radiator stop leak...what's the best product? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Scooter67 · 06-10-2005, 11:46 AM

Unfortunately it appears the '67 will need a new radiator. Drips a good sized puddle every time ya shut it down. Truck is still entirely useable as is, just needs a little coolant every week or so (about 1/4 gallon every coupla weeks).

So what's the best product to slow the leak and help me put off changing this thing till cooler weather?

chickenwing · 06-10-2005, 11:51 AM

Doesn't sound too bad. don;t use the sealant. Just take the radiator to a radiator shop and have em fix it for you. $35 last time I took one in.

Mongo · 06-10-2005, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickenwing

Doesn't sound too bad. don;t use the sealant. Just take the radiator to a radiator shop and have em fix it for you. $35 last time I took one in.

what he said. That stop leak stuff is crap. It gums up your water passages, water pump and makes a mess of your whole cooling system. The only thing I have found the stuff good for is plugging up the heater core to the point you have to replace the core.

Green Machine · 06-10-2005, 12:20 PM

Stop leak stuff is just a bandaid fix. Radiator is pretty easy to remove and replace. I would fix the radiator, ask them to just fix the leak. If they give you the deluxe fix, cooking it out, removing tanks and fixing etc, it would cost more than its worth, Just buy new one then. Having said that, I have used Bars-Leak several times for fixing leaking freeze plug that I was too lazy to replace, it has worked for that and didn't seem to hurt anything, however, if you ever have the motor apart, you will find this black gooey gunk has settled to the bottom of the water jackets in the engine.

Bamm · 06-10-2005, 01:33 PM

What they all said. Stopleak is like putting a bandaid on a broken arm, and usually just as effective. I've had more backyard mechanics tell me to use anything from stopleak to eggs to black pepper to stop a radiator leak. Save yourself time and trouble, take the radiator out and have it repaired. Most radiator shops around here would fix that up in a couple of hours and i'm back on the road that evening for under $40......Jerry

OhioDan · 06-10-2005, 03:39 PM

1-888-252-0333 is the # to Radiator Doc. Bought 4 core "Modine" rad from them last year. $165.00 shipped to my door. Took about 3 days. Hope this helps?

CHEVYE · 06-10-2005, 04:21 PM

if you are near nashville, my buddy is manager of keystone automotive. call em at 615-226-9090. if you go there ask for Jason and tell him Eric sent ya. he'll get you a modine with lifetime warr for about $115. if you want a used one, i've probably got one layin around here for a couple of bucks.

Scooter67 · 06-10-2005, 05:02 PM

Thanks for the input. I'll def buy a new one instead of patching the old one. Figure with a 38 year old radiator ya never know if it'd spring another leak in a different place, then have to fix it all over again.

Don't really wanna use any stop-leak but it's worth asking just to see if there's any great new product on the mkt I aint aware of.

shifty · 06-10-2005, 05:12 PM

Sorta on-topic ... what's a good cleaner to put into your radator to flush your cooling system and clean it at the same time?

neonlarry · 06-10-2005, 07:19 PM

Prestone makes a cleaner but I have heard it can be kind of harsh. I use Spic & Span, run it for about 20-30min then flush well. Great for cleaning out dexcool or the above mentioned Bars Leak put in by PO's.

sdkid · 06-10-2005, 07:24 PM

Yep, If your gonna do...Do it right. It will cost less than the tow bill if it gives up on the road.

powell72 · 06-11-2005, 12:31 AM

if you need a band-aid fix for a little bit the only decent "stop leak" products are GM tablets or the stuff made by BG's.

Syco67 · 06-12-2005, 03:08 AM

A problem with the stopleak stuff is that you may only need a pinch or two to plug the hole, but most people will put in the entire bottle. After the hole is plugged, the rest of that stuff just circulates in your system. It is supposed to harden when it contacts the air, so if you ever drain your cooling system, the sludge can harden up in your system somewhere. You could also pinch the leaking tube shut and put some JB weld on it. I have seen that work before. I replaced the radiator in the 69 a few months ago, one of the tubes was leaking, I tried to gently plug it with a center punch(just to see if it would stop), and the thing just crumbled and started spraying coolant everywhere. Good thing it was still cool, or that could have hurt. The radiator was rusted all to heck. Replacing is definitely the way to go.

06-10-2005, 11:46 AM	#1
Scooter67 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: middle TN Posts: 87	radiator stop leak...what's the best product? Unfortunately it appears the '67 will need a new radiator. Drips a good sized puddle every time ya shut it down. Truck is still entirely useable as is, just needs a little coolant every week or so (about 1/4 gallon every coupla weeks). So what's the best product to slow the leak and help me put off changing this thing till cooler weather? __________________ Here's my '67 stepside www.truckwithaheart.com

06-10-2005, 11:51 AM	#2
chickenwing Lovin' Life in Miss.! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, Mississippi Posts: 1,937	Doesn't sound too bad. don;t use the sealant. Just take the radiator to a radiator shop and have em fix it for you. $35 last time I took one in. __________________ The truck... you hear that? No really, you did hear that?!!!

