Stop leak in an old tractor?

[sandspider]

Hi all

I have a small weep from my YM1600 tractor radiator, but replacement radiators are expensive and thin on the ground. In the cupboard I found a bottle of Bars Leak - some sort of radiator stop leak chemical. I wouldn't want to use this on a modern engine (as it might clog up delicate bits that shouldn't be clogged up), but I'd guess there's not too much risk using it in an agricultural engine from the 1970s?!

Anyone used this type of thing on an old tractor, and did it work / block up the rad passages and make things worse? 🤨

[sandspider]

Forgot to say, my tractor is so basic it doesn't have a water pump or a thermostat. Convection cooling only.

So the only things that could block up would be the rad passages themselves, I suppose? Still bad, obviously.

[amateur]

I used Radweld in an Austin A35, fixing a leaky radiator, in the 60s with no problem.

[London Best]

Used it in the ‘70’s. Worked better than Radweld, which tended to block up heater matrix. But you won’t have one of those.

[amateur]

Aah! That explains why the A35's meagre heater stopped working. 😂

[sandspider]

No, no heater matrix or heater! But I don't want to block up the actual passages in the radiator...

[ph5172]

I have used K Seal with good results. 
it’s about £11 a bottle. 
 

https://www.kseal.com/uk

[ditchman]

drain it and solder it...............

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, not a tractor but I've used the liquid and the solid bar that looks like dog ****, when the rad water get really hot it should find the leak, a little know fact , every MG sports car made in the  last few years of production had the bar sealant put in the radiator 

[JohnfromUK]

Bars Leaks (which had a distinctive radiator shaped bottle) was sold at one time as Daimler/Jaguar coolant leak stopper.

[la bala]

1 hour ago, ditchman said:

drain it and solder it...............

I thought you would say crack an egg in it.😂

[mossy835]

years ago a old boy used a white of a egg,he said it worked.

[ditchman]

36 minutes ago, la bala said:

I thought you would say crack an egg in it.😂

mending radiators was nearly a daily task for me in africa...the carp roads played havoc with the bedford rads........used to use a chunky copper solering iron heated in charcoal....that would allow you to put a lot of heat into a small area very quickly...

[billytheghillie]

4 minutes ago, ditchman said:

mending radiators was nearly a daily task for me in africa...the carp roads played havoc with the bedford rads........used to use a chunky copper solering iron heated in charcoal....that would allow you to put a lot of heat into a small area very quickly...

did that not hurt, putting your chunky copper thing in a fire? how was it copper? did you go about in the buff?

[ditchman]

19 minutes ago, billytheghillie said:

did that not hurt, putting your chunky copper thing in a fire? how was it copper? did you go about in the buff?

man of steel i am iam

[discobob]

My old tractor got leaky - Doctor recommended Tena Lady and some pelvic floor exercises for her 😁

[Diver One]

12 hours ago, la bala said:

I thought you would say crack an egg in it.😂

 

12 hours ago, mossy835 said:

years ago a old boy used a white of a egg,he said it worked.

I recal Steed doing that on an episode of the Avengers

[sandspider]

Supposedly a grind of black pepper can seal leaks, without clogging up the other small passages! Pepper I can certainly try, once I've flushed it etc.

[ditchman]

6 hours ago, sandspider said:

Supposedly a grind of black pepper can seal leaks, without clogging up the other small passages! Pepper I can certainly try, once I've flushed it etc.

will chili powder work ...or will it overheat ?

[sandspider]

😁🤨

[Harryco]

On 09/11/2022 at 18:41, ph5172 said:

I have used K Seal with good results. 
it’s about £11 a bottle. 
 

https://www.kseal.com/uk

This.

Very good stuff.