Tl;dr: Is Bar's Leaks Cooling System Repair safe to use? And is it likely to actually help with a small leak?

Thanks for the reasonable replies. I appreciate you folks taking the time to try to offer useful/helpful information. For the record, unlike most others on this fucked-up site, I don't have vast financial resources, so cost is a legitimate concern and an obstacle that I am likely to have trouble with. If the most-appropriate/best repairs are to cost $200-$300, I don't have that much extra money right now, nor do I have the means to get it at this time. Rent is due next week, as is my car insurance, and while I definitely need to keep my car running, I'm trying to prioritize and make it through some tough times until I can try to get some extra money to be able to pay for the necessary repairs to be properly done by a mechanic. I would love to go drop my car off at a local mechanic shop and be able to casually ask them to identify the problem and fix it, no matter the cost, but that's not a realistic option for me right now.

Also, I just called a local mechanic shop and described the situation (and, thankfully, he wasn't a rude cocksucker like several of the professional mechanics in this thread were) and he mentioned that the radiator cap might have lost its seal and that replacing that cap could help. He also mentioned that he is booked up until next week, so it's not like I can drop my car off and have it check out today.

And I probably should have known better than to ask for reasonable advice on here, but I really am trying to get some sensible suggestions about what the problem might be and find some attainable solutions for them, as I'm in a tough spot and can't just comfortably agree to pay for repairs to be made by a mechanic. So, to those of you who took the time to reply like a decent human being, please know that I really appreciate it!

> Pic related: A picture of the dried water/coolant that has splashed/spewed on to the motor from the steam coming out of the overflow container/hose.

Try blue devil

Also, to reply to your post, yes, the cooling fans are kicking on. At least, after the car has heated up and I've stopped and turned the car off, the fans are on and working and are actually quite loud; and they will often stay kicked on and blowing loudly for several minutes (when the engine has gotten considerably hot). I don't recall specifically checking if the fans are on when the vehicle is running, but I will plan on checking that here shortly. I just called a local auto parts shop and they have the right radiator cap for around $8, so I'm planning on going and buying that here in a few minutes and I will check if the fans are kicked on while the car is running.

By the way, does replacing the radiator cap seem like it will possibly/probably make a significant difference and help the engine to not get as hot as it has been lately? I'm going to post a picture of the cap from my car's radiator with this post, and when I looked up the same cap on Amazon, it does look like mine has come apart and is missing some of the inside seals/parts for the cap. So, I'm hoping that this will be helpful. And for $8, I can actually afford it and will be glad to buy it and see if it helps.

Edit: This did not post earlier, so I'm now back after buying the new radiator cap. And after first starting my car, the radiator fans were not on, but after driving for a few minutes, after I stopped, one of the fans had kicked on and was blowing loudly for several minutes after I parked my car.

I also bought a gallon of pure anti-freeze (instead of the premixed anti-freeze/water mix that I've been buying recently), should I try to pout about 60-70% anti-freeze and 30-40% water when I fill up my radiator here in a few minutes? Or should I try to do a 50/50 mix again?

Are you inclined enough to find the leak? Might be something real simple and that would be much better than the stop leak. Maybe find a big Honda forum and ask them about common leaks.

I used stop leak in a dire situation once and while it did work it also clogged up heater core so I had no heat.

Also tap water is gonna cause rust in your cooling system. Not sure how long you are planning on keeping the car but tap water after a while will fuck your shit up.

What exactly is that stuff/what does it do? Is there more than one type of product that they make? And have you actually used this stuff before? If so, for what and how well did it work? If you would reply and elaborate, I would appreciate it.

And it definitely looks like my old radiator cap had started to fall apart, which I'm guessing would have been preventing the radiator from being properly sealed and may have contributed to the overheating issues. I suppose that I will be able to find out shortly, after filling up the radiator and driving with the A/C on for a while.

> Pic related: My old and new radiator caps.

