I got a small pin hole the seam in the top tank of my radiator in my 62 ply. Valient and it leaks water every were, and bleeds off pressure and makes it run hot. Any suggestions on radiator repair, I know I could solder it back up but I don't have a torch, so I need a decent way to fix it with out a torch. -Jesse
You might try the silver "solder seal" type of stuff. The goopier "Bars Leaks" stuff can plug up passages in your heater core....although that may not be a big issue where you live! If it's a small pinhole, then the silver powdery stuff should work....for a while.
I agree. In an emergency, I've used what I had on hand before. Once, while coming down Echo Canyon in eastern Utah, I developed a pinhhole leak and put two cigarettes down the radiator......without the paper. Stayed sealed after 2 years. Pepper works too.
I usually keep a bottle of Bars Leaks in my trunk, if the hole is small (pinhole) thd bars leaks will work, but not permanently. I know a kid that used that epoxy putty stuff that comes in a tube to plug the hole and that got him by for awhile.
Bars leak makes solder-like plugs that you crumble into the radiator, if you follow directions they work great. Most new car manufacturers use the same type stuff, but they refer to them as dog turds, because that is what they look like.
You can buy a soldering iron dirt cheap at lowes or PartsRus stores. Almost the cost as a stop leak. It sounds like the area is easy to get to. Buy some solder (cheap too). The best emergency stop leak by far is made by Justin Bros. called JB Stopleak. They make all the JB products. It will plug a hole the size of a screw driver. I used it in a pinch when Three cans of Bars wouldn't even touch it.
the best thing would be to have it repaired at a radiator shop.they will boil it and make sure no other suprises .should only cost around 40.00....the problem with stop leaks they plugg up heater cores and radiators..if its not a emergincy like on side road .i would pull it and have repaired..thats just my 2cents
Try using an egg white. Remove the yolk and use the whites from a couple eggs. As a kid my Grandpa's combine started leaking, pissing water and antifreeze everywhere! He sent me to the house to get two egg whites. dumped them in there. It held for 9 years until he sold it. Don't know how long it lasted after that. Only works well if the coolant is hot and you the rad is full, the egg cooks in the hole when it is forced out the pinhole
This happened to me a while back, and there was this black-grey putty-like stuff that you smush over the hole. When the tank heats up, the stuff hardens like metal. It never came off, and me being the procrastinator I am, I left it like that till the car was sold. Hell of lot easier than yanking the radiator out and lugging down the the local rip-off shop. I'm not a big fan of the mix-with-coolant type sealers.
JB weld did not work, I cleaned it extra good and let it harden for over a day and it's now soft and pulling away. I might try some cheap Chewin tobacco if I can't find a decent product soon. I have a soldering iron but it didn't even get the top of it moltent, it sucks. The reason why I can't take it out is because it's our only car and it gets driven every day. -Jesse
I'm telling ya, try that shit out. I can't think of the product name for the life of me, but it comes in a blue package a bit smaller than Permatex gasket shit (come to think of it, maybe Permatex makes it). The putty's about the size of a mini Bit-o-Honey...you just break a piece off and smush it on. JB Weld is probably too brittle.
2 part epoxy will hold for a while, but eventaully it's lettin loose. Atleast in Texas it's going to. Yep I tried it. Yep I roughed up the surface. Yep it was dry. The stuff you pour in will probably work, but may cause long term issues. If you have any love for the car at all pull the radiator out and take it to a good radiator shop. I think I payed 50 or 60 bucks to have mine cleaned and repaired. Crease Barons So Tex
I think I know the shit your talking about RF, it's sold right next to the gasket shit to. If it don't work, it's Skoal time. I wonder if long cut is better than snuff or vise versa? -Jesse
I have to agree with AHOTROD, silver seal is the best, hands down!!! Its in clear plastic tube & its a powder.It works best if you can runa 7# cap after you use it. jimV
A soldering iron won't cut it, not even a big honkin one. You need a $10 propane TORCH. Rad needs to be totally dry, too, even a couple drops of water will make the difference between an easy job and a pain in the ass. Or, the $40 trip to the rad shop... Don't fuck around with putting shit in there, unless its gonna get you home from someplace sketchy... fix it right once, then forget it.
Amen brother I went the "easy" route 3 times. Not so easy when you find yourself on the side of the road or limpin it home with people drivin by giving you the thumbs up. That's always when old ladies stop and say stuff like "That's cute, what color are you gonna paint it?" On the last car i built I just bought a brand new Walker. I couldn't afford it, but Im glad I did. Crease Barons So Tex
[ QUOTE ] Don't fuck around with putting shit in there, unless its gonna get you home from someplace sketchy... fix it right once, then forget it. [/ QUOTE ] Words of wisdom (albeit from an unlikely source ) but nonetheless right on the mark. Do it right and you won't have to worry about it again...
Yeah, if it comes down to it, a propane torch and some good quality solder will save the day! A buddy of mine fixed his like that...we soldered a small metal patch over the leak and pressure checked it before re-installation. It coulda been done in the car, but we wanted it out where we could work on it better. The whole job from pulling the car into the garage, to backing it out done only took about two hours, and we weren't in any hurry!
I started with a small pinhole in my radiator top tank. I used some gunk and it held for a while, then started leaking again. So then I tried some bars... it's worked nicely for about a month, then the pinhole cracked and spread into a nice system of holes. If you use silver solder and a small propane torch, you can fix the whole without a soldering iron... mines still holding, but it needed a chunk of copper to help cover all the cracks and new holes. Good luck! ~Melissa
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