# Bars Leaks **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 26, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261 "2017-08-26T18:06:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/1 "2017-08-26T18:06:11Z")
Does the (original) stuff make coolant fluid look muddy? ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/2 "2017-08-26T19:08:52Z")
What original “stuff”. If you are talking about coolant the answer is no. However, it will likely look murky if it hasn’t been changed in ages. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/3 "2017-08-26T21:41:07Z")
The title of this thread is “Bars Leaks”. I am talking about that. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/4 "2017-08-26T21:51:09Z")
No Bars won’t mud-up the coolant very much. A touch but it should still look green/orange/gold whatever color it started. A muddy look is a clear sign of combustion gasses and maybe a bit of oil getting into the coolant ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/5 "2017-08-26T21:54:45Z")
> [@melott](#): > > The title of this thread is “Bars Leaks”. > > I am talking about that. I’ve never used the stuff or any other _“mechanic in a can”_ treatments, but I would certainly imagine it could. When using these additives instead of actually fixing a problem, I guess one accepts taking the bad with the “good”. 😉 There has to be some extra details that go with why a $700 dollar, 2 day repair is only going to cost ten bucks and take 15 minutes! Ever see those ads on TV that tell you if you buy an exercise machine that you use for 10 minutes a day will allow you to eat anything you want and lose 10 pounds a week? It’s like that. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/6 "2017-08-27T02:46:36Z")
I think radiator stop leaks have an undeserved bad rap, I have had them stop a leak for several years. They are most useful in a tube leak from a stone hit. Bars Leak is a little heavy duty for me, I used to prefer something like Dupont or Alumaseal but I haven’t needed a stop leak in 20 some years because I no longer have an old clunker to use as a work car. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/7 "2017-08-27T12:47:05Z")
I used this product a lot with no troubles and considerable success in my youth. Trying to help a friend with an old beater (1992 buick roadmaster) The cooling system had a slow leak. It was filled with water due to topping off. The BL stopped the leak but when we did a partial drain to put in antifreeze what came out looked muddy. I think not reddish enough to be rust. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bars-leaks/107261/8 "2017-08-27T15:24:25Z")
I was losing coolant but couldn’t figure out why because it only happened when I was driving. I went through a few gallons of coolant and a few varieties of leak-fix stuff, including Bar’s Leaks, until I read about the possibility of the seals on the water pump blowing (mentioned in the Haynes but not the Chiltons) and looked for that. A new water pump was only $27, and I have a longitudinal mount engine, so I could replace it myself without too much grief. I spent more money putting off fixing the real problem than fixing it.