Rad Leak... ?Bar's rad leak anyone..

[J60FI]

I developed a small leak at the bottom of my rad.. It is a pin hole leak.. I was going to use the liquid Bar's rad leak stop.. but the guy at the parts store said that it would probably clog up the heater core..

Would the pellets be better?

Any thoughts on this.. recommendations..:confused

Thanks..

 

[JohnZ]

The pellets work for tiny leaks/seeps of that nature - every car and truck built for the last 40 years has had two Bar's pellets dropped in the radiator at the factory coolant fill station.

 

[Ratmotortom]

If it's for a driver I'd go ahead and use the pellets. I work with a guy that put them in his 69 to stop a small leak................................... 25 years ago and it's still good !!

 

[IH2LOSE]

I will give my advice


I have found in the past if the radiator is leakings, its normally because it old. I have also found that most old radiators are partially glogged decreasing the fluid flow thru them .Less flow means less BTU removal

I have also taken the end caps off of older radiators to look what they look like inside and it always seams as the the bottom rows are glogged with sediment


I personally have found ,that every time I try and take a short cut it cost me more agrevation and money in the long run.

I would feel the fins and if they just are soft and lay down (as if the material is weak) if may be a better investment in the long run to just put a new Dewitts radiator in it

Good luck with your repair

 

[Kid_Again]

The pellets work for tiny leaks/seeps of that nature - every car and truck built for the last 40 years has had two Bar's pellets dropped in the radiator at the factory coolant fill station.

...i'll be darned!!!

 

[Kid_Again]

...i'm pretty much in the camp that if you're starting to have a leak, it's time to pull the radiator and get it rebuilt or buy a good aluminum replacement

VNV and I have spent a LOT of time getting my sb back in shape after i swapped out a new cam, new heads and added a Vortech blower...the very first time i went to start it up, i pulled the distributor cap wire and cranked it a few times to re-prime the oiling system and i noticed coolant leaking from the header collector and from one head gasket, in the rear

WTF???

i now know that i got thoroughly screwed by the guy who did the engine rebuild (that's the short story)...i was SO ****ed that i damn near pulled the block to throw it in the basement for the next sucker but used this stuff as a last ditch fix -> http://www.autobarn.net/blue-devil-engine-and-cooling-sealant.html

outstanding stuff, fixed everything

i know, i know, a Bubba fix


...don't give a ****, i'm still ****ed and the engine runs fine


as is said on South Park **** **** ****itty **** ****

 

[Stan's Customs]

The pellets work for tiny leaks/seeps of that nature - every car and truck built for the last 40 years has had two Bar's pellets dropped in the radiator at the factory coolant fill station.

Thats right...John

.....stops small seeps /leaks from the factory.... especially on aluminum to plastic manifold mating surfaces.

To address Bar's Leak specifically...I had a heater core start leaking when I was a couple of hundred miles from home in my 1980 Silverado. I put in a small bottle of Bars Leak to make it home on. The leak stopped quickly...and naturally once I got home I put off the heater core replacement for a little while. ...(about 23 years heh, heh). I still have the truck (newer engine) ...it still has the same heater core, hasn't ever leaked again.

There are plenty of maroons out there that will dump massive quanities of stop leak in a cooling system to fix major problems. Liquid glass used to be a big problem solver, idgits thought...talk about a mess.

What can you say...if you have a system that has been contaminated in that fashion...the perpetrator ought to be hung, but for small external leaks there is a place for Bar's Leak imho. I don't subscribe to using it for head gasket leaks etc....although I'm sure it would fix small ones for a short time.

Stan ...

 

[J60FI]

Thanks Guys... I will try the pellets.. I have found the liquid.. says it contains the pellets.. but have not come across he pellets yet..

It is a small leak.. more like seaping out.. So looking forward to the results..

Thanks again..