Okay, after reading a lot of forums on radiators, I've read that any kind of stop leak is really bad for our cars. In an attempt to help the current leak I have I used some stop leak...not sure the exact name or brand but now I'm terrified it's going to make things worse...is there anything I can do to get it out? Can I flush the sytem or is it too late?
I plan on replacing the radiator anyway sometime in the near future, but I don't want anything else bad to happen. Any advice??

Edited by: gbelous

 

Think of the stop leak as a bandaid. Doesn't do anything except buy you time. Having said that, it shouldn't be that big a deal to clean it out afterwards (once you solve the real problem). Just flush it thoroghly including running it up to full temperature with clean water and then draining again, after cooling of course.


Might not hurt to replace the thermostat as well. I have seen stop leak gum those up.

 

There is your answer..............if stop leak can gum up the large passage of a thermostat what do you think is can do to the heater core.

 

Okay, The car won't be driven much (if at all) until I put a new radiator in so right before I take the old one out I'll flush the system a couple times to get as much gunk out as I can.
Any places to get cheap radiators? Autozone and Advance have them for 160-180 and that's too much right now.

 

I think that it gums up the slide mechanism rather than the passages of the thermostat. I don't think that stopleak is efficient enough to fill those large passages.


As for finding a cheaper rad, eBay is a good place but I doubt you'll do much better than Autozone. You can try a junk yard, but these are hit and miss. You could also try taking yours to a rad shop. If it only needs to be patched and the core is good, you could save a fair bit of money. Problem is, you'll have to remove it to have it serviced.

 

Pretty much the only way it will gum up anything is if you added way too much then what it says on the label. It wouldn't happen to be bars leaks would it? most of the stop leaks radiator liquids are made from pepper. All you need to do is flush your system and you're fine to go again. The hardest thing that stop leaks are on is the water pump. but believe me, you must be someone very very daft to clog that sucker up. You're not in trouble, just drain it, and you can be on your way until you find the rrad leak or recieve the new one.





Matt

 

I have been reading a lot of these radiator posts and I've gathered a few sites that people have shopped for radiators at....the list is below...does anyone have any preference or bad experiences with any of these sites? I'd like to narrow it down as soon as possible. Thanks for all the help!



http://replacement.car-stuff.com/par...f/wizard.jsp?y ear=1994&make=SN&model=SLSE--002&category=G& part=Radiator&returnurl=null&dp=true&s howdc=true #top



http://www.alldiscountautoparts.com/...rts/buy.php?ma ke_text=saturn&model_text=sl_series&ml=sls e--001&amp ;year=1994&part_name=radiator&brand_name=r eplacement &make_code=SN



http://www.radiatorbarn.com/s7.asp?a...ar=1994&ma ke=SATURN&model=SL+SERIES&submodel=ALL+MOD ELS&en gine_size=L4%2C1.9L%2C116ci



http://www.radiatorworld.com/radiato...l/displayProdu cts.aspx?carno=19288&cat=1



http://www.carpart.com/RenderScriptT...c?_cmd=epccat_ VehicleWHD&cookieID=24A0JKK2R24A0JM4SF&mod e=PA&s ubcatid=37@@Radiator%20and%20Electric%20Fan%20Moto r

 

Finally got the radiator changed...took almost 2 days because the lower oil coolant line bolt was stuck and got stripped to I had to replace that whole hose with one from the dealer. It was a b!#&% but it got done.