well i have devolped a small leak in my radiator, and im not for sure how or what to do. the leak is comming from the core. the previous owner installed electric fans and attached them by sticking a thin wire through the fins of the radiator and then proceded to bending both ends to secure the fan. the leak is nothing major yet. but i sure it will be if i do nothing about it. so does that radiator stop leak stuff work for these types of holes or am i looking at a new radiator, or should i just get my old one recored? thanks for the info...

 

Take the wires out and put in plastic zip ties, that is what the fans come with. get a bottle of bars leak, it comes in a brown bottle, it should stop it for now. :D

 

There will be several responses to the Barsleak sealer.
I have used it with great success (even in the vette).
Some people will (correctly) note that this a temporary fix for a problem
that will return. It may be a month - it may be 5 years. They would recommend
fixing it correctly (now) and avoid a messy situation later.

I procrastinate and buy the $3 bottle.

 

Flush the radiator (recommended by the people who make the stop-leak products) and then add some type of stop-leak. It probably won't be a permenant fix, but it's worth a try. If it doesn't work, get yourself a nice aluminum Be Cool radiator and drop coolant temps by 20 degrees or more :cheers:, plus, unlike most other companies, Be Cool doesn't use epoxy, making them repairable down the road :cool:


[Modified by Ryan77, 5:55 PM 1/15/2003]

 

ykp53
i hate to say this but i have the same problem as you. i used the plastic ties that came with the fans. i have been using the GM sealant tabs (under $5 every other week or so). i first noticed the leak in Feb 2002 and it still leaks but i have driven my car on the 2002 hot rod power tour and use it about one or two times a month to drive 303 mile from my door here in SA to my place in Dallas. it is starting to get the best of me so now i want a new radiator.
i called be cool just before i left to go on the power tour because they also go on the tour and i asked them to take a new radiator for me and they would not do it. they did say they would ship it to my house and that it might get there before it was time for me to leave for the trip for the small price of $6?? that is just way too much for me. my car is not a DD but i bet i drive it more than most DDers on here with the trips i take. plus i drive it 3 or 4 times a week (oh and for the record i asked the seller of the fans who were also on the trip if they had the correct brackets i needed and they said no to use the ties and i told them i did and now i need a new radiator and the guy said "sorry"). i do not want to spend over $600 on a radiator just because it can fix it down the road. the one on my car now has been on it from Sep 1975 to now and i broke it doing what the instructions told me to do. who knows how long it would have lasted if i did not put the fans on there :rant:

i am going to start a new thread to see if we can get a GP going on a new radiator that fits good luck
sorry :)
mike

 

I had this problem and used Bars and Stop Leak for about 1 year before it got to the point where it was starting to be of real concern. Had it recored and wish I had done it earlier for peace of mind.

 

We all know it's no fun to pull the radiator. Take it down to a good quality shop...and spend the $40.00 to have it welded and pressure tested. You know that someday it's going to bite you in the rear-end if you don't. Winter is the perfect time for this. I had it out... repaired three leaks and back in... in about 4-hours. :thumbs: