Radiator stop leak

jhwis · Feb 28, 2023

I have a pretty small leak in the radiator core somewhere on a tractor. I notice it weeping from the fins. Of course tearing out the radiator would be optimal, but are there any thoughts on adding some type of stop leak?

OregonAaron · Feb 28, 2023

I have experienced mixed results. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don t. I would shy away from the hard core headgasket stop leak products.

flying belgian · Feb 28, 2023

I can't remember what its called but it comes in a little yellow tube. It looks like a shotgun shell. I've had great luck with that.

paul · Feb 28, 2023

Can buy you some time.

Folks will put a pinch of pepper in the radiator, the flakes might be attracted to the hole and suck it in. Ive heard of it working.

Now are you hoping to forget about it and be using the tractor as is 15 years a from now....... hum. When do you fix it for real.....

Paul

Russ from MN · Feb 28, 2023

I have had good luck with Barr's stop leak, and it's a good water pump lube.

BarnyardEngineering · Feb 28, 2023

(quoted from post at 10:09:14 02/28/23)When do you fix it for real.....

Easy. You fix it if and when it becomes a problem again.

Most people don't have the spare cash lying around to drop on a new radiator for a couple of weeps.

Steve@Advance · Feb 28, 2023

I've had some success with the black liquid/pellets Bars Leak.

However the directions say it needs to be run at operating temperature with pressure. Many old tractors don't run pressure systems, and building any pressure might do more harm than good!

jimtrs · Feb 28, 2023

(quoted from post at 12:45:02 02/28/23) ..... I would shy away from the hard core headgasket stop leak products.

Agreed. Tried that once in my early days.
When it didn't work on a non sealing head gasket, after an engine rebuild, I pulled the head to replace the gasket. Such a mess, I tore down the whole engine to be boiled out, again. What a mess that stuff makes inside. Learned my lesson quick.

RESLLS · Feb 28, 2023

Silverseal works on pin holes, sometimes. Barrs Leak is not good for water passages, it can plug them. Never tried the Barrs leak pellets. Used the black gooey stuff that comes in a jar, once. Never again after a tear down and seeing what it did. I have used the Silver Seal with mixed results.

MarkB_MI · Feb 28, 2023

I've had reasonably good luck with Alumaseal.

JIM MN · Feb 28, 2023

The original SILVER-SEAL in the tube. For metal and tin; not aluminum.. contents of
tube into radiator, go work the engine to get coolant up to temperature.. Park a nd let
silver-seal float into the leaking hole, sealing it up .. It works and will not hurt anything
else..

504 · Feb 28, 2023

Barsleak,silver seal alium seal, all with last for years

fdt860 · Feb 28, 2023

Couple eggs white will do the same. Much cheaper.

Cmore · Feb 28, 2023

Try a couple shakers of black pepper.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 28, 2023

Mark,
We need to stop thinking alike. LOL
Copper is the best conductor of heat, Aluminum is a very close second place to copper.

Other things may work, but you run the risk of choking off the radiator tubes.

JMOR · Feb 28, 2023

(quoted from post at 12:42:39 02/28/23) I have a pretty small leak in the radiator core somewhere on a tractor. I notice it weeping from the fins. Of course tearing out the radiator would be optimal, but are there any thoughts on adding some type of stop leak?

used this in my IH 101 combing over 25 years ago and it is still holding and used it this year in MF275 and happy today. It does look like red pepper?

4520BW · Feb 28, 2023

X2 on the pepper!

flying belgian · Feb 28, 2023

Not anymore. Haven't you heard about the price of eggs?

wore out · Feb 28, 2023

Find the leak and solder it, LOTS of videos on ewetube to show you how if you don't already have that skill.

Dunno why ennyone would want to goo a cooling system up with ''puckey'' vs. making a little effort to make a permanent repair?

JMOR · Mar 1, 2023

(quoted from post at 01:17:02 03/01/23)

Find the leak and solder it, LOTS of videos on ewetube to show you how if you don't already have that skill.

Dunno why ennyone would want to goo a cooling system up with ''puckey'' vs. making a little effort to make a permanent repair?

Click to expand...

ell, I used up a full day and several $ of oxy/acetylene and sil-fos soldering the IH101 radiator after the water pump failure put the fan into the radiator. Then I repeated that several times and finally got to just a couple of tiny leaks that I "wore out" on and resorted to Permaseal.

Radiator stop leak

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