Does Barrs (sp) leak product for very small radiator leaks, mess up the core for future proper rebuilding?
(kind of along the same lines as the tire-fix-in-a-can thread).
Looking to finish the season on what I have, then pull this fall/winter to have the tank serviced.
Barrs worked for me on tired old low radiator!
Before
After
Dan,
It works better if you pour it in your radiator rather then attach the bottle over the hole.
Dennis Holshield:
If you want to blow up a radiator, using Bar's Leak is a good way to do it. The bars leak settles in the bottom outlet and will not let any water circulate.
Radiator men love people that use Bar's Leak as it makes them a lot of money. Ask a radiator man and if he is honest he will tell you that Bar's leak is the worst of all the stop leaks.
Again Bar's Leak stop leaks real well and it also stops any circulation.
Well,when I had trouble with a 8n engine that was overhauled and called the rebuilder,he said that Alumaseal was the only product of this type that if used in a engine he over hauled,he was still warrenty it.Turns out,that is what I have used for years.
Dennis Holshield;
By the way if you want to know if someone has put Bar's Leak in your radiator in the past just look in the bottom drain. You will see a THICK layer of what looks like huge coffee grounds or the bottom of a drain pond. Nothing can circulate through that.
Hmm ... I suppose it would work better (clog up more parts! :-) ...) if it was used on a higher end water pump system.
Reminds me of how I used to speed up the spring sealing of my wood sailboat ... tin can with a springed lid with sawdust in it. Put it down by the worst leaks and flop the lid open a few times, and the sawdust is sucked into the leak, where it swells ups, and PLUG.
I suspect I'll get a similar response on the tire plug in a can. :-)
Thanks, all.
My experience is same as Mack's. I was advised by Rad Ralph to use Alumaseal.
Even it will clog the drain petcock, which is easily opened with a piece of wire.
Alumaseal is "lighter". Smaller particles that is. Probably better for a non-water pump T system.
Right, Charlie.
AlumaSeal doesn't gum up the thermostat, either.
And to add to my post,Alumaseal has been in both my T's since their reassembly by me.
I have heard the GM puts alumaseal in all their cars when they leave the plant ???
Of course it "seals" the petcock when you open it. That is what it is supposed to do.
I've used both, and they work, both on holes you want to seal and those you don't want them to (drain).
I used bars on our N three years ago to help with the waterpump (yes, it's true, per Ts had waterpumps) and they only use packing. Since then I've not needed to tighten the packing nut (on NRSs you must drop the water, take off the waterpump cover off the radiator front, remove the impeller, then tighten the packing nut or add additional packing).
Rob
I will repeat what the dealer told me that the North Star V8 had some trouble when it came out and when you took your Cadi back to the dealer for a leak ,they just drove it back to the shop and put in a product like Alumaseal if not it.Something about the aluminum heads.
I know the company Carolina Automachine in Monroe nc where I had the 8n engine rebuilt puts what they call a rebuild cube in the engines.A cube of stop leak.The mechanic forgot it on the engine I had rebuilt for a fellow and that is how I came to learn more about Alumaseal.
It took about 30 minutes running time on that tractor with new gaskets and such to stop dribbleing around the head bolts and such.
And to this day it aint leaked another drop of coolant.The man who owns the tractor couldnt believe that little can of stuff did that well.