Radiator leak

[Forker]

I just went out and filled my radiator to the top and seem to have a leak once I started it up. I can't determine where the leak is coming from, but I have antifreeze leaking when it runs. I filled it with distilled water btw, but the previous owner must have filled it with antifreeze.

First question I have is can you over fill them and if so is there an over flow function that rejects too much water.

Second question is would it be a mistake to add radiator sealant to stop the leak?

Thanks, I was hoping to use it this weekend for a nice drive.
george

[Tom Wesenberg]

I always use 50% antifreeze and fill it to just over the tube tops. If you fill much higher then the coolant flows out the overflow pipe and onto the ground. The top tank is also the expansion tank and needs empty space for the coolant to expand.

[Hudsn47]

Yes, likely just coming out the overflow tube so don't use the stop leak. It will seek its own level and stop coming out. Enjoy your drive this weekend.

[Forker]

Thanks guys, I think I'll take a drive now and see if it stops once it gets down a little.
george

[ford3]

if radiator stop leak is necessary use bars leak, crush the pellets, dont put them in whole

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

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George, put a 6 or 8" chunk of small hose on the end of your overflow pipe, then you can tell at a glance if it's just NORMAL overflow from water expansion or from simply overfilling. This also prevents overflow from gettin' on the spring leaves & causin' UGLY RUST-------Bill W.

[Forker]

I just got back after what turned out to be a much longer drive then I was planning...the reason is that the radiator seemed to be holding water just fine, so I'd head off in another direction and drive for another 30 or so minutes then get out and check everything. And each time I did, everything seemed fine, water level was maintaining its self at a safe level.

It appears all it was, was me over filling the radiator and not realizing how much water then entailed. It seemed like way too much water had come out, but I guess it will hold a lot more than I expected it to.
I called a very experienced Model A guy and went and saw him about the situation before heading home...after looking at everything he agreed there was no leaking problem out of the radiator. He did suggest that I check how tight the water pump was and try to tighten it a little to be safe, which will do...but he encouraged me to do the drive also.

I may be in for a surprise tomorrow, but I'm going to go on the club drive and bring a jug of water along just in case

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions
george

[ctlikon0712]

Glad to hear that it all worked out. Good luck tomorrow.

[Duffy1]

Animals love antifreeze . So if it leaks out or overflows could be a real problem . Sierra antifreeze advertises that their antifreeze is not lethal to animals. You do need to run something that fights rust . Either antifreeze or rust inhibitor. Another thing you can do is install an overflow bottle to keep what ever overflows from going on the ground. I run a pressurized system with an overflow bottle . 4psi and fill the radiator up to the bottom of the neck of the radiator. Run antifreeze in the winter and distilled water with a rust inhibitor in the summer . Do a search . There is a lot of info/opions on this subject.

[Forker]

Thanks again everyone. Duffy, very good reminder about the antifreeze. I knew that, but in my concern about the car it didn't cross my mind.

Heading out on our drive now...great ribs for lunch in Kilgore Texas
george

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Even on a stock, non-pressurized system, you can mount an overflow bottle inside the shell, with a short hose to the end of the overflow tube. This works quite well,provided your radiator cap is TOTALLY leakproof, like it's SUPPOSED TO BE!
If instead, you add a coolant expansion tank from an earlier Volvo, you instantly have a PRESSURISED cooling system!! EASY!! Bill W.

[modelAtony]

FORKER. You must be eating at COUNTRY TAVERN on hwy 31. I was a fireman in kilgore in the 70's. Greatest place in the world to eat , if that is where you went. have fun modelAtony Lafayette,LA

[Forker]

modelAtony
Bingo, you are absolutely correct! It was my first time there even though I've lived in Texas a very long time and east Texas for 15 years; and have been hearing others rave about the place. Well even if the ride hadn't been as good as it was or the day as beautiful day as it was or group as fun as they were, the ribs still would have made the trip well worth it...they were just great and worth heading back for more in the near future. We've got some great rib places here in Texas and these would rank very near the top of the list for sure and the best I've had in a long time.

I wish I had taken a pic facing the Country Tavern for you, but all I can offer is the one attached facing the other way, but I'm sure you can recognize the intersection out in the middle of nowhere.
george