Well, after doing some searching and reading I'm still confused on the proper use of these. I went to the GM dealership and bought a package of six tablets. The engine in my car is a 4.9, the service manual I've read say that these must be used, yet the sticky about seal tabs in the northstar forum says to use them only if you have to. So, if I have to, do I just drop all 6 of these things in the radiator and call it good? I appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Kevin

The Bar's Leaks tablets were used in production line assembly to prevent nuisance leaks. If you have no leaks/weeps now, there's no need for their use. Later 4.6 Northstar manuals have discontinued the requirement. The tablets, and their powder equivalent, p/n G12BP, are a combination of ground ginger, walnut shell, other organic fibre, and water-soluble lubricant.

IF you're doing a complete coolant change and want to use the tablets, normal procedure is/was to crush 3 in the bottom radiator hose before refill. Use a mixture of 50/50 coolant to distilled water, bring the surge tank to half full, cold, and run the car for a half hour or more. After the engine cools down to barely warm, bring the coolant level to halfway up in the surge tank, clean the cap gasket, and you're good to go for at least another 2 - 3 years (green), 3 - 4 years (DEXCOOL).

Thanks for the info. Does that apply to all the aluminum engines or just the northstar? Else where I think I read that they should always be used in the 4.5 and 4.9. And some people say to use all six.

Thers isn't a surge tank, just the old style cooling system.

Thers isn't a surge tank, just the old style cooling system.

I should have mentioned to not confuse your overflow tank with a surge tank,do not put tabs in your overflow tank, put them in lower rad hose.

Should I wait until I change the coolant then? Or just drop them in the radiator? I don't plan on doing a coolant change for awhile yet.

Should I wait until I change the coolant then? Or just drop them in the radiator? I don't plan on doing a coolant change for awhile yet.

If you dont have any leaks now,I wouldn't put any tabs in,the best way to add the tabs is in the bottom rad hose, I have never put them them in rad. so I dont know,you shouldn't need any more than three when you do it.Use green anti-freeze.

They are supposed to go in the radiator, but since the Northstar does not have a radiator cap they have to go in the hose.

Our old Guru always said that they where mandatory in the 4.1, 4.5 & 4.9. Is there any in there now? You could always drop 2 in and save the other 4 for the coolant change.

They are supposed to go in the radiator, but since the Northstar does not have a radiator cap they have to go in the hose.

Our old Guru always said that they where mandatory in the 4.1, 4.5 & 4.9. Is there any in there now? You could always drop 2 in and save the other 4 for the coolant change.

Thats good to know that they can go in the rad.,I just did my 4.9's the same as my 97 sts.

I haven't used any yet. My engine has enough problems that the coolant never gets old:histeric:

3 tabs crushed and poured into the radiator then fill it up.
You have to use them on the 4.9 but should not use them in the 4.6 unless you are trying to do a poor man's fix on the crossover seals or something.

Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it.

Kevin

Should I wait until I change the coolant then? Or just drop them in the radiator? I don't plan on doing a coolant change for awhile yet.

Yes, you can put powder or crushed tablets carefully into radiator neck. Do not put them into reservoir.

I know this thread is a bit old now, But make sure you drive the car after adding them, dont just drop them in and walk away. Also when you do a coolant change make sure you flush the heater core separately. I just changed my heater core to find out that when I added bars leak it all got stuck in the core/hose since the core was clogged and it is a narrow part of the system. It was a mess to clean all the backed up junk out of the hoses, I wish I knew the core was clogged before i replaced the coolant and added the tabs.

I should have mentioned to not confuse your overflow tank with a surge tank,do not put tabs in your overflow tank, put them in lower rad hose.

There is no need to put it in lower radiator hose of a 4.* engine (not Northstar). Just dissolve two-three tablets in half a pint of antifreeze and pour carefully into radiator neck. It is not going to clog anything except the heater core. The heater core will get clogged in a few years no matter where you put the tabs into radiator hose or into the neck.