GM 3.4 Leaking Anti freeze, need temporary fix

[Joe72Mart]

Thx Mike

This van drips anti freeze when pressurized at a steady rate. Stopped in at a locally owned part store that I trust. He came out to look at it and recommended this Bar's Leak product:
http://www.barsproducts.com/1109.htm

Copper Seal for fixing larger leaks. Gonna try a bottle today to see if it at least slows the drip down. Will fix it properly asap.
thx again for your input
Joe

 

[mike7139]

Your welcome, that looks like a great product. I am thinking that should stop the leak period. Just make you you read the instructions over carefully before adding.

Good Luck and let us know how it works out.

 

[ron917]

Originally Posted By: Joe72Mart
Next step may be to put in on ramps and pressurize it with my Stant, then check underneath. Doubt if the view down there is any better tho, tranny, steering rack etc blocking a clear view.
thx for the response
Joe


Go ahead and put it up on ramps, you might get better view. You can see a lot of things on the rear bank from underneath, but they are still hard to reach.

The '03 Pontiac Montana in my sig is the same as the Venture, it is NOT easy to work on.

 

[ron917]

Originally Posted By: Joe72Mart
I've read that Subaru also has some leakage issues in some of their cars, they also sell tablets to solve the problem IIRC.



Subaru's leak stopper is Holtz Radweld with a Subaru label. They didn't even bother using a different bottle, Holtz is molded in big letters. It's a liquid with ginger root powder, if I recall. Stops the headgaskets from leaking coolant, but then they just leak oil instead (my '07 Outback is seeping oil from the HGs at 70,000 miles).

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Keep a close watch on the oil condition and PVC valve for any signs of a milky appearance indicating a coolant leak into the crankcase.

If that happens I'd take off it the road until properly repaired, coolant in the oil can wipeout bearings in short order. Many GM 3.1L, 3.4L vehicles have ended up in the junkyard before their time like that.

As a precaution you may want to used a HDEO oil, it may tolerate oil contamination better.

 

[Joe72Mart]

thx for the info Rock

I can't tell if this is the usual intake manifold leak that is epidemic on these GM V6's or a head gasket that's leaking. Oil changed very recently and looked good. Didn't send for analysis. It's not blowing white smoke or pressurizing the cooling system, so I'm hoping it's just an external leak. Taking it out of service would be the best answer until the problem is identified or fixed. But buddy needs this van for basic transportation to a minimum wage job.
Joe