fixing a small radiator leak

[Dakota Boy]

Can you guys settle a debate for me? My radiator has a slow drip of antifreeze on the left lower corner.

Anyways, some of my cronies say to remove it and have it fixed by a radiator shop, and others say I'm wasting my money and that I should just use one of those "stop leak" products.

I'm leaning towards the first option....

[LuckyJay]

It truely depends on your needs. If you only use the car as a short pleasure cruiser, then go the Bars Leak additiive. If you want it to be completely worry free, then there is nothing like getting it completely repaired. We did ours about 3 years ago. I would recommend a local shop that has the old school mentality. Ours cost about $360 to re-core and included a new cap.

[ncbird]

do it once

Your friends are giving you good advice. Take it out of the car and to a good radiator shop.
They can pressure test it and repair it if there is any life left in it. I have run original 1935 ford radiators on several of my cars after having them tested and repaired. Bars is a stop gap product that in the end I believe creates problems. Where does all that "extra" stuff go????
Besides if the core is really bad it is better to know it now then on the highway somewhere with your family in the car and the coolant all over the ground. Just my 2 cents. Grant

[Dakota Boy]

radiator is out and will be taken to a shop tomorrow...

[simplyconnected]

You can't go wrong bringing it to a shop that backs their work with a warranty.

ON THE OTHER HAND, if the leak is real evident, and if you can solder brass, you can repair it yourself.

I bought one of those cheap eBay electric fans. It cooled, but it also vibrated against my cores. One of them developed a small leak. Something like that is evident. It took me ten minutes to solder the hole shut using a big iron and a gentle touch. That probably saved me a hundred bucks. My radiator shop will pressure and flow test for free if I bring my bare radiator in.

I HATE a coolant leak. - Dave

[Dakota Boy]

For 25 bucks they cleaned it, found the leak, fixed it, put a new drain valve on it, and then sprayed it black.

What a deal!

When I refill it, I'm going to also add some of that Royal Purple "Purple Ice" coolant additive.