I'm not completely retarded, but I'm somewhat ignorant/stupid when it comes to working on cars. I can try to find the leak, if/when I get the opportunity to look for it, assuming that it does overheat and start spewing fluid again. Part of the reason that I was asking about the potential short-term/temporary fix of using the Bar's Leaks Cooling System Repair is because I was hoping to be able to prevent my car from overheating for a week or two, until I can try to get a couple hundred dollars and be able to get an appointment at a shop and have a mechanic check it out. Being that I have to be driving the 80 miles down to the Phoenix area at least once this weekend, and possibly twice, I'm really hoping to be able to get some sort of difference made with how hot my car has been getting, and prevent it from overheating, as I know that the heat can be very damaging to the engine.

As for the anti-freeze/water mix, being that I just bought a gallon of straight anti-freeze, do you have a suggestion about what percentage I should use for each? I specifically bought just anti-freeze, so that I could try to use a higher percentage of anti-freeze than the premixed 50/50 bottle that I've been using lately, thinking that it may help the engine to run/stay a little cooler, by having more anti-freeze in it.

Also, I was planning on just using water from my outside hose, but someone mentioned using distilled water, so should I go buy a gallon of distilled water from the store to add with the anti-freeze? Or is hose water probably OK to use again?

And as always, thanks for the helpful replies!

Use distilled water and do 50/50. You can google charts for ratios of water to coolant but 50/50 is gonna cover everything in the continental US.

For real go ask on Honda Forums about it. Being your splash was so up high I bet it's an easy fix, might have been that rad cap.

I would buy a bunch of the distilled water, drain the rad (just pull the lower rad hose) fill with distilled. Run it with the rad cap off till the cooling fans come on (this is to assure your thermostat is open, the upper rad hose will get very hot to touch). Keep topping off the rad till bubbles stop. Let it cool off then drain again. Refill with distilled, repeat as many times as you want. Ideally you want clear water to come out. Once you got clear ish water coming out fill the rad with 100% coolant, Make sure you use the right kind. I always recommend dealer coolant but ask the Honda forum what to use.

The reason I say to use 100% anti freeze is because you have water left in the engine that you can't drain. If you put 50/50 mix in the rad for the final fill up your gonna be like 25/75 mix, which is fine if you live in a hot place. More anti freeze in the mix the worse it is at cooling but it can get colder before it freezes.

So top of the rad, let it idle till bubbles stop (with the heat on full blast the the heater core is getting a flush). Top of the reservoir with 50/50 mix (since it will have no water to mix with). They make a special funnel to make this less messy. If your only gonna do something like this once it might not be a good buy. Put "Lisle 24680" into amazon. Its 25 bucks primed shipped. Might be worth it or not to you. If not just let it run all over and just hose down your driveway afterwards. To fully disclose though it's a shitty thing to do to the environment

Plop back on the cap and be proud of yourself for a job well done

First time I ever maxed out a post lol

Just wanted to talk more about stop leak. It is a encase of emergency, stuck in the middle of no where trying to get to moms who is on her deathbed and you wanna hear her last words.

Anything besides that and i'll take a tow charge if I gotta. Some point will say it works great, and for a pin hole leak it will, on a total gasket failure? Ehhh maybe. It will also clog up your cooling system, heater cores are a bitch to replace in a lot of cars. It will also gum up your rad, water pump, all sorts of bad shit.

>distilled water
More corrosive than tap water.

Are you trolling or just stupid? It's just water that has the minerals removed. Minerals rusts the metals the metals inside the cooling system.

You used corrosive though which depending on what you are talking about is a true statement. Distilled water is more corrosive to water soluble minerals then mineral water simple due to not having minerals in it from the distilling process

not that an/o/n but I've used it
blue devil is a really expensive head gasket stop leak that from as far as I can tell is a ton of sodium silicate in a liquid suspension.
>it lasted about 6 months and then the heads cracked even more
none of these things are meant to be permanent fixes

>sodium silicate
Which is the same shit used to kill engines for Cash 4 Clunkers.

Only an absolute moron would consider putting that crap in an engine.

