To Barrs Leaks or not to Barrs Leaks

[Mr.Ian]

Just a bit of a fun opinion poll really.

Yes / No

What do we recon.

There's lots of horror stories from across the pond but answers from personal experience is better. I've used it myself before and not had any trouble but reading all these horror stories made me put this on here.

If 'NO' what problems has it caused 'YOU'.

[BigCatXJS]

Umm, I never used it personally but have seen it used to "patch" a leaky radiator in a Ford Cortina - it worked okay!

But would I put it in my V12 Jag? - no.... I don't think so. I have a leak at the moment and I'll probably end up getting a new radiator once she's out of dry storage and back on the road for spring/summer. Using a magic potion to fix a leak would worry me - what else is it fixing/jamming up?

[almcl]

I used it for twenty+ years in my XJ6 and had no problems. That included a trip to South Africa where the day time running temperatures were sometimes in excess of 40°C.

When Dave Marks changed my XJS's radiator last year, the requisite amount of Bars was duly inserted. I suspect the same was true when he changed the rad 5 years before that.

I am not sure how sound the US experience is. Clearly some owners have had problems with overheating. Is this down to the climate, lack of maintenance, hard water, fuel and engine differences or is it really caused by particles of Bars clogging the radiator?

[Mr.Ian]

Yes i've had no problems with it and from the way the product works it looks like it cannot ''block up'' a radiator or anything 'internal' as it only becomes active on contact with cold air or with the extreme heat say from a very slight weep in the head gasket.

[MARKPEARSON]

Hello all

The Jaguar factory manual says 1x 135ml bottle to be added to 4.0 and 2x 135ml bottles to v12 of Jaguar radiator leak sealer or Barrs leaks to be added.

So I do personaly put a bottle in every two years wnen I change the coolant.As I try to keep to factory specifications as far as possable.

As a precautionary measure I drain the system then fill up with pure water run the motor a short while not letting it get hot then drain out the water to act as a flush out then re fill with 50/50 mix of anitfreeze and add 1 bottle of Barrs leaks.

Best Regards Mark

[greeban]

I have used it in various cars with varying degree of success! Bottom line is that if your radiator is on its way out the only real recourse is to get it re-cored. If yours is anything like mine it is a good opportunity to get the rad out and do some de-rusting around the area. I bet your fan cowl is very rusty at the bottom. My rad is now so efficient the engine is running too cool - I think the thermostat is now sticking so need to get it out and a new one in. Never stops! Good fun though.

[Mr.Ian]

I have no leaks on my system or radiator now (just replaced expansion tank) and actualy have no rust of any great depth on the fan cowl.
I just posted this poll as I've just bought my 2 bottles of bars leaks ready to pop in with the new antifreeze after a full backflush of the engine and radiator (having lost it all when the expansion tank split).
I just thought i'd see what everyone thinks about the bars leaks debate.
With the few posts so far it looks like a yes in favour of it.
Looks like a lot of people use it because they've got a leak (as a fix) , I wonder if they had used it regularly (as preventative) in the first place if they'd have the leak at all??

[dhdove]

Dave Marks covered this in the XJS Seminar last Saturday.

Yes he does put it in all XJS cars as recommended, but not as a leak solution, tho' as he said it will cure minor weeps in the system. Rather it is added as a system maintenance product and for it's anti-corrosive properties.

Regards
Tony

[Mr.Ian]

Exactly Tony, that's the point, people think of it and use it as a fix instead of a regular item to add with a change of antifreeze to help the system.

[kelsham]

I used Barrs leaks in my Pre He and did not experience any problems. When I added it to my Morris 1800 I experienced overheating soon afterwards. The radiator on the Morris was near the end of its life and I believe the Barrs hastened its end.

Barrs leaks appears to contain a gritty substance, I have not used it in my cabriolet. I flush it through every two years and replace the anti freeze.
I cant see that adding it is an advantage. I suppose it will stop small leaks at hoses etc. but cleaning the connections and carefully tightening will obviate the need for it. If you want to pour a lot of grit in your system its a personal choice.

It would be interesting to hear from the company who makes it? I have noticed they have remained silent through all the controversy.

[almcl]

I think they've already spoken, haven't they?

Here:
http://www.barsleaks.net/how2works.html

and here:

http://www.barsleaks.net/barsstory.html

or here:

http://www.barsproducts.com/

for example.

It does help if it's spelt correctly on a search.

[kelsham]

Ian,
What I meant that as far as I am aware Barsleaks have not replied to any of the critiscisms or defended the product on any forum I have been on.

The links you give are basically sales promotion material. I have not examined them thoroughly I will admit.

I do see, they say the granules are smaller than a grain of salt. The ones I inspected were much larger than the salt I use on my egg in the morning.

Its not surprising I didnt make myself clear as I couldnt even spell the name correctly.
Regards Kels.

[iain1980]

Personally I don't use it.

I have never seen it used as a preventative measure, only as a quick fix for a small leak. As far as I know even Bars make no claims about using it at every service as a preventative measure although they do say it contains corrosion inhibitors, (but so does the coolant). In an engine with regularly changed coolant you shouldn't have and cathodic or ph corrosion.

The main reason I don't use it though is that I want to know if I have a small leak, before it turns into a BIG problem miles from home. For example - if a hose is leaking into the reinforcing and weeping at the end, Bars would stop it and the first I would know is when the hose blew out altogether.

I don't see why jaguar engines are different to any other, but if someone out there does then I will stick a bottle in pronto!

[Mr.Ian]

I think they've already spoken, haven't they?

Here:
http://www.barsleaks.net/how2works.html

and here:

http://www.barsleaks.net/barsstory.html

or here:

http://www.barsproducts.com/

for example.

It does help if it's spelt correctly on a search.

Yes I have no idea why for some reason I gave it 2 R's

[kelsham]

Ian is it to late to say I copied your spelling? I guess it is.
There is a further point. What do you think the bars leaks does when you have a problem and run low on water?

There are lots of small pipes that purge air, feed the overflow tank etc.

I know that my purge line and overflow pipe to the tank were both blocked on my car. When I had my Pre He, the fill tank had a lot of brown sediment in it.
I flushed it the pre he runs with an air space in the fill tank.

regards Kels.