'03 M45 leaking water pump

[jsudaria]

Over last couple months, my M45 has been leaking some fluid. A couple weeks ago it was making a high pitched whining sound and I noticed the reservoir for the fluid that goes to the fan was empty. I refilled it with power steering fluid as recommended and the noise went away. A little over a week later the noise was back and the fluid level was low again...and it has been leaking on my garage floor. I filled it again and the noise went away. I took it in to the shop and they told me the water pump was leaking and the hydraulic fluid leak is because there is a solenoid on the water pump for the fan control for fluid. 170k miles. Should I let them replace the water pump at $450 or is there a stop leak that would help?

Thanks.

[lexcrob]

Stop leak can work but likely will not. It can also cause very bad things. Id never suggest adding stop leak unless the car was just trashed and gonna hit the graveyard anyways. That said GM and SUBARU have in the past recommended adding "coolant" conditioning pallets or a little bottle of a liquid version to coolant. For GM it was a band aid to get their intake manifold gasket problem to get out of warranty. For SUBARU it was the same story for their headgaskets. The pallets and subaru stuff is not quite a bottle of stop leak but a similar smaller quantity version.

I would just have the pump replaced if it were my vehicle. Maybe price around a bit.

[jsudaria]

Thanks for the advice. I have an appt to have it replaced (water pump) but as always, looking for a cheaper way to fix it. I guess there really is no magic in a bottle.

[lexcrob]

Sadly there is not.

[BlackCat81]

You put power steering fluid in your coolant reservoir? I'm confused.