I've actually tried the pantyhose trick once—believe it or not, it got me about 20 miles down the road before it shredded itself to bits. Not exactly a long-term solution, but hey, better than nothing when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere. Duct tape belts though...that sounds like wishful thinking. Has anyone experimented with other unconventional fixes that actually held up surprisingly well?
I've never trusted the duct tape belt idea either—sounds like a recipe for disaster. But speaking of unconventional fixes, I once patched a radiator hose with an old bicycle inner tube and zip ties. Wasn't exactly pretty, but it held up surprisingly well until I got home and could replace it properly. Saved me from paying for an expensive tow at least.
I'm curious though, has anyone here tried using soda or pepper to temporarily seal minor radiator leaks? I've heard mixed things about those DIY solutions...some folks swear by them, others say it's just asking for trouble down the line. Always wondered if that's legit or just another roadside myth.
I've heard of the pepper trick too, but honestly, I'd steer clear of soda or pepper in the radiator. Sure, it might plug the leak temporarily, but you're risking clogging up smaller passages in the cooling system, especially on vintage engines that already run hotter. I've seen a friend try it once—worked for about 10 miles, then overheated worse than before. Better off carrying a proper radiator stop-leak product as a backup...or just biting the bullet and calling for help.
Has anyone actually tested how radiator stop-leak products affect vintage cooling systems long-term? I'd be curious if they're really safer than pepper or soda hacks...or if we're just trading one risk for another.
Honestly, I'd steer clear of both stop-leak products and kitchen hacks like pepper or soda in a vintage cooling system. Sure, they might get you home in a pinch, but long-term? You're just masking the real issue. I've seen too many classic rides end up with clogged heater cores or radiator passages because someone tried a quick fix.
If you're serious about reliability on long trips, here's what I'd do: First, flush the entire cooling system thoroughly—no shortcuts here. Next, pressure-test the radiator and hoses to pinpoint leaks accurately. Replace or repair what's needed properly; vintage parts aren't always cheap, but neither is getting stranded halfway to your destination. Finally, refill with quality coolant and distilled water mix to prevent corrosion.
Yeah, it's more upfront work and cost than dumping in some miracle-in-a-bottle...but trust me, your engine will thank you later when you're cruising smoothly instead of overheating on the side of the road.