>he wasn't a rude cocksucker like several of the professional mechanics in this thread were

I'm only rude because stop leak is car murder in a bottle, and a cross-reference of the ingredients to Google would tell you as much. Also, if you really think about it, if some anonymous liquid in a bottle could actually stop leaks, it would already come in the car when you buy it.

It's like trying to get rid of a kidney stone by drinking bleach, and apparently I'm rude for trying to get across the point that drinking bleach will kill you.

They poured it into the crankcase to kill them in c4c though. Not the cooling system.

but what about my seafoam and mmo

>car overheats
>keep driving
>car overheats to the point it cant run properly
>drive a mile
>pour cold water in
>
>lol head gaskets
>
>Will stop leak work?

KILL

Y
O
U
R
S
E
L
F

It's still a highly abrasive material that will destroy any rotating parts, like your water pump.

Seafoam has a very specific use and is a burnable petroleum product, as is MMO. They do not intentionally leave behind abrasive material.

I wanted to say thank you very much for taking the time to reply with such a lengthy post and for trying to give such a thorough, detailed description of what to do to help with this issue. I definitely appreciate the effort!

Unfortunately, I ended up needing to leave shortly after making that post, and I knew that I was low on water/coolant in the radiator, as I hadn't put much water back in it after the last time it had overheated, because I was planning on buying some straight anti-freeze to fill it up with, as opposed to the 50/50 mix that I had been using lately. So, I ended up putting in about 3/4 of a gallon of anti-freeze first, and then about 1/4 of a gallon of water, before the radiator was full, so I'm hoping (as you suggested) that there was still some water in the engine, so that the actual mixture is closer to 50/50 overall. I hadn't realized that having more/mostly anti-freeze would only benefit being in cold weather and that it would actually be bad for driving in hot weather. I actually thought that having more anti-freeze would help to prevent the car from overheating, which is why I chose to put the anti-freeze in first.

And as for maxing out the post, well, embarrassingly, I do that shit quite often. OCD, like a motherfucker!

>antifreeze
>help prevent a car from getting too hot

Does that stuff help with a leak that is not from the head gasket? I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that the leak on my car is most likely coming from the radiator or one of the hoses connected to it; or, as was suggested, maybe from the radiator cap needing to be replaced. So, assuming that the leak on my car is from something other than the head gasket, would that stop-leak possibly/likely be helpful/at least worth trying on my vehicle?

Hey, I definitely appreciate the efforts of anyone who is legitimately trying to help; but some people (including many/most on here) are just rude, smartass, condescending scumbags for no good reason. If someone is in a tough spot and is respectfully asking for help/advice, why be rude or insulting at all? Seriously? I love joking around, teasing folks, and talking shit, but not every situation is appropriate or necessary for that type of response. I took the time and put forth the effort to write a well-written, detailed request for help, and specifically expressed appreciation in advance, so why the fuck not just try to be genuinely helpful?

It seems like some of you forgot that you didn't always know everything that you know now. And some also forgot what's it like to be a decent person. And some people are just sorry fucking pieces of shit; lots of whom like to post on these boards.

Seriously, though, to all of you who have legitimately tried to offer a helpful response, without trying to be degrading or condescending, please know that I genuinely appreciate your efforts!

holy fuck you are a fucking retard.
just stop driving.
>hurr durrr my check engine light has been on for months
>its the coolant temperature sensor
>does this have anything to do with over heating?
>i havent ordered the part yet
>mechanic said he found antifreeze leak but i think hes lying
>is my plastic over flow tank supposed to be full? orr?
>i put tap water in my radiator
>guys will this bars leak shit fix my leak? even though i have no idea where the fucking leak is because im too autistic to look for it let alone maintain a car properly
people like you make me want to quit my job as a mechanic and an hero

Thanks for the helpful response. You've got a great attitude. Here's hoping that you get fired from your job, that you don't seem to be grateful for and which you seem to have a really shitty attitude about. And when you need to ask for help with something you're unfamiliar with, I hope you get no help and are treated like the sorry fucking dirtbag piece of shit that you seem to be. Fuck you.

