Well, I am a real fan of Bar's Leak for MINOR leak fixes, but not for
cracked heads or cracked radiators!
I've used it for over 30 years on at least that many cars as a standard
cooling system additive, and it is in both of my new engines on the MG
and the Vanagon that I installed this summer. I've never had a
problem. You can read their pitch on their Web site at:
http://www.barsleaks.com/ and decide for yourself.
BTW, I first started to use this for the chronic head gasket weep
between #2 and #3 which appeared on my '65 when I first bought it. I
have not had that problem since!
David Councill wrote:
>
> I have used these Bar's (or is it Bardahl) stop leak pellets and it does
> not surprise me that it would stop the leak, at least so long as this stuff
> stays in the radiator in sufficient concentration. But next time, you
> change your coolant, it will start leaking again until you add more of this
> stuff.
>
> I am also curious as to any deleterious effect this stuff may have. I used
> it in my Toyota Landcruiser for a few years when the top seam on the
> radiator started leaking due to a split. I was living in the desert then
> and while using this stuff, it seemed like the car started running a lot
> hotter than it normally would. I eventually had the radiator rodded out and
> the seam welded. I can't say for sure, but I thought this stop leak stuff
> was perhaps coating the coolant jacket surfaces and reducing cooling
> efficiency but again, it was only a gut feeling. The car survived quite
> well in the end. But I have remained skeptical on the use of this stiff for
> anything but a temporary stop gap fix.
>
> David Councill
> 67 BGT
> 71 BGT
>
> At 06:44 PM 9/14/00 -0600, you wrote:
>
> >>I am new to the list a couple of weeks ago. I have not been around LBCs for
> >>thirty years. Now we have had a 71 Midget in the family for a couple of
> >>weeks. It sat a lot for the last twelve years, only 2500 miles in that
>time.
> >> Naturally, I have fixed a lot of vacuum leaks, oil leaks, changed all fuel
> >>lines, changed rear brake hose, bled brakes and clutch, etc, etc, etc. Sound
> >>familiar?
> >>
> >>The weep in the MGB head is exactly the kind of leak that has responded well
> >>to sealers for me. I have had particularly good results with Bar's Leak
> >>tablets. Have one diesel tractor engine in the family that developed a
> >>small weep in the head at 1800 hours. It is still running on the same head
> >>after two major overhauls at over 26,000 total hours on one Bar's Leak
>tablet
> >>a year. You could buy a pretty good Midget parts cars for what a new head
> >>for this would cost. I have a couple of late model detroit V6s that will
>not
> >>hold a new intake manifold gasket without a liberal dose of Bar's Leak put
>in
> >>by the dealer at warranty installation. Mechanic at the dealer said it is
> >>used in small quantity in all new detroit engines to seal cooling systems
>and
> >>should be readded to them when changing fluids. Manufacturers and Service
> >>Writers at the dealerships do not like to admit they do it.
> >>
> >>Is there anything different about the MG/Austin/Triumph/etc engines that
> >>makes it impossible or unwise to use sealers in a non-race, relatively low
> >>stressed, daily driver engine? Radiator design, heater ore design, pump
> >>seals, etc. Sometime in the next few weeks, I will flush the cooling system,
> >>check the water pump and change all the coolant hoses on the 71 Midget as
> >>well as a couple other cars. I normally add a small amount of Bar's leak to
> >>the other vehicles. Will this cause trouble with the Midget? Does anyone
>do
> >>this with 70s Bs or Midgets?
> >>
> >>TIA,
> >>Alex H.
> >>71 Midget
> >>Tulsa, Oklahoma
--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle
'84 Vanagon Westfalia w/2.1
'65 MGB (Driven since 1969)
'74 MGB GT (Restoring)
Assisting on Restoration:
'72 MGB GT (Daughter's)
'64 MGB (Son's)
Parts cars:
'68 & '73 MGB, '67 MGB GT
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