Let me start by saying that my '69 vert has been in the garage a bit lately (not driven much) due to a leak at the top of the radiator. After a while of driving and then turning off the car I was getting a relative gush of Antifreeze coming out near the top left seam. Its been REALLY hot here in Buffalo (don't laugh we've been hanging in or near the 90s for over a month) and I didn't want to push my luck. Radiator replacement is on the horizon, but the cost has me in a holding patern.
Well, yesterday i saw the "Readiator Leak" thread where someone recommended trying Bars Leaks. So, last evening I bought some, filled it up and decided to take the car for a ride so that I could see if it helped. ("I'll be back in about a half hour!") I drove for about 20 minutes and realized I was running low on gas. So I went to BJ's to get some fuel, turned off the car and looked in front to see if there was any leakage. There was, but it was pretty light compared to what there was before. Perhaps another bottle of Bars Leaks will help. I fueled up, got back in the car, turned the key and ...... nothing. I must not have had the cluth pressed down enough, press, try again... Nothing.
Needless to say my nice night, driving with the top down, passing a few other vettes and sharing the wave, having folks at the filling station ask what year it was and telling me it looked great had just taken a crappy turn.
So I pushed the car to the side, called my wife ("Honey, the car won't start, can you come here with my car and the jumper cables?"......"Yes I know the car is nothing but trouble..." "I'm sorry you're already ready for bed....)
When my wife showed up I hooked up the jumpers, I was able to get the starter to spin, but that's it, so it was on to calling AAA. By now its quarter to 10 and the gas station is closing in 45 minutes. People are coming and going looking at the guy with his fancy, broken car.
Finally at 11pm or so, tow truck driver shows up to find me alone (wife went home) in the dark (gas station turned all its lights out) and now in the rain (Top up, but no juice to put up the power windows). He got out his super jumper thing and the car fired right up. I put on the Wipers (which had just been fixed and with which I had NEVER had a problem with the wiper door) and they don't come on. Wiper door will not open. (That's going to be its own adventure). I got home, pulled into the garage, turned off the car, turned the key again and.. nothing. The tow guys gizmo showed that once he started the car it was giving a charge, so my battery is beyond dead and is gathering no charge. Today a trip to the store for a new battery.
I love my car.
Any suggestions on type battery and what it should cost? Am I better off buying one at BJs, an auto parts store or Sears (from a price point of view).

 

Sounds like the typical Vette cruise to me. Just joking of course but does seem like the type of luck I have.

Anyways for the battery, I really have never paid too much attention to any particular brand. I usually go with a name brand and buy a medium price battery. I usually get 3-4 yrs before having to replace one. Of course, a battery will last longer on a vehicle that is frequently driven vs. one that is parked most of the time. On my wish list is a battery maintainer for my 79 during the winter months.

Hope your luck changes.

 

I had a rough day once with very similar symptoms. No start, jump, charge not held, tow truck home... VERY SIMILAR!! but when I went to remove the old "dead" battery the corroded connectors just fell away! Once I got the battery connected properly it held a charge and worked fine. Check the connections and grounds first before you waste money on a new battery.


Oh, and before filling your radiator with "sludge", Bubba here would try to JB Weld it!

 

About eight years ago, my radiator had a leak in the same area. You should just pop it out and take it to a shop to have it welded. It costs very little to have that done, and it's pretty easy to remove. I like AC Delco batteries. My last one lasted more than ten years.

 

I just picked up one at Kragen Auto store.. 560 cold cranking amps for 79.99 and has a 2 yr replacement warranty.

Jim

 

I got a used rad for cheap (turns out it was the wrong one for my vette and is still sitting in my garage) but i wanted to get it tested before I installed and the overflow fitting on the cap was broke off so I took it to a rad shop they strained out all the fins braized on a new cap &overflow fitting (there one piece) and pressure tested and boiled it out then painted it for $75.00 I couldnt go wrong so I bet they can fix it for pretty cheap my old one I had to buy a new one for it was just to far gone they said but I still got that one sitting in the garage too so try a rad shop to fix it

 

I was just coming out here to ask what people thought about repairing the Radiator as opposed to replacing it and here is THIS post. I am going to call a couple of places and see if they can do this. I would rather try it and even get a year or two out of it than spend the 800 or so that I would need to right now.
By the way, was putting htat Bars Leaks stuff into my system a bad thing to do???

 

I put that rad leak stuff in the rad of my 83 chevy k10 diesel pickup for about 4 years. I finally broke down and took the rad to a shop where they tanked it, pressurized it, and pinched off a tube by brazing it. That was last year. It still cools fine with no leaks.

I've also got a copper rad that came out of my 74. It looks practically new. Want it?

Brett

 

My daily drivers are a 94 Suburban and an 83 K10 pickup. Along with the vette, I have a chance for an adventure every time I go somewhere!!

Brett