The radiator in my coupe, a 57 Lincoln Premiere, has developed a leak. It is in the middle of the core. I know the correct way to repair it would be to pull it and take it into a shop for repair. It has already been re-cored in the past. I am really tempted to use one of the stop leak products but I am a bit hesitant. I know all of the claims pro and con. Anyone with any experience out there? Do they actually work or are they simply band aids?

Temporary, at best.

2 or 3 GM pellets crushed up were good enough for head bolts going into any block and was the fix for Toyota years ago which saved them millions in a recall. Bars leak with the pellets were good for me in the past. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

I'm not sure you have anything to lose if you try some stop leak.  If it does not work, then you wiil have to pull it.

K-Seal and Barr's Leak are well known brands  Minimum investment if you go this route first.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Aluma-Seal has worked for me. Not a whole lot of goop to clog things up.



"FREE SAMPLE"

Pull the radiator and have it fixed correctly or it will come back to bite you when you least expect it. 

Thanks everyone for the advise.  I did already have the radiator out.  Compared to new vehicles this was easy.  Two hoses, four bolts, and it was out.  The Lincolns had a separate transmission cooler this year so it really simplifies the process.  I took it to a local radiator shop and he said it needed a new core.  It was all plugged up.  He did say it was something he could not do because of the type of core it required.  I was lucky to find and alternative shop south of town that could do it.  Added bonus that they deliver into Spokane 3 times a week and have a quick turn around time. I also did some research online and correct replacements are available at $1500 each.