My heater core has a slight leak - it is a massive job to re/re and no mechanic around here wants to do it, but very simple to isolate the heater core. I have a bottle of Liqui-Moly Radiator Stop Leak, and it looks like it requires heat to activate based on the instructions.
I was thinking of isolating the heater core, flushing it with water and then using the stop leak as a temporary measure.
Does anyone have any clever ideas as to how to activate the stop-leak with an isolated heater core? (No way am I letting that stuff get anywhere near my engine - I’m only considering it as I have nothing to lose since if it doesn’t work, the heater core has to be replaced anyways.)
I have heard of stop-leak working for years in some cases which is why I’m wanting to try it.
Even after activation it’s not something like dried coating. It will go around the system. So all that extra work isn’t worth it.
Generally I really would advice against using stop leak. I have seen so many problems caused by it. Mostly on heater cores.
Is it really that hard to replace? Normally all the older vehicles have been designed to be pretty easy to work on. Obviously with everything old, it adds to the work, but still. Historical Mercedes that I have worked on heating system had the heater core under the hood with just couple of bolts.
It’s a massive job on the W116… Plus, usually RHD German cars are even worse as they are conceived as LHD and stuff is shifted around to make it work. Lots of RHD Mercedes stuff looks like it’s from a kit car.
Mostly Mercedes I’ve worked on have been 85…2010 Or before mid 70s. And never any RHD. I do know that some are pretty badly converted to RHD.