toller wrote:

2) I have some plastic stretch tape that claims it stops leaks. If I
applied it with the water off, would it have stopped the leak; had I
not been able to take it apart? If not, would any product?

If you are referring to very thin teflon tape (which has no adhesive), then it's for sealing threaded joints.
Unscrew, apply to the thread then screw up the connection. In the old days, plumbers used sisal for the same
purpose.