, harden or crack.
When this happens, there are bound to be oil leaks. With radiator stop leaks, you’ll be able to restore the flexibility and viscosity of your car’s radiator.
What this does is help in sealing the cracks, thus preventing any leaks.
Improves Personal Safety
Your car must have the right amount of fluids when driving. Without inadequate fluid levels, your car’s radiator might succumb to overheating.
When this happens, your car will stop, or you’ll be forced to pull over.
Not only will this put you off on your plans, but you can easily pull over a bad neighborhood, dangerous road, or stop.
With radiator stop leaks, you’ll be able to prevent leaks and thus maintain adequate fluid levels.
Adequate fluid levels translate to a happy car that is less likely to break down.
It prevents Meltdown/Breakdown
If you are keen on ensuring that you don’t experience a breakdown due to your radiator, a radiator stop leak is a must.
In other words, radiator stop leaks help prevent breakdowns. Keep in mind that a radiator leak is harmful and damaging to your engine when driving.
Furthermore, it is dangerous to your safety.
How? If your car experiences a significant amount of radiator fluid loss, it will stall, leaving you stranded.
If your car breaks down in a dangerous area, you might be in danger. With a radiator in place, you’ll be able to cool down your car’s engine.
It ultimately helps ensure that your engine won’t heat up or overheat. A cool engine means that your car will not break down.
Improves Performance
Performance is another reason you should be interested in using radiator stop leaks. With a faulty radiator, your car will not perform at its best.
We’ve already pointed out that it can break down.
With a radiator stop leak, you can improve your car’s overall performance, given the risks of your car’s radiator overheating are low.
Cons Of Radiator Stop Leak
Now that we’ve familiarised ourselves with radiator stop leaks, we can shift our attention to the cons of radiator stop leaks.
Similar to the pros of radiator stop leaks, there are lots of cons surrounding radiator stop leaks. This post, however, highlights three cons of radiator stop leaks.
These three are:
- Clogging
- Over Heating
- Non-Permanent Fix
Clogging
High up on the list of radiator stop leak cons is clogging. Radiator stop leaks contain powder and pellets.
These two can, in some instances, clog up a radiator. If you know a thing or two about radiators, you know you don’t want them to be clogged.
Clogged radiators can result in numerous problems, such as overheating.
Over Heating
We’ve already touched slightly on overheating. In particular, we’ve stated how overheating comes about.
When using a radiator stop leak, the product’s substance can sometimes block coolant hoses. In the event this happens, you risk ruining your engine completely.
Non-Permanent Fix
While radiator stop leaks are ideal, they are not a permanent fix.
Furthermore, if you constantly end up using them, you might increase the cost of maintaining your radiator.
It is always advised that you settle on a radiator stop leak as your last option.
If you are short on cash and having problems with your radiator, you can and should use them. If money is not a problem, replacing your radiator is the best option.
Conclusion
You must maintain a proper fluid level on your car. A leak can quickly impact your car’s fluid levels.
It is why car owners use radiator stop leaks to help deal with minor leaks is highly advised. Remember, radiator stop leaks are only ideal with mild or moderate leaks.
If you are dealing with a severe leakage, don’t opt for a radiator stop leak.
It would be best to replace your radiator altogether to prevent damages and extra costs when using a radiator to stop leaks.
With comprehensive experience in writing exceptional quality articles and blogs about cars and related stuff, Daniel is one of the finest bloggers and a hardcore car lover we have. He is an ASE certified technician with an across-the-board experience of 10 years in the industry. He could not help tinkering with anything he got his hands on from a young age, which led to his remarkable career in the automotive repair industry.
When he is not under any hood, you can find him on the water or in the woods to pursue his passion for hunting and fishing. He has been writing for multiple sectors and is a regular contributor to several publications.
He currently owns a Nissan 300ZX TT and a Pearl Yellow but plans to upgrade it to 550 HP. His favorites include the Koenigsegg CCX and Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT, but for him, the Ferrari 360 Spider is one of the sexiest cars that exists to date.
Being an avid world traveler, he has spent most of his time analyzing the automotive markets, latest technology, and local favorites to enhance his knowledge base. He is currently living in North Caroline, where it’s all about food and coffee and, of course, cars.
