Coolant leak found...

I been having a coolant leak on a Dodge Caravan 2005. when doing my last oil
change, I found that it is coming from the water pump gasket/seal whatever
it is. I have been having to replace coolant in the overflow tank about 1
time per month.

Is there a "Stop Leak" for this type of problem or do i have to get it
replaced? My warranty is over, I commute 100 miles a day for work, but I do
have an extended warranty.

TIA,

-Tom Rogers

 

Probably the water pump.

 

Well if you have an extended warranty why are you asking such a question?

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Do not do "stop leak" for a bad water pump lip seal. If your extended
warranty is in force, have them replace the pump. "Stop leak" is a
ghetto repair on any leak at best, and won't work on a lip seal
failure at all.

 

Don't use a stop-leak. They have nasty side effects like plugging
radiator cores.

It doesn't much matter whether you're under warrantee or not, you need
to get it fixed for real.

 

Thanks, Dr. P. Please explain this to that CRC buffoon who was
roundly bashing me for not liking "stop leak" snake oil cures!

"Stop leak," whether the old "dog turds" from the '50s or the latest
silicate goo, is a GHETTO FIX....period.

 

I agree. My father had a radiator leak on his 1963 Valiant. He put in
one can of stop leak, and it still leaked, so he put in a second can.
The radiator still leaked, so he took the radiator in to have it fixed.
By this time, the damage was done. The stop leaked sealed most of the
coolant passages in the cylinder head. We replaced the head, but
something must have been wrong with the block too, because we could not
get a good seal between the head and block after that.

He gave up and sold it

-KM

 

Deductible.

 

I'll go along with what everyone else said about not using "stop leak".

Depending on which engine you have in that thing, a water pump
replacement should be a relatively simple (for a mechanic) and
inexpensive fix...