Bars Leak Lesson Learned-Radiator

Well I had rebuilt my entire engine on my 60 last winter. Some suggested using bars leak upon re-assembly to seal up any possibility of having leaks on the head gasket and or water pipe and various other areas. So I tried it after I got everything back together. The 60 ran hot after an hours of use. I limped it along this past summer and with the drought only put 40 hours on it or so. I decided to re-core the radiator and fix a leaking water pump. (note the bars leak did not stop the leaking water pump). Nor did it solve the weaping issue of the new head gasket. I was very surprized when I took the radiator apart. The bars leak seem to glob up on the top of the radiator in the fins, blocking off most of the rows. I used the block seal bars leak and follwed the application instructions based on the capacity of the cooling system. I was never really a fan of the "fix in a can" stuff on anything I intended on keeping that I didn't classify as "junk" already. But my lesson has been learned. The picture is of the top side of the core. This stuff was like a gummy coppery substance that blocked up everything. Granted the radiator did have some rows repaired to it over the years, but this gummy stuff blocked the rest of the rows up pretty good. This was after 40 hours of running the machine at an hour at a time.

Ive had very good luck with a product called mend tite. I get it from car quest and although its never as good as actually repairing the problem, it does work, and wont make a mess like that.

I have used mend-tite too with good results. Looks like it has cotten fibers in it.

Also, mend tite is liquid, no pellets, wafers, or anything that has to dissolve into the coolant. in my opinion bars leaks is just good for making more problems than what you were trying to fix by using it.

I like Silver Seal. That bars leak is some bad stuff. Had it in my Taurus and what a mess it made.

Nasty. I use a product called K-Seal. It works fantastic and once it seals there is no residue left. Its a liquid, and I swear by it. Had a late styled A with a cracked head, it sealed it up within ten min and never leaked again. This fall I drained the coolant out and there was no trace of it, anywhere. Its available at Arnolds Motor Supply, or anywhere that handles PartsMaster products.

Hard telling how much of that was in there before the overhaul. Hopefully you didn't run it enough to hurt the new engine ?

New engines crank harder and run hotter then worn out ones. That's why I like to also rebuild the starting and cooling & fuel systems at the same time as the engine.

Fred: Looks like a mess...I"ve used the bars leak but always used it sparendly. I would get everything hot then try just a little till I got results but I guarantee it"s not a permanent fix just for patch up. Coolant problems on old tractors is probably in the upper 3-4 concerns.

(quoted from post at 05:17:09 01/02/13) I like Silver Seal. That bars leak is some bad stuff. Had it in my Taurus and what a mess it made.

Click to expand...

I second the Silver Seal. If the Silver Seal doesn't work, it's not likely anything else will either.

Fred: Also looks like while you got the nose off you might could do some grill repairs. I have one of those tools and don"t plan on using. If interested let me know. I turned on email. Tks Chuck

DO not put bars leak in unless the engine is hot and circulating . By the way every john deere engine had bars leak put in the radiator and then filled up , At the davenport works. However it was a dry powdery plug.

I've used barsglob once.....Cost me a radiator and a heater core. Never again!!!

I was told long ago that stuff is whitch craft. Only a temp. fix at best and as you found likely to cause plugging.

Bar leak will NEVER help a leaking water pump but I have had good luck with it but that is also in cooling systems that are higher pressure and when I use it I make sure I also after putting it in take a good long drive and get things good and warm and that makes sure it flows where it should. I use it a couple times a year on one car I have because for what it would cost to fix the problem it has would be more then it is worth, (the car that is). May well be that the 60s cooling system is way to low a pressure for bars leak to work

(quoted from post at 11:58:38 01/02/13)

(quoted from post at 05:17:09 01/02/13) I like Silver Seal. That bars leak is some bad stuff. Had it in my Taurus and what a mess it made.

Click to expand...

I second the Silver Seal. If the Silver Seal doesn't work, it's not likely anything else will either.

Click to expand...

a third for old style Silver Seal

I used a clone of Bars once when it was all the store had.
must have had just the right combo of junk in the
radiator to create a
Big Bang Theory experiment
foam coming out everywhere
oh well, since I had to tear it down to clean everything,
I just fixed the leak............