MTFCA Forum

Thinking about using Irontite ThoroughFlush to remove the Bars Leaks. Concerned it may damage the radiator or hoses. The website says its ok for brass. Anyone with experience or suggestions?

Your trying bandaid repairs, buy a new radiator.

for a mere $1519.00 before freight plus a 6 month wait...

Richard.. when was the last time you drained the cooling system and removed chunks of solidified rust from the bottom tank of your radiator and also the cylinder block of your engine? Just recently A friend had the same problem, even with a water pump, really got into it and removed pretty good size chunks of rust that in our estimation blocked the intake and return of the cooling system. Wrapped everything up and ran the car and has not overheated yet.

Richard,

I don't think it will hurt anything, since you'd be using it for what it was made for. Hopefully, it will do the trick.

it's dye, washing soda and TSP

here's the SDS: http://weblink.carquest.com/msds/IRT/IRT%20911016.pdf

there are some safety precautions to use, and you should plan ahead for proper disposal

Radiator is a Brass Works. Never ran hot before Bars Leaks. Unless I can think of something else, I'll run clear water for a while. If it still runs hot, I'll try the flush and cross my fingers. If the flush doesn't work, I'll take off the radiator and check for junk. I don't think that's the problem, though. Thanks for the comments. It helps to get feedback.

My mom had a 1976 Dodge Aspen, sorry to say... Had a small leak in the upper radiator tank. Dad put in some Bars Leak, I drove the car about 5 miles after the Bars leak. BOOM! The whole upper tank blew off the top of the (clogged) core. Yay Bars leak!

Your radiator is most probably loaded with debris. BarsLeak alone will not cause overheating. If your radiator is leaky, flushing it with harsh chemicals will most likely make it leak a lot worse. I would flush the cooling system with a garden hose after removing the upper and lower radiator hoses. Cover the engine with plastic sheeting to prevent getting water where you do not want it. Refill with water and see how it does. I don't think BarsLeak works as well in thermosyphon systems as it does in pump systems with a pressure cap. Pouring the rat pills into a restricted radiator on a system with no water pump may allow the rat pills to plug the least restricted tubes before they dissolve. Reverse flushing the radiator and water jacket with water should remove any loose material.

RGould1910 wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:06 pm

Radiator is a Brass Works. Never ran hot before Bars Leaks. Unless I can think of something else, I'll run clear water for a while. If it still runs hot, I'll try the flush and cross my fingers. If the flush doesn't work, I'll take off the radiator and check for junk. I don't think that's the problem, though. Thanks for the comments. It helps to get feedback.

Can we start from the beginning. If it ever ran hot before you used Bar's why did you feel you needed to use it? A leak usually leads to running hot. May help others to know which Sop Leak product of Bar's you used and how much of it. Lots of stories about the pellets. Since you reach a point of: Why not use Irontite. If it doesn't work then your still looking at a new purchase

Scott,
PLUS Freight to Western Australia , the .70c / $ exchange rate and Australia’s Goods and Services Tax rate!!
My budget for a radiator on order with Brassworks is nearly $4000.
Alan in Western Australia

Hi Richard,
Sorry to hear you had a issue after using Bars-Leak. It is my go to for unexpected leaks. It was invented many years ago ( probably before pressurized
cooling systems ) It would be best to figure out the cause for the first leak. A combustion leak into the cooling system will cause many problems. If you are sure the leak was not caused by a leaking head gasket and just by a radiator leak then the bars-leak may have plugged up some other things ( like tubes) also. try draining the system. Flushing with CLR, or Zep Calcium & rust remover to clean out the block, head & radiator. Then you will most likely have you leak back. Try the bars-leak again. If that doesn't work it may be time for the radiator to go to the shop. Bars-leak has got me home many times in T's & modern cars as well. I also use K-seal it was the factory go to for GM for a long while. it seems to work very good and I have had no bad results with it even in diesel engines under adverse usage. Unfortunately cooling systems that are in poor shape will plug up with additives with stop leaks just by the nature of how they work.
Good luck.
Craig.

Since your radiator is a brassworks and not an old original that’s a plus. Could be the block and head have restricted water passages due to built up crud and rust. You mentioned it worked OK until recently so it I guess the radiator or some area started leaking and the reason for the bars leak I guess. If the radiator is fairly new it would be good enough to repair. You could pull the radiator and pressurize it slowly and not much by using a tire pump and an old cap and rubber expansion plug with a valve stem brazed to it and slowly add a little pressure to see where it’s leaking. Or pressurize it and submerge the radiator in a large tub to check for bubbles. Just some suggestions that might help. I did that to an original 20’s T radiator and found the leak but after several tries to fix it I bought a new Bergs and alls good now.

The stop leak can plug your tubes because of the lack of pressurization flow. It simply settles out of suspension and clogs in the areas of least resistance. It clogs the tubes in heater cores in older cars the same way. You will have to have the radiator boiled and flushed out.

Adding to Ed's --- The following is a general description of how stop leak products work and not any specific Bar's or other brand. AND we don't know what Bar's product was used
How a stop leak works https://www.autozone.com/diy/performanc ... -leak-work
Each type of radiator stop leak works in a slightly different way. While the end result is similar, filler particles, ceramic fibers, and sodium silicate all attempt to seal by hardening and solidifying where the leak is occurring. Another area that Stop Leak can help is with your car’s Heater Core. A Heater Core is basically a small radiator inside the cabin of the car, that radiates engine heat for heat in the winter. Heater Cores can suffer leaks similar to a radiator, and are much, much more labor intensive to repair.

Fillers, whether ceramic, metallic, or organic, circulate through your radiator and are forced into the gap in your radiator piping when the system is under pressure. These particles bind and create a temporary seal. Once you flush your coolant or even top off your coolant, you may flush out enough filler to remove the seal and form another pinhole leak.

Instead, ceramic fibers use what’s called a micro-sphere nano-technology approach to create a more fibrous patch in your radiator. Once heated, these fibers cure and create a semi-permanent seal. It may not be as durable as a brand-new radiator, but it can withstand flushing your coolant without breaking the seal.

Finally, sodium silicate, also known as liquid glass, melts at around 212 to 221 degrees Fahrenheit. As the liquid circulates your cooling system, it reaches a leak in a hot portion of your engine. Once it reaches the correct temperature, it melts to form hard seal. Sodium silicate requires temperatures up to 1,490 degrees Fahrenheit to melt again, so it creates an extremely strong seal.

Find out how to use radiator stop leak and when you can effectively use it. Some leaks can’t be effectively sealed with radiator stop leak. In these situations, your radiator needs to be repaired or replaced in order to form a proper seal.