Block sealer

[Buick35]

What are your thoughts on engine block sealers and which to use on a non pressurized system,if any.Thanks

[Mark Shaw]

Sealing external water jacket crack??

[Buick35]

I thought it might work from sealing from the inside out. I guess I'm wrong. I think the Florida heat is getting to me. I should say stop leak.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Buick35
Add text (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

My neighbor used a type of glass sealer in an old Cadillac back in the 90’s.  It seemed to be fairly complicated operation but at least for several years did stop the leaking.  

[Buick35]

40 minutes ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

My neighbor used a type of glass sealer in an old Cadillac back in the 90’s.  It seemed to be fairly complicated operation but at least for several years did stop the leaking.  

Can you get the name of the product? I'll see how the J-B weld holds up.

[Ole Jim]

I had success by  removing rad, blocking one water inlet, hooking shop vac to other water inlet    " v"ing out crack,  spraying brake cleaner  with  vacuum on block then heating with heat  gun and finally applying JB weld and watched it get sucked into crack,  never leaked since

[Buick35]

Thanks,I already applied it but if it still leaks I'll try that.

[plymouthcranbrook]

13 hours ago, Buick35 said:

Can you get the name of the product? I'll see how the J-B weld holds up.

It was years ago. And sadly my neighbor is 82 and not. In the best shape. If I see him I will ask but I do remember it took quite a while to complete the job.   
I vaguely remember him having to drain and flush the radiator then put in water only with the “glass” chemical and running it for a while and allowing it to cool overnight. He then drained and refilled with antifreeze.  It was a customer’s car and he worked on it for other things for few years longer but as far as I know there were no more coolant problems.

[Buick35]

Thanks

[JACK M]

Waterglass?

I think it comes from a pharmacy.

[joe_padavano]

Waterglass is sodium silicate. You can buy it on Amazon. Note that this is what was required to be poured into the crankcase of cars that were scrapped under Cash4Clunkers to destroy them. Yeah, I realize that we're talking about the cooling jacket here.

 

I have to say that I've often wondered how block sealers are smart enough to know the difference between a crack and an intentional hole in a cooling system (like, say, radiator passages...). 😉

[Buick35]

3 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

Waterglass is sodium silicate. You can buy it on Amazon. Note that this is what was required to be poured into the crankcase of cars that were scrapped under Cash4Clunkers to destroy them. Yeah, I realize that we're talking about the cooling jacket here.

 

I have to say that I've often wondered how block sealers are smart enough to know the difference between a crack and an intentional hole in a cooling system (like, say, radiator passages...). 😉

The same way an aspirin knows where to go for pain.

[Jubilee]

 About 10 years ago, my brother-in-law had an overheating problem with his 1990 f150 302. It was getting hot and puking out the coolant.

  He lives in western Kansas and only used pickup to haul trash and pull a small fishing boat to a lake about 20 miles away.

 I was visiting him one summer ( about 110 outside) and he asked me look at it. You could actually see when the two adjoining cylinders fired by looking in the radiator. Head gasket for sure. 

  Offered to pull head, he wanted to try some sealer. I was against it. He gave $30-40 for some sealer at Autozone. I think it was made by Barr’s leak.

   It’s still holding. I was down there in June and we drove it to the lake a couple of times. He claims he’s never had to add coolant.

  If it was mine, I’d fix it right, but he’s happy.

 

[Buick35]

As long as he happy like you said. If try it too since its not a daily driver. So far it looks like the J-B weld is working.

[plymouthcranbrook]

Regarding the “glass” fix that is just what my neighbor called it.  Might have been water glasse or not. The customer provided it to my neighbor so really?  Probably better if I had not mentioned it without having a better idea of what I was talking about.

Edited August 6, 2022 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[Oldtech]

There is a product called Irontite that seals very well. I haven't used it in a car because I didn't know what it would do to the heater, and heaters are important up here. But I have used it in tractor engines with excellent results.  

[PAV8427]

Years back we would use K-W block seal. 
Had a set up that would pre heat sealer and circulate though cylinder heads. Think mostly old tractor stuff. Always worked. Sometimes a second heat circulate cycle. 
If used in chassis, I would think you would want a good flush then set up to bypass radiator. A couple 2-3 run it till warm/cool down times and it may help on something minor. Wouldnt want to run it through radiator. Might seal that up too. Not sure if that could hurt water pump. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

I asked my neighbor today about the sealer he used snd although he remembered doing the job what the sealer was he dies not remember.

[sowesellit]

egg keep aka Water Glass aka  (Sodium Silicate) so this is the deal as long as it is in solution  water / coolant it will be a  Liquid  wet and fluid but when it comes in to contact with

 

air it becomes a solid and hard so if you use it make sure you keep your cooling system full of water / coolant  or it can plug up your radiator  an old mechanic told me about  this

 

stuff 45 years ago along with rubbing alcohol  for water in your gas

[Mark Gregush]

As I recall from reading the jug, water glass is not compatible with anti-freeze and is not permanent. After doing stitching repair on clean blocks, we have been using Irontite but that is with a bare block.

[EmTee]

Rubbing alcohol is usually 30% water, so adding it to gasoline to remove water makes no sense.  Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, doesn't contain water and could be used to 'dry' gas.  Or, one could simply buy one of the off-the-shelf 'dry gas' products when necessary...

[Mikefit]

Water glass was . Usedby farmers . They dipped their checked eggs in it made the shell harder .to crack while / transport