Topic: Bars leaks or blue devil for a leaky freeze plug

[Medyo Bastos]

On my ‘71. Has anyone tried either?


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[Don R]

 I've used Bars leak with good success on a couple race car engines (cylinder head cracks and porosity) and an 86 GM305 with an intake leak.  I read once that it came in new Corvettes. 

 The ceramic type works but if it gets into the oil, it will eat bearings. 

[scottly]

On your '71 what?? The guy that lived across the street when I was 12 or 13 years old had a hot rod '27 pickup, chopped and channeled, with a 283 Chevy bored to 301, sucking through a 6-pack of Strombergs. While testing the integrity of a freeze plug, he punched a hole into it with the end of a screwdriver. He used a silvery powder, called SolderSeal or something like that to fix the leak. After hearing about the head gasket failures on the Toyota 3.0 V-6, I carried a tube of a similar product in the glove box of my '89 pickup in case of emergency, but never had to use it.
 

[dave500]

temporary fix at best,some go for years though?if the plug is accessible id just replace it,most are in an awkward spot?

[ekpent]

Back in the olden days I remember fixing a small radiator leak with a 1/2 can or more of black pepper.    Worked like a charm ------- shade tree stuff-------- 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Water glass

[jgger]

They are all a crap shoot. I have used bars leake with success in the past. It is best to replace the plug. If you can't access it to pound in a new one, I  have had good luck the the expanding ones. Slip it into the hole and and tighten it with an end wrench. Only because it ALWAYS seems to be the one behind the motor mount.

Most of them work for cooling system only leaks. Head gaskets are a big gamble.

[Medyo Bastos]

temporary fix at best,some go for years though?if the plug is accessible id just replace it,most are in an awkward spot?

Yeah, awkward spot for sure


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[Don R]

 Did I ever tell you about the time water was running out the bottom of my flywheel cover? I pulled the trans to fix the frost plug and noticed it was coming from above. Heater hose.

[scottly]

temporary fix at best,some go for years though?if the plug is accessible id just replace it,most are in an awkward spot?

Yeah, awkward spot for sure

My mom had a '63 Ford Fairlane with a 260 V-8 that had a bad freeze plug in the back of the passenger side cylinder head. Rather than pulling the head, or pulling the entire engine, I punched a hole through the firewall, and replaced the plug from inside the car through the hole. It was awkward working under the dash, but it was a hell of a lot easier than pulling the head.

[Medyo Bastos]

You sir, know exactly what I am up against


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[scottly]

A Greenlee type punch is your friend.

[BenelliSEI]

On my Lotus Eleven (1.5 litre Coventry Climax FWB) the blocks were often slightly porous. We always used a US product called “Ceramic Seal”, on first start ups. Left almost no residue and worked every time. Not sure if still available?

[Medyo Bastos]

This one? https://www.moroso.com/ceramic-engine-seal35500/


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[BenelliSEI]

That’s it. Been a few years, but it worked very well.

[jgger]

Whatever magic in a can you put in there be sure to have the heater on high when you do the deed. If not you can "seal" the valve that goes into the heater core and it won't get warm inside anymore................don't ask me how I know!

[tourmax]

I'd say bite the bullet and replace the freeze plug.

I've used rad sealers before, with varying degrees of success. Some actually sealed up, some didn't and some even clogged up system components like the heater core, etc. I used to keep a can in the tool box when I went fourwheeling, just in case I developed a leak in the middle of the woods and had no other options.

Whatever doesn't get consumed in sealing will settle in the bottom of the cooling system.

The bottom of everything in the cooling system....they're best used to get you out of a jam somewhere when you can't do a proper fix. But the cooling system should be repaired and flushed at the first opportunity.

Personally? I'll never use one again unless I'm in the middle of nowhere and have no other choice to "get back".....

[Tracksnblades1]

This one? https://www.moroso.com/ceramic-engine-seal35500/


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40 years ago, if the Moroso ceramic sealer couldn’t fix it, it had to come out….

Using the old Moroso sealer one had to flush engine first, isolate the heater core and radiator, run engine until hot, let set for 24 hours, drain flush, reconnect radiator and heater core…

I suppose the new directions on the new stuff will tell the story if the ingredients have changed…