After reading "Scorps" Dex-Cool post, I will DEFINITELY be changing back to the "Green Stuff", but have this question about adding Sealer Pellets:

1) Is this for preventative maintenance or to repair a leak?

I do not have an aluminum radiator as I have a '95 LT1 in a '76 Vette (which has a copper rad.), but do have the aluminum heads.

The service manual states to add six (6) cooling system pellets to the radiator surge tank (which I do not have) for a "flush & fill".

2) If needed, can I add directly to radiator?

How are these different than those old "Bars Leak" pellets we used to use in those "Sunday Night emergencies", then end up repairing w/ JB Weld! :lol:

Thanks :cheers:

Dr.

 

Believe they are the same exact thing.


GM no longer recommends the sealing pellets, but mostly with DexCool applications.

"You don't need no stinking sealing pellets"

:D

 

If your Vette came with Dexcool, stay with it. If not, don't use it. It's that simple. Pellets----The Chevy Service Dept. down here say not to use them.

 

Cool, didn't want to add something that I'll regret later, so hopefully nothing has happened yet w/ my Dexcool (less than 3,500 miles w/ it in) and the Pellets will stay @ Chevrolet!

Thanks for the replies :yesnod:

Dr.

 

Good choice

 

my top tank had a seap after a flush job. bought a pack of the 6 pellets but just used one.
seap disappeared.
im no fan of stop leak.
but i am a beliver in what electrolysis can do to aluminum parts.
so considering the touted "anti electrolysis" additives and the "lubrication" additives,plus i was seaping green stuff,i talked myself into trying just one little pill.hey shes 11 thats old enough to take a pill aint it :D
the rest may come in handy someday,i should hide em in the rear box.

 

Using the pellets is up to you, but here is what I've learned from another board. I also have a 1996 Cadillac STS with the all-aluminum Northstar. There is a GM powertrain engineer who hangs out on a Caddy board. He recommends using the pellets in an all aluminum or aluminum-headed engine because the aluminum is highly susceptible to corrosion if the coolant is old. These motors will literally corrode from the inside out and the pellets will fill in the minute leaks that this corrosion will cause. If your running an iron block with iron heads and you take care of your cooling system, the pellets are really not required. But if you are running aluminum heads with the green coolant and you don't change your coolant every other year, you may want to consider using the pellets or BarsLeak Gold powder.

Hope the helps...

Dan

 

Thanks for the additional insight...

I guess after flushing out the Dexcool, I'll see if there's any weeping and add a pellet or two and save remaining for future use. I've removed alum heads from cars where cooling systems were not maintained, and you're absolutely correct in what damaging effects electrolysis has on alum. I'll flush and fill annually if it saves my baby!

:cheers:

Dr.

 

Preventive maintence What a concept.

 

As a tech I say dont use the pellets or other stop leak mixtures except as a band aid to get home, then have the system flushed when you get the leak fixed. As a shop manager I say go ahead and use them I like collecting your money for heater core replacment when it cloggs up with the crud and you cant get any heat. As a friend I say forget the stuff and just keep good clean coolant in your car so that the electrchemical damage doesnt happen.

 

:iagree: Nicely put.

 

"As a tech I say dont use the pellets or other stop leak mixtures except as a band aid to get home, then have the system flushed when you get the leak fixed. As a shop manager I say go ahead and use them I like collecting your money for heater core replacment when it cloggs up with the crud and you cant get any heat. As a friend I say forget the stuff and just keep good clean coolant in your car so that the electrchemical damage doesnt happen. "


:iagree: with the band aid theory completely,but only to an extent.
i wouldnt say only to get home.more like,until you can afford the parts and labor to replace the radiator and heater core thats likely to disentegrate on flushing.
people can and do go thousands of miles troublefree after sealing minor seepage with a good sealer.
like anything else,if you overdo it your gonna have troubles.
and only use ginger root/walnut shell based powder (i.e. gm pellets,barsleaks gold powder that only react to air at the leak sorce.never BarsLeak Liquid Aluminum,Solder Seal sealant,or alumiseal)
heater cores plug easier because of the smaller tubing,but its no biggee to reverse the hose and flush em out.i do my vehicles every fall.cold up here.
carb cleaner works great,followed by warm soapy water.
one point i'm familiar with because i work on diesel engines is electrolysis.
it occurs from dissimilar metals (aluminum,cast steel,cast iron..),and all the good clean antifreeze in the world wont slow it down.
thats why you see what most think is a water filter on cummins engines.its actually a chemical conditioner.
you can either go that route or theres chemicals you add directly to the coolant.
now i'm not saying that lt1's should be condition for electrolysis,because i just dont know.
but a little protection cant hurt.
sorry for the long post

:cheers:
nitrous1 :iagree: ,caddy drivers have been pelletized for years,around 83 or 84 i think with the 4100 aluminum headed v8-"use em or lose em" from coolant in oil .


[Modified by mitymek, 9:55 PM 7/2/2003]