Radiator leak bottom water tank: can I repair with JB weld?

[GGR]

Hi all,

the other day I noted a small leak at the bottom right of my radiator. I first thought this was the bottom hose that had gone loose. I tightened the clamp but the leak is still there. It seems to come from the bottom of the radiator as eveything upwards is dry. I will replace this radiator with another one in a few weeks when I swap my engine. So I would like to go on with this one till then. I don't want to use any stop leak product that you pour into the radiator as I guess it coats the whole circuit and this may not improve cooling. My plan is to drain the radiator, wait for the area to be dry, paper sand the area and coat it with some JB weld. Does that seem reasonable? If not JB weld (which I have lying around), what other product should I use?

Thanks in advance!

[Benzcrusher]

Brass tank? can you silver solder it?

[GGR]

Yes, it's a W111 brass tank. I don't have any equipment to weld. I just want it to hold a few weeks.

[have mercy]

You can try the JB weld? If hole is small just fix it and have a good rad. would not cost that much. But if JB does not work, If you remove the heater hoses, block them off or tie together, Household pepper does not breakdown It would get you by. So how long to your car done.190B it going to paint,my 107 4.5 started the other day, email me when you get time.

[wolf_walker]

It always creates a storm of flack, but proper use of Bar's Leak will not do any harm to a cooling system in my experience. I've run it in a dozen old cars for minor leaks with zero problems and a 100% long term success rate. It's also SOP for Saab 9K heater core's that chronically leak, it's where my mind was changed about it at. This isn't some goop that will clog up your thermostat or some such.

[GGR]

I wonder how these stop leak products work. I heared all and the contrary about them, I don't have any experience with them though. Could someone explain the way they nd-up stoping the leack without coating all the inside of the circuit?

Have Mercy, I've been a bit busy lately. I will call you soon. I got a front axle, but I may need a W114 brake proportioning valve.

[have mercy]

I have had not problem with them eaither .The 1 thing people do wrong is they do not turn on the heater's at the sametime. So when winter come's the heater cores or all frose up with the stuff [that why i said to plug or tie together] it does not happen if you do it right, but just the thought of removing the heater core in a 111 is not fun. With the engine runing at opperating temp. heater's turned on , the stuff work's and I have used bar's and it work's. Its some kind of rubber.[look's like rat turds]

[pop & blow]

remove radiator and clean all around the lower neck with sand paper then get your self a small propane tank and some silver solder and repair it your self use plenty of flux.

[wolf_walker]

They don't transfer out of a liquid state until in the presence of air as near as I can tell.
They do make the coolant an icky color, but the innards of cooling systems I've opened after prolonged use don't look any worse than any other 20+ year old cooling system in any of the other car's I've had/have. It isn't preferably no doubt, but it beats walking and/or spending a bunch of money.

[mercmad6.3]

i am a great believer in bars leaks, I blew the bottom tank on my 6.3 last week and being 50 miles from homer and in a hurry i bought a small bottle and poured it in, the water was squirting in a big stream out of a hole . When I topped it up with water it was really pissing out . All of a sudden it just stopped and i popped the cap on the first notch and headed off to mty appointment then home. The car ran cooler and didn't lose any water and i wasn't wasting any time either.
It's simple to fix radiators as i do all my own. A mapp gun is all that is needed to heat the tanks ( they are copper,not brass) and a stick of solder ( 30/70 works well) some liquid flux to clean the metal are all the materials required.
The trick is to clean the metal before tinning it and if you don't get it clean the first time do it again until you do. I have a method some describe as rough where I heat the surface and wire brush it to get rid of the dirt etc then squirt liquid flux on to it . This brings it up nice and clean. Then i rub the solder stick on until the solder flows against the metal . Not too hot ,but just enough to melt the solder. Another squirt of flux will often let the solder flow out nicely to get a good tinned surface.

Once both radiator core and tank are tinned perfectly you cab join the two together,apply some heat and flux and the join will often seal up completely ,if not a touch of solder from the stick will fill a gap .
I find the liquid flux works better on copper than the paste variety which seems to go greasy and needs to be wiped off with a clean rag.
It also helps to clean the solder stick with a rag soaked in paint thinners before you start. Clean solder works better than dirty stuff which is coated in oxides.
Don't leave the rag near where you are working. !!!!!!.
Finally tin the braces on the sides of the radiator using the same method . then all you do is push them against the tank and heat them . the tinned solder is sufficient to hold the brace .
My bottom tank failed because the brace had come undone .
I pressure test the radiators before reinstalling them,saves hassles later

[meltedpanda]

I am not disagreeing cause I used it, BUT Bars leak caused me a great headache on two occasions. JB weld is also not a long term fix. Small hole , get is welded.