I Need Major Help Asap!!!
 

Hello Board,

Today I came out of my car and noticed a small puddle of coolant on the ground. I ignored it at first, and when I parked somewhere else, the puddle was HUGE!! I immediatley checked under the hood, all hoses were intact. IT looked like it was the water pump, but my water pump was replaced 6 months ago! I went to the mechanic that installed it and he did a compression test and looked for a leak. HE said that it was a freeze plug, and they rust over time, the cost for the "fix" $75. I have no money right now and depend on my car daily. I have added some "radiator stop leak" to my car and it has temporarily stopped the leak. Is there a freeze plug anywhere near the waterpump, the leak is on the right front of the engine. I need this fixed ASAP!

Any likely culprits of this coolant leak??

Help!!

Get the cooling system flushed & have the freeze plug replaced ASAP!!!

A new engine & OR car will cost a lot more than $75.

Are there any negative effects to those "Radiator Stop Leak" products. So far, it has stopped the heavy leaking.

I am right on it.

Thank You

I took the car to TWO very reputable MB shops. Both The mechanic s basically said that since the "Radiator stop leak" stopped the leak, That I should just live with it like that. They said If that stop leak worked, then the hole must not have been that big.

Anyone have some advice for me??
What should I do?

Well, you sound like you really don't have $75...so if the leak is stopped for the time being...I would live with it until my next paycheck, at which point I would prioritize $75 to replacing the plug and fluid (I am guessin' the funds will come around maybe in a week or two? maximum a month?)...but I would not just "live with it" indefinitely like what the mechanics suggested...that is quite irresponsible...and like what the others said, it will probably get worse down the road...

The water pump is 6 months old, the water pump is NOT the culprit of the leak. Is there a "freeze plug" located around the water pump area(right side of engine)?? I was only able to see 2, and they both looked good.

First I'm gonna tell you what you seem to want to hear. If its not leaking now leave it alone. Now I'm gonna tell you what I would do if it were my car I would get the car flushed of that stop leak crap and put in a new freeze out plug, especially if I lived in Florida where it gets hotter than hell in the summer and don't forget to use fresh MB antifreeze. It will be cheaper in the long run believe me.

I finally scored some $$.I will fix it tomorrow, I hate those snake oil ****s, but it saved my cylinder head.

Got it fixed today!! It definetly was a freeze plug. Now my car is free of "stop leak" and is running as good as used. :)

good for you. you don't want those bandaid fix.
different car, different situation but the same result.

95 astro van had heater core leak, used barr's stop leak
and leak sure stopped. two months later,water pump
leaked due to earlier stop leak fix.

lesson: do it right the first time or pay a bigger price later.

i ended up selling my astro van.