So, if you lived in an area where it does not get cold, would you not need to have any anti-freeze whatsoever in your radiator?

Here is what your gonna do OP
(Surprised that no one has told you how to locate the problem/fix it yourself)
Fill the rad and overflow to normal levels, start the car, let it get hot. Once it is hot, check all around the hoses and pulleys for leaks. If you can't find any, turn the car off. Now go back to the engine and check again. If nothing check again in 5 minutes. Repeat till cold. Now if you find the leak and it is just a hose, buy a new hose. If it is from the engine near a pulley you need a new pump or thermostat, recommended that you get someone else to do it. If you have installed the new rad cap and it seems fine then it was likely your rad cap. If it is still overheating it's most likely a headgasket which means either find a new engine or new car.

Also replace that sensor asap and never leave a check engine light for so long again. This is part of the reason you think we're rude, because we think you are stupid. Lights come on for good reason. Pay attention to them.

>being this ass blasted
haha cry harder punk ass
maybe you should actually know something about basic upkeep on a car before you own one?

you would still want it because it raises the boiling point of water

Thanks for the helpful response. Despite the insulting comment at the end of it, I appreciate the effort to try to help. It sucks that you couldn't fight off the urge to be a condescending cocksucker, though. But, I guess that some of you just have that as part of your personality and can't help yourselves.

And as for being stupid, well, I probably am at least somewhat stupid; but, in this case, mostly ignorant, and distracted by life's issues that come up. While everyone has problems and bad days, some have it worse than others, and you have no idea what types of distractions or difficulties someone else is going through or how serious they may be. Maybe, you will get yourself some truly serious problems and suffer through a few years of incredible stress and misery, to the point where your memory starts to suffer and you feel like you're losing your mind, and you frequently feel like you're on the verge of a heart attack or a stroke, from the almost-constant stress and the lack of sleep that you're going through on an almost-daily basis. And, maybe, that will humble you some. Or, maybe, you, and others like you, will just always be self-righteous, self-important, fucking assholes who take shit for granted and get enjoyment from being rude and insulting to others. One way or another, hopefully, you will get whatever it is that you have coming to you and have earned and deserve.

he's not wrong, you know

So, it does have some benefit/effect on how hot your engine gets? And does serve a helpful purpose with regards to preventing your vehicle from overheating?

>I don't need to wrench: the blog
wew lad I'm on the assblasted mechanics side now

yes, it raises the boiling temp of water
>auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system3.htm
>Pure Water: 0 C / 32 F - 100 C / 212 F

>50/50 mix of C2H6O2/Water: -37 C / -35 F - 106 C / 223 F

>70/30 mix of C2H6O2/Water: -55 C / -67 F - 113 C / 235 F

holy fuck this response. dude are you okay? sorry for being a dick to you

Great to know. Thanks for posting to let that be known. Nice work, you idiotic faggot.

you kill OP, an/o/n
he an hero
y u hav to bully

>the jammays have been rusted

Assuming that you are the guy who posted that response and are legitimately asking, no, not really OK. My life has been fucking rough, stressful, full of distractions and extremely difficult for most of the past few years now. And it's because of the fucked-up, hard times I've been through that worrying about a Check Engine light in my car wasn't exactly a priority in my life for a few months. Especially, while working nights and basically struggling financially constantly for months at a time. Should I have made more of an effort to have my car checked out long ago? Yes. Do I regret not having it checked out long before I actually did? Yes. Do I feel like a fucking jackass for not trying to get it checked out sooner? Yep. And I'm not going to go in to detail, but, for some of us, there are problems we have to deal with and difficult times we go through that are more taxing, draining, and damaging than most people have any idea about. And when life is throwing you curves and weighing on you heavily for months and years at a time, it's often hard to get things done that, for most people, aren't that hard at all.

As for the Check Engine light, though, yes, I am a fucking moron and I should have gone to Auto Zone and tried to order a new Temperature Sensor months ago. And I'm sorry that I didn't do that already.

