@bing - how about CarQuest/Advance Auto Parts?
The manager there was pushing me to replace thermostat at the same time even though I told him that I just did it - wondering if he was making to spend on more parts.
No more than a thermostat costs that sounds like good advice. It is not as if there is a big profit to be made.
I used the powder form for radiators, and as far as I know, it makes no difference if you have a copper/brass radiator (although I don’t know if your leak is in metal or how big it is). You can find instructions online.
@George_San_Jose1
Could u share the name of the local place if you value them? I could buy from them
Radiator shops sometimes can fix an old style all metal (non-aluminum) radiator. End tanks are be removed, blocked tubes rodded out, leaky tubes soldered shut, new cores installed, etc. Sometimes it’s just failed solder at the seams. It’s worth asking around. There may be compatibility issues with soldered radiators and newer coolant chemistry’s, not sure but best to check with the coolant mfgr.
Have seen the aluminum core - plastic tank radiators fail several ways - leaks can occur at the rubber gasket between core and tanks or through the walls of the tank, sometimes at a corner, and can be slow for years - for these try a sealant, the type that contains finely divided clay appeals to me, but you can try pepper, etc. If a nipple breaks off you’re hosed, but this often can be avoided by cutting and peeling off the hoses rather than applying force. When attaching hoses I apply a thin layer of silicone grease to the nipple to aid subsequent removal. The swedishbricks (Volvo) website suggests replacing cooling system plastic and rubber at 8 yrs/80kmi, which seems about right.
Once after replacing an original Volvo radiator (130kmi, ~ 10 yrs) with a slow leak at a top corner I tried tried to “disassemble” the tank with a 10lb sledge hammer - the tank survived and the hammer rebounded and almost hit my face, these things are tough. Next step was to cut the corner out with a hack saw - the material seemed sound and I couldn’t find evidence of the leak on the inside - probably just should have used stop leak.