radiator stop leak?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
leak is on the radiator itself it looks like. kinda near where the hose from the surge tank connects to the radiator. I guess there is a crack right around there. I didnt wanna get to close to it when it was overheating earlier and sputtering
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,251
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix Arizona
G/L never use any of that aluminum stuff !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
The best thing to do is get it fixed! No reason to go around wondering if it is going to go full blown leak
If it is a temp fix then do the NON-Aluminum fix! There is a radiator for sale in the For Sale section - do it right and do it right the first time - no need to loose a motor over a couple hundred dollar replacement
Thanks,Matt
If it is a temp fix then do the NON-Aluminum fix! There is a radiator for sale in the For Sale section - do it right and do it right the first time - no need to loose a motor over a couple hundred dollar replacement
Thanks,Matt
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,013
Likes: 9,775
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
The best thing to do is get it fixed! No reason to go around wondering if it is going to go full blown leak
If it is a temp fix then do the NON-Aluminum fix! There is a radiator for sale in the For Sale section - do it right and do it right the first time - no need to loose a motor over a couple hundred dollar replacement
Thanks,Matt
If it is a temp fix then do the NON-Aluminum fix! There is a radiator for sale in the For Sale section - do it right and do it right the first time - no need to loose a motor over a couple hundred dollar replacement
Thanks,Matt
If this was some $2K winter beater that you just wanted to keep running until you sold it I would throw in something to see if I could stop the leak. With your car fix it right the first time.
Did you check the hose end to make sure it wasn't leaking?
Bill
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
thanks guys for the input, this is going to just be a temp fix so that I can get around as this is my daily driver. Im gonna look into this BARS stop leak in the meantime and try to get me a new radiator with the end of the month's paycheck.
by the way, any recommendations on aftermarket radiators???
down in south texas, gotta keep this thing as cool as possible.
by the way, any recommendations on aftermarket radiators???
down in south texas, gotta keep this thing as cool as possible.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
I have used Bars Leak and Alumaseal both with excellent results. Also I have never seen any one of these products plug anything up like people say they do. Been in the autoparts retail business for years and sold 1000's of these products and not one customer came back saying it plugged the system, customers came back and said it did the job and no more leaks!
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 132
From: Plano TX
I used this stuff in my old Buick and it restricted parts of the waterjacket around the block, causing over heating, uneven heating problems.. This was 20 years ago,, maybe the formula is improved
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,939
Likes: 7
From: Simpsonville SC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
I would never put anything in my cooling system besides coolant.
Go to any auto parts, and get a tube of JB Weld, or something similar. It is a 2-part dough that you roll in your hands, then apply to the leaking area. You may need to do it twice, if you don't get a good coverage the first time. I've used this to repair several radiators on a Ford truck, and a few Honda's...
Go to any auto parts, and get a tube of JB Weld, or something similar. It is a 2-part dough that you roll in your hands, then apply to the leaking area. You may need to do it twice, if you don't get a good coverage the first time. I've used this to repair several radiators on a Ford truck, and a few Honda's...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,251
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix Arizona
I would never put anything in my cooling system besides coolant.
Go to any auto parts, and get a tube of JB Weld, or something similar. It is a 2-part dough that you roll in your hands, then apply to the leaking area. You may need to do it twice, if you don't get a good coverage the first time. I've used this to repair several radiators on a Ford truck, and a few Honda's...
Go to any auto parts, and get a tube of JB Weld, or something similar. It is a 2-part dough that you roll in your hands, then apply to the leaking area. You may need to do it twice, if you don't get a good coverage the first time. I've used this to repair several radiators on a Ford truck, and a few Honda's...
so you may think you never use the stuff but.... you have been already using it for decades
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
Yeah heard that before
however this stuff only reacts to leaks where air is contacted so you either had a cracked block or never burped the air out of the engine correctly when you added that "stuff" cause it just doesnt harden like that and restrict flow.
however this stuff only reacts to leaks where air is contacted so you either had a cracked block or never burped the air out of the engine correctly when you added that "stuff" cause it just doesnt harden like that and restrict flow.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
okay bought the bars stop leak... is it okay to throw it in the reservoir?
instructions say to put it in teh hose that connects to the radiator but the hose kinda dips down and then goes up into the connection at teh radiator like a "U" shape so im thinkin this wouldnt work.
instructions say to put it in teh hose that connects to the radiator but the hose kinda dips down and then goes up into the connection at teh radiator like a "U" shape so im thinkin this wouldnt work.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,773
Likes: 2
From: San Diego CA
You should be OK with a used stock unit if you are on budget....
But if you want an aftermarket radiator, I would use DeWitts..... That is what I use and it's a well built piece..... not cheap though.....