Not that user, but;

I hope genuinely, wholeheartedly, hope things get better for you and start to look up. Things will get better, I believe in you.

Assuming that you were being sincere (which I think, and am hoping, you were), thank you very much for the kind words! I appreciate it, my friend. And the same to you and yours!

>but some people (including many/most on here) are just rude

Nigga if you're wanting a hugbox go back to /r/cars and ask how to install a vape into your subie.

It's a dumb placebo at best, and at worst it'll trash your engine. You're just holding out for what you want to hear, and since you haven't heard it you're resorting to "Waaah, people on the internet are mean!". Lurk moar.

Yeah I'm the user. I'm sorry you are going through such a tough time op. I'm guessing it has to do with you driving 80 mile trips to a town in Arizona all the time. I hope whatever is ailing you that you over come it or it passes. If it's girl trouble I hope that butch gets what she deserves if it's financial trouble I hope you come into some sort of cash to ease you through your burden until you get back on your feet. Honestly I wish i lived closer to you to help you out. I hope your vehicle stays alive long enough to get you through the pain and sadness so that you may fix or retire it in peace we have all struggled in life and it sucks some people get hit and kicked when they are down more worse than some. I hope you overcome op. Once again I will express my deepest apologies to you and condolences. Life can be one son of a bitch

Thank you very much for the kind words, my friend. I don't want to share too many details, as they're very personal in nature, and some people (like the fucking cock-smoker who posted this ) just can't seem to help but to be a rude piece of shit and try to belittle others, even when they're struggling through tough times, but I will say that the problems that I've been dealing with are honestly and legitimately truly serious and extremely stressful and draining and that they really have affected my health, both mentally and physically, and that's the main reason why I've been putting off getting more work done on my car, even though, I've known that it's needed to get checked out and worked on for a while now.

And I sincerely appreciate your compassion and your kind offer to try to personally help me fix my vehicle, if we lived close to each other. I'm sure that some fucking morons will read this and reply with their typical immature bullshit, but fuck them. And please know that I really appreciate your thoughtful gesture! And I hope for good things for you and your family, too!

Holy shit. I literally gave you a step by step instruction on how to cheaply find your problem and fix it and you say half a sentence in thanks and the rest saying you hope I get what I deserve? Fuck off. All you have done is validate yourself and make your mistakes okay. Sometimes you need a solid kick up the arse to learn and that's what I gave you. I've been through tough shit but you know what makes tough shit tougher? Continuous problems. Sort anything that comes up right there and then and then it's not a problem. Don't say I'll do it tomorrow do it fucking today. That's why I got assblasted by you not fixing a check engine light issue. On the off chance that it was the major problem you could have solved a massive problem that may end up with you needing a new car.

Stop being a faggot. If you've been in idiot and you know your wrong accept it and don't backlash because someone had strong words for it. As I already said sometimes you need some harsh words to kick you into line.

A massive fuck you from the guy that was only trying to help and teach you a needed lesson.

...

This post made me kek so hard, thank you for that

rich mixture actually makes the engine run cooler as the extra fuel lowers the heat in the combustion chamber, a lean mixture will cause detonation and extreme heat issues.

However on hondas (or most cars for that matter) if the temp sensor fails it fails full rich.

im pretty deep into hondas as a mechanic so let me tell you what your in for.

water in your oil means you have a blown headgasket and probably have a warped head. Chances of that sealant sealing it correctly and not blocking off cooling passages are 50/50 either it works or it doesnt and your still in the same place you started.

However, this sealant causes alot of issues if you want to repair the engine later on, as it swells every single seal in the cooling system, destroys the other headgasket and ruins water pumps. All hoses will need to be replaced and thermostat.

ive personally seen people put this stuff in and drive the car around for a day without issues, and then it overheats bad enough to cause the engine to lock up because the thermostat got plugged and no coolant passed through the engine.

Doing it right is cheaper in the long run, this magic in a bottle will cause you headaches down the road, especially when it plugs up your heater core and requires you to remove the dash and replace it.