06-10-2005, 12:20 PM	#4
Green Machine Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Estherville, Iowa Posts: 3,371	Stop leak stuff is just a bandaid fix. Radiator is pretty easy to remove and replace. I would fix the radiator, ask them to just fix the leak. If they give you the deluxe fix, cooking it out, removing tanks and fixing etc, it would cost more than its worth, Just buy new one then. Having said that, I have used Bars-Leak several times for fixing leaking freeze plug that I was too lazy to replace, it has worked for that and didn't seem to hurt anything, however, if you ever have the motor apart, you will find this black gooey gunk has settled to the bottom of the water jackets in the engine. __________________ 1968 C10 307 3spd Long Fleet ------ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=201103 1970 C10 305 Super T10 Long Fleet --- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=202285 1971 C20 383 TH350 Dana Posi ----- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=206894 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 C3 6.0

06-10-2005, 01:33 PM	#5
Bamm Cowboy Fan for Life!!!!!! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Amelia, Virginia Posts: 2,921	What they all said. Stopleak is like putting a bandaid on a broken arm, and usually just as effective. I've had more backyard mechanics tell me to use anything from stopleak to eggs to black pepper to stop a radiator leak. Save yourself time and trouble, take the radiator out and have it repaired. Most radiator shops around here would fix that up in a couple of hours and i'm back on the road that evening for under $40......Jerry __________________ 1967 ShortBed Fleetside 3/4 Drop 350/700R4 Tilt wheel 18 x 8 Torque Thrust II's Future mods: All new gauges & wood bed My Zip is 23002 I ship UPS, USPS

06-10-2005, 03:39 PM	#6
OhioDan Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Carlisle, Ohio,USA Posts: 1,404	1-888-252-0333 is the # to Radiator Doc. Bought 4 core "Modine" rad from them last year. $165.00 shipped to my door. Took about 3 days. Hope this helps? __________________ LIFE AIN'T EASY WHEN YER FAT AND GREASY! GMC= Got More Class! 1970 GMC LWB, Fleetside, 350/4spd, Flowmaster "40's", 2002 GMC 16" Rallies, cowl hood,and added a bunch of options that weren't there when I started.

06-10-2005, 04:21 PM	#7
CHEVYE my gas saver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 2,046	if you are near nashville, my buddy is manager of keystone automotive. call em at 615-226-9090. if you go there ask for Jason and tell him Eric sent ya. he'll get you a modine with lifetime warr for about $115. if you want a used one, i've probably got one layin around here for a couple of bucks. __________________ 85' SWB, 4.3/TH350, getting ready for paint 84`SWB, 462ci./TH400, cowl hood, 15" billet spec., flows, blazer buckets/console, flat black 71`SWB, project ebay feedback Last edited by CHEVYE; 06-10-2005 at 04:22 PM.

06-10-2005, 05:02 PM	#8
Scooter67 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: middle TN Posts: 87	Thanks for the input. I'll def buy a new one instead of patching the old one. Figure with a 38 year old radiator ya never know if it'd spring another leak in a different place, then have to fix it all over again. Don't really wanna use any stop-leak but it's worth asking just to see if there's any great new product on the mkt I aint aware of. __________________ Here's my '67 stepside www.truckwithaheart.com

06-10-2005, 05:12 PM	#9
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	Sorta on-topic ... what's a good cleaner to put into your radator to flush your cooling system and clean it at the same time? __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

06-10-2005, 07:19 PM	#10
neonlarry Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vacaville, CA Posts: 2,745	Prestone makes a cleaner but I have heard it can be kind of harsh. I use Spic & Span, run it for about 20-30min then flush well. Great for cleaning out dexcool or the above mentioned Bars Leak put in by PO's. __________________ 70 C/10 Light Red 350/TH350, HEI, Duals w/40 series Flows, 91 seat, LED taillights 99 Pontiac S/C GTP, SLP Ram Air hood, GMPP Konis & springs 95 Neon ACR, MP PCM, AFX UDP, 3.0 CAI

06-10-2005, 07:24 PM	#11
sdkid Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pierre SD Posts: 1,533	Yep, If your gonna do...Do it right. It will cost less than the tow bill if it gives up on the road. __________________ I think the world needs a drink... Help somebody...If you can....VanZant We're not wrong, we're not sorry, and its probably gonna happen again. That's the truth about men. Tracy Byrd Member# 13924 '70 c10, 350/350 '68 c10 250/4spd '68 c10 no eng/trans fac ps/pb/ac/at (future father/sons project) '48 Chevy Loadmaster Last edited by sdkid; 06-10-2005 at 07:26 PM.

06-11-2005, 12:31 AM	#12
powell72 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Loveland Co. Posts: 3,098	if you need a band-aid fix for a little bit the only decent "stop leak" products are GM tablets or the stuff made by BG's. __________________ Chris 74 Custom Deluxe SWB 350/350/3.73’s 99 2wd Silverado RCSB 5.3/4L60/3.90’s http://www.classictrucks.com/feature...short_bed.html

06-12-2005, 03:08 AM	#13
Syco67 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boise Posts: 64	A problem with the stopleak stuff is that you may only need a pinch or two to plug the hole, but most people will put in the entire bottle. After the hole is plugged, the rest of that stuff just circulates in your system. It is supposed to harden when it contacts the air, so if you ever drain your cooling system, the sludge can harden up in your system somewhere. You could also pinch the leaking tube shut and put some JB weld on it. I have seen that work before. I replaced the radiator in the 69 a few months ago, one of the tubes was leaking, I tried to gently plug it with a center punch(just to see if it would stop), and the thing just crumbled and started spraying coolant everywhere. Good thing it was still cool, or that could have hurt. The radiator was rusted all to heck. Replacing is definitely the way to go. __________________ If at first you don't succed, break something!



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