"Liquid Glass" ? Where do you buy it?

I bought a pretty nice old '51 Chebbie 5 window truck that has a sweet running 6 banger in it but it has a hair line crack close to the bottom of the block on the drivers side. I tried stop leak and it helped but its still leaking. I've heard liquid glass works well for this. It would be a shame to toss the motor over a little leak. If not liquid glass, what do you guys recommend?

 

Any auto parts has it or the equivalent. K&W Block Seal is one brand.

Follow instructions exactly for best results.

 

drug stores, so I've been told.

 

I've used waterglass before. You have to flush out your engine well enough for the stuff to stick to clean metal. I didn't have much luck but my leak was in the head near the valve...alot different right there


JB weld will fix that crack, just apply it over the crack with significant thickness and texture it with a dryer sheet so it blends in with the rest of the block.

 

Drug stores. It will work, but I prefer the K&W Blockseal. Jeg's and Summit carry the Moroso Ceramic sealer that is the best I have ever encountered. Good luck.

 

Thanks for all the input. Why would it be in drug stores??

 

they do sell it in drugstores not sure why, not like c.v.s. but like a mom and pop store,
ask for it by it's name sodium silicate it's used to waterproof

 

I would look into lock-n-stitch products, their pinning processes seem to be the only way to go.

 

See if your aurto parts store carries a brand that looks like aluminum particles (powder). I can't think of the brand right now. Anyway you pour it into the radiator when the engine is hot and running. the powder melts and circulates with the coolant. When it finds a crack it leaks out and hardens as soon as the the air hits it. The crack will continue to fill until it fills the crack and after a couple of heat/cool cycles the leak will stop.
I just used it on my 8N Ford tractor this spring. It seems that I didn't keep the antifreeze concentration up on it and it froze and developed a hairline crack right next to a soft plug. Put the powder in and after a few minutes of run time the leak stopped.

Frank

 

It would be nice if you could think of the name of it. I tried bars leak and it didn't do the trick.

 

I don't know what the trade names are but what you want is Sodium Silicate

 

I think Aluma-Seal might be the mechanic in a bottle that you are thinking of.
This stuff works to plug up radiator holes (and your radiator), but a block crack might need different goo.---Sodium Silicate--I'll have to remember that!

Misc wife's tale--an raw egg white in your leaky radiator will get you home.
sometimes black pepper will get the job done

 

As many have said, it is Sodium Silicate.........................Moroso sells it, and Nascar swears by it, as they use it when they suspect sealing problems or cracks, and it seals up in a few laps................

 

It is also used as an Egg Preserver. Never use Liquid Glass in a cold engine and keep the engine running for at least 30 min after putting the stuff in the radiator...

 

Be careful not to use too much, one quart is more than enough in any big engine.

 

Moroso call it "Ceramic" block seal, or something quite close to that.

 

I have heard it called "Blue Devil" I called and it is available at my local Advanced Auto for about $64.00

 

As said drugstores sell Sodium Silicate.

Drain your system. Put in a quart (no more) of the stuff and fill the rest with water. start the engine and let it get to operating temp. Make sure t'stats are open then shut down and drain system again. Allow to cool overnight, with rad cap off, refill with water and see if the leak has stopped.

I usually use a 1/2 quart after changing head gaskets on my flatty.

 

I think one problem is most of this stuff doesn't work well in rusty older motors especially if they are running high pressure caps. If its on a relatively flat part of the block smooth off the high spots clean the rest down to bare metal ,drill and tap for one or two 5/16 studs in the area of the crack. groove out the crack a bit with a die grinder to make a channel. Then use a heavy washer like whats left from a hole cut in 1/4 or 3/8 steel plate or in the case of 2 studs, a piece of flat stock that overlaps the crack area. Locktight the stud. Fill the groove and cover the plate or washer with Black RTV gasket maker a let it set up for a couple hrs. Don't over tighten it when you install it . In the pickup with a 6 ,there should be room to do this with a shortened drill bit. Unless it's behind the steering box....It's good with this method to look at another block before drilling if possible to make sure you don't drill into a cyl liner or oil passage on yours.

 

side note:

I've had this work on a couple of dirt track and endurance race cars. Developed pinhole to a little bit larger than pinhole sized holes in the radiators. Open the rad, drop in one whole small tin of pepper, close it back up... after a minute or two of running the car in the pits, the leak stops. Have had that fix last for 12 hours of road racing at one endurance event. Always best to have the rad fixed asap as you dont know when it will let go, but as stated it will get you home.

 

I've heard it Called Egg sealer.
I was a teen when I heard it I thought it was made from eggs
I actually put a dozen eggs into a pontiac 350 with a bad head gasket once...
I was about broke anyway and had to get to work. it kept blowing the water out before it even warmed up i said what the heck and out a dozen eggs in with the radiator water and it really did seal it up.'
I drove it without a problem for about 2 months and the leak returned after it sat undriven for a few weeks.

 

This thread is amazing! I couldn't stop reading.

 

Here in New Zealand it is known as 'Soldrit' (or similar spelling)

And it really works.

 

auto zone has it. make sure you flush all the antifreeze out. follow the directions and it will work great