>>scott suhring wrote:
>> Thanks for the clarification. Will try some Bars Leaks, a cooling
>> system lubricant and leak sealer (highly recommended to lubricate
>> water pump and will seal leaks) as a temporary "fix". Will assess
>> best way to approach repair for the permanent fix.
>Not only does it "Bars Leaks", but it will also clog up your radiator!
>Avoid that stuff like the plague! Park the car, get down with your bad
>self, and do the down and dirty work to fix it right! The cheapo one
>bottle magic elixers never tell about the down side to their use.
I have not used Barr's Stop-Leak in my TR6, but I used it once in my
300SD four years ago, and whereas I am not terribly proud of doing so,
it fixed an extremely hard-to-reach leak, without apparent ill effect.
I have used it three or four times in a row on a 1964 F250 that I have,
with no ill effect a year later ( and this is carrying 1500 pounds at 60
mph in a 33 year old truck with an ambient temperature of 100 degrees
Fahrenheit, up and down moderate hills ). Whereas there must be some
truth ( or possibility, at least ) of cooling system plugging from this
product, I think that there is such a general reflexive revulsion for
this product that almost no one actually has used it, and hence, one
gets third-party information, that essentially amounts to superstition,
passed off under the implicit aegis of experience.
I do not recommend using these products as a substitute for repair
generally, however, there are instances, such as my 300SD, where the
cost of repair vastly outweigh the cost of any consequences. If you can
avoid using it, do so, if not, and you want to drive your car, then use
it and keep an eye out for the signs of overheating. Even if it does
contribute to blocking your radiator, rodding out the radiator is less
of a job than pulling the motor.
One note: it really only works for small leaks ( a dribble or stream,
adherent to the block, at most 1/8" wide or so ) - if it is spewing out,
then it probably won't work for very long, if at all.
Stuart Steele
|