1. K-Seal Multi Purpose Coolant Leak Repair – Best Radiator Sealer
Using the best radiator stop leak is a very good temporary fix to a radiator leaking problem. Imagine yourself in the middle of a camping trip and your radiator starts leaking and won’t stop. There is no shop nearby and you can’t really afford to drive your car without a proper cooling system because you don’t want to risk your engine overheating.
If you simply use the best radiator stop leak, this leak will be stopped and you can safely take it to the auto shop to get your radiator fixed. The best radiator stop leak comes in tablet, powder, or liquid form and they all pretty much do the same thing: they form a coating around small holes in your radiator and prevent radiator fluid from leaking out.
Does the best radiator stop leak work? You bet it will. But does it work for long? Absolutely not. You will eventually have to take your car to an auto shop. Some even go as far as to say the best radiator stop leak is bad for your car. This is true if you don’t know how to follow directions and pour more than the recommended amount. In this case, the radiator stop leak could clog your entire radiator system, which would be bad. So to sum it all up, you should keep a bottle of the best radiator stop leak in your car in those emergency situations where you have a radiator leak and need a temporary solution. For detailed reviews of our top picks, see below.
Best Radiator Stop Leak Reviews
- AlumAseal Radiator Stop Leak and Conditioner Liquid
- K-Seal Multi Purpose One Step Permanent Coolant Leak Repair (Top Pick)
- Bar’s Leaks HDC Radiator Stop Leak Tablet
- J-B Weld DS-114 PERM-O-SEAL Radiator Stop Leak
- Johnsen’s 4918 Radiator Stop Leak
1. AlumAseal Stop Leak and Conditioner Liquid – Best Radiator Stop Leak
AlumASeal Stop Leak is poured directly into your radiator tank and will find the fractures in your radiator that develop through normal wear and tear. It will locate these fractures and seal them with its unique formula. AlumASeal is safe to use with all types of antifreeze and coolants as well as all types of cooling systems made from rubber, plastic, or metal. AlumASeal is easy to apply.
Simply make sure the engine is cold, turn the heater on, pour in the suggested amount of sealant, and then drive your car for a bit. We really like the AlumASeal product because we think it works quite well. After a few hours, you will notice that there will be less radiator fluid leaking. While not a permanent fix, you will still be able to squeeze a few thousand miles out of this and delay your trip to the auto shop. We also like that AlumAseal also has a water pump conditioner in the solution.
Antifreeze by itself is sometimes not good enough to protect all of the metal, plastic, and rubber in your cooling system and prevent them from corroding. The water pump conditioner will lubricate the water pump seal and thermostat to prevent rust and corrosion in your cooling system. We think AlumASeal is the best radiator stop leak if you are looking for a good stop leak with the addition of a water pump conditioner.
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2. K-Seal Multi Purpose One Step Permanent Coolant Leak Repair
Simply shake it and pour it into your radiator. One 8 oz bottle is good for 20 quarts of cooling. We really like this product in that it can also be used for leaks in other areas of your car. And if you have a head gasket leak, you can still pour it into your radiator and fix the head gasket leak even though your radiator is not leaking. Don’t worry, this stuff will not react with anti-freeze, so it won’t harm anything.
Of all of the radiator stop leaks we have tried, we find this one and AlumASeal to work the best. There is a real noticeable difference before and after application as the antifreeze dropping pretty much stopped. While it is not ideal to make it a permanent solution to your radiator problem, technically you could continue using this product numerous times once the radiator starts leaking again and avoid replacing your radiator altogether. All in all, K-Seal is the best radiator stop leak if you are looking for an all-around solution to all of your car’s leaks.
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3. Bar’s Leaks HDC Radiator Stop Leak Tablet
We really like this product in that you don’t have to worry about carrying around a big jug of liquid. And with a liquid stop leak, you run the risk of overpouring while with these tablets each dose is carefully measured out. While we found these tablets don’t do the job of a job stopping leaks compared to these liquid counterparts, the difference is quite negligible and it is a good trade-off for convenience.
Sure, it won’t be a permanent fix it is nice to have a pack of these handy on the road when there is not an auto shop nearby and your engine starts to overheat. In summary, Bar’s Stop Leak is the best radiator stop leak for a few bucks and is extremely easy and convenient to use.
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4. J-B Weld DS-114 PERM-O-SEAL Radiator Stop Leak
The J-B Weld Perm-O-Seal will not clog or harm your cooling system. It is made of ingredients that is very non-toxic and won’t harm you or your car. All you need to do is to pour the contents into the radiator slowly while your motor is running. You need to be circulating the water and continue running the motor until the water is hot. The leak should stop then. If it doesn’t, you need to catch the solution first. Then you need to pour it back into the radiator or use a new pack.
When we tried this product we found that it works almost as well as advertised. However, we think it is not nearly as good as some of the liquid products around. Liquid products seem to do a slightly better job. Nevertheless, we think the selling point of the J-B Weld Perm-O-Seal is that it is light and portable. You can throw this in your glove compartment without taking up too much space. With a liquid radiator stop leak, you have to take up a lot of real estate in your car. This space can be used for other car products and accessories.
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5. Johnsen’s 4918 Radiator Stop Leak
Johnsen’s 4918 also helps condition your cooling system. It lubricates the seals in the water pumps and reduces rust. It can also control electrolysis and control future corrosion. This product is great for leaks of all types, whether they are big or small. When we tested it out, we found that it works as advertised. In fact, it lasted much longer than we had initially thought. We have to admit that we were turned off by the packaging as it looks “homemade.” However, you would be surprised that some of the products that don’t look the best actually function better than name-brand products. Johnsen’s 4918 is one of these products.
When we surveyed auto repair shops and industry experts, quite a few have never heard of this product. However, the ones who have heard of it use it religiously. They claim it works better than Bar’s, Prestone, AlumSeal, or any of those name-brand stop leaks. We did not have enough time for an extensive study to write this review. All we can say is that we tried it on a radiator leak and it definitely worked to stop the leak. It probably also helps that it is quite cheap compared to name brands.