will putting pepper in my cooling system plug what I suspect is a bad intake manifold gasket? EA 82 T-1990

 

how does this work,anyway?

It could. For a while.

It could also plug your radiator which would not be good.

Basically, small specks will get caught in the hole as it is leaking and plug the hole.

This is how all stopleaks work, and should only be used as a temporary fix.

If you do use it, be sure to thoroughly flush you coolingheating system after you get it fixed.

i've heard this one too, one of the things one of my buddies was telling me to carry in my emergency road side kit, incase i put a rock through the radiator or something. i don't know that i would want to run it as a fix for something major that i wanted to last though. Now if its just your intake manifold gaskets that are leaking, i'd just take the few minutes to replace them, or you could try some of the stop leak stuff. i know peper comes at nearly no cost, but its a real cheesy way of doin it.

 

Dan

Actually, pepper (about a MacDonalds thingy's worth) is an excellent and non-damaging way to temporarily stop a radiator leak. Note, I said radiator leak.

This will not help bad intake manifold gaskets or hoses however.

 

It won't hurt anything either. No major flushing required when you do put a new radiator in. Believe me, a new radiator is a whole lot cheaper than fixing the damage that stop leak stuff does to the entire cooling system!

Subaru radiators and cooling systems do NOT like stop leak products. Pepper may be an "old school" fix, but the new fangled stop leaks are death to your beloved Subie!

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

Is it "SAFE" to use GM coolant supplement sealant? It is mostly turnip root and almond shells, IIRC

 

it is what is required for the aluminum block and cast iron head 4. ht series engines, and works good

Other than being very careful removing the manifold bolts, replacing the manifold gaskets is too simple not to do. I wouldn't mess with the pepper in the coolent since, it may not go where the leak is. How do you know it's leaking? What symptoms are you basing tha opinion on? Just trying to get a better handle on what's happening and finding a better fix.

Other than being very careful removing the manifold bolts, replacing the manifold gaskets is too simple not to do. I wouldn't mess with the pepper in the coolent since, it may not go where the leak is. How do you know it's leaking? What symptoms are you basing tha opinion on? Just trying to get a better handle on what's happening and finding a better fix.

Coolant smell and rough running on start up,minor coolant loss,but it evens out after about a minute.It does not over heat or blow white when its warm,so I dont think its a head gasket and theres nothing on the ground where its parked,nothing leaking on the engine either

throw some of that powder solder seal in there, and rage it!

it kept my toyota running on a blown head gasket for 4 months.

pepper is for peepl that cant afford the 1 dollar solder seal =]

Every time someone came into our shop with a bad coolant leak, and used the stop leak to fix it, they always came back for a clogged radiator. when i say every time, i mean every single time. fix it right the first time and you won't have the issue again.

Every time someone came into our shop with a bad coolant leak, and used the stop leak to fix it, they always came back for a clogged radiator. when i say every time, i mean every single time. fix it right the first time and you won't have the issue again.

How can I test my bad manifold gasket theory with out blowing any thing out?

try to find where the leak is, if its not too obvious spray some of the aerosol deoderant on the supsected areas, it will run if theres a leak there.

try to find where the leak is, if its not too obvious spray some of the aerosol deoderant on the supsected areas, it will run if theres a leak there.

it isnt getting out,its getting in the cylinder(s)when the engine is shut down,i think.

egg is supposed to work well also, I saw it on Mythbusters

the solder seal cloggs stuff, if you dont read the directions, and stick in a clump into a cold motor.

solder seal it, and if it doesnt work you have to tear it apart anyway, what do you realy have to loose?

Every time someone came into our shop with a bad coolant leak, and used the stop leak to fix it, they always came back for a clogged radiator. when i say every time, i mean every single time. fix it right the first time and you won't have the issue again.

Yep