2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission radiator stop leak

[Wyomingcowboy]

I was discussing my very slight coolant leak (from the housing on pass. side of block where the lower radiator hose attaches) with an associate tonight and he told me to go buy some sort of walnut shell kit to put in the radiator to stop the leak. He went on to say that some of the newer GM rebuilds won't honor any kind of warranty unless you DO put this in the coolant system. How many of you have heard this? He said I can buy the kit at NAPA. Should I try this, or should I just pull the housing and apply some silicine or do whatever I need to actually fix the leak?

 

[kenny61]

fix the leak properly

 

[Jefff929]

I agree with Kenny



tho this does sound like a mr goodwrench fix. :-laf

 

[PC12Driver]

Dude! You just spent how long rebuilding the engine and trans, and now you're thinking about fixing a coolant leak with walnut shells???



I wouldn't put any sort of stop leak additive into any vehicle that I planned on keeping. I don't know how that stuff can tell between a radiator leak or a heater core passage way. A Google search will turn up a bunch of bad stuff that's happened to folks that have used it.

 

[WDixon27]

i have a leak in the same place and don't have the time to replace the o-rings as i am in the middle of moving our shop to a new location, i did the o-rings about 3 1/2 years ago and they are going again, they of coarse didn't start leaking till after i serviced the cooling system a couple months ago, a dose of bars leak slowed it down but didn't stop it, it is one of those leaks that you never really see it on the ground but the level drops and you can find a green drop or two on the compressor. i had a mother of a time finding the o-rings at the dealer last time and have been looking for the part #s to just order them that way but have not had any luck

 

[Batphreak]

If you need a solution to just get by for a while, rather than pouring goofy stuff in the coolant you could try this. Back the radiator cap off to the loose position. This will run your coolant system with 0 pressure. It will still cool just fine, it would simply be more prone to boiling over if you had something else like a blown head gasket causing you to get hot. An old Mechanic friend of mine did that when he had a radiator getting a little soft and started weeping when he didn't have time to replace it right away. Might get you on the road, anyway.

 

[georgej]

Another vote for fixin it right... ... ... .

 

[Missouri Mule]

Do it right!#@$%!

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

Thanks for the replies! I was hoping for any easy fix, but that's what I get for hoping I guess! The good news is that I am sort of an expert on where all the bolts and stuff now as I have just put it all together!

 

[DCreed]

any form of stop leak will ruin the cooling system and CAUSE problems. fix it correctly.

 

[WilsonF]

any form of stop leak will ruin the cooling system and CAUSE problems. fix it correctly.

Not sure that is true. Over my 65 years I have used Barrs a few times, I still have one of the cars, cooling seems to be working fine. There is a limit to what it will fix. But as stated the best way is to take it to a shop to fix it.



Floyd

 

[WDixon27]

i agree and no other stop leak would ever touch one of my vehicles, if i didn't know what was wrong id would of fixed it right away instead of band aiding it to get through the next few weeks till the new shop is up and running

Not sure that is true. Over my 65 years I have used Barrs a few times, I still have one of the cars, cooling seems to be working fine. There is a limit to what it will fix. But as stated the best way is to take it to a shop to fix it.



Floyd

 

[PC12Driver]

There is a limit to what it will mask.

Fixed for accuracy.

 

[Joe Mc]

Do it once correctly = "quick fix". MHO

 

[ATaylor]

Stop Leak Additive

I agree, I wouldn't use any of the stop leak additives. The additives do stop leaks, but they cannot tell the difference between a partially clogged radiator cross tube and an actual leak.



If you are going to try the stop leak, why not go the Macgyver route and just crack an egg in the radiator!

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

If you are going to try the stop leak, why not go the Macgyver route and just crack an egg in the radiator!

Would that be a grade A? Brown? Jumbo?

 

[BigPapa]

I agree if you know what the problem is, and it's economically feasable, fix it.



That said, I am always entertained by people who like to speak out against something the have no experience with. I have used these products in 4 different vehicles in my 30+ years of dealing with cars and trucks. I have never had anything blocked or plugged by it. I put a total of over 300K miles on these vehicles after using it and absolutely no problems from them. All 4 of these vehicles had small pin-hole in the radiator that was effectively stopped by these products.



I've witnessed my grandfather using oatmeal in his 1984 Chevy truck to stop a leak in the radiator that he drove for another 150K miles without a problem before he died.



Don't knock it till you've tried it.



Scott

 

[Bob Cochran]

I have not heard the egg thing for years!!!! While I think you should fix it right I cannot knock things like Bars!!! My brother a trucker put some in Phoenix to keep him running not sure it was Bars though. On the road making miles equals $'s!!!!! It went close to a million miles and he was surprised. Knowing this I still promote the fix it right club. I think as part of his in-frame rebuild the cooling system drained and the problem finally fixed.

I agree, I wouldn't use any of the stop leak additives. The additives do stop leaks, but they cannot tell the difference between a partially clogged radiator cross tube and an actual leak.



If you are going to try the stop leak, why not go the Macgyver route and just crack an egg in the radiator!

 

[DCreed]

That said, I am always entertained by people who like to speak out against something the have no experience with. I have used these products in 4 different vehicles in my 30+ years of dealing with cars and trucks. I have never had anything blocked or plugged by it. I put a total of over 300K miles on these vehicles after using it and absolutely no problems from them. All 4 of these vehicles had small pin-hole in the radiator that was effectively stopped by these products.

I've witnessed my grandfather using oatmeal in his 1984 Chevy truck to stop a leak in the radiator that he drove for another 150K miles without a problem before he died.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

Scott

If I said marshmallows in your fuel gave better mileage would you try it? Ever tried that rebuild-in-a-bottle ? guys swear by it! I drove a tow truck for years and I've heard every cokamamie fools EZ fix-u-upper treatment story out there, while pulling the junk onto the flatbed to be fixed or scrapped. I check all fluids before buying and if there is any sign of contamination, move on. Just because your cousin larry got away with pouring chicken poop in his engine doesnt mean diddly when you depend on your truck to carry your family safely in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. I'd hate to break down in harlem @ 2 am because some quick fix failed or clogged something up! but hey, to each his own. :-laf

 

[BigPapa]

I'm not talking about what cousin Larry or his brother Larry has done, I'm speaking from personal experience. Have you used the product? I suspect not, yet you come here and say it's no good. That's all I'm sayimg. If it's the o-rings that are leaking, by all means, fix the o-rings. If it's a pin hole in a $500 radiator, try the stop leak.



Scott