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Called BS on ATF dye for coolant leaks until it saved me 3 hours
I always thought that UV dye was just a gimmick to sell more tools. Had a 2015 F-150 come in last Tuesday with a mysterious coolant loss, no visible drips anywhere. Finally caved and put a tiny bottle of the stuff in the reservoir, ran it for 20 minutes, and hit it with the UV light. That crack in the plastic thermostat housing glowed like a Christmas tree. Has anyone else had a tool they were dead wrong about?
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patricia_king235mo ago
My buddy Mike swore up and down that UV dye was a waste of money for years. He had a Chevy Silverado that was puking coolant somewhere and he tore the whole front end apart looking for it. Finally he borrowed my light and a bottle of dye, found the leak in about 10 minutes. It was a tiny pinhole in the radiator that was only weeping when the system was hot and pressurized. He bought his own kit the next day and now he uses it on almost everything that comes through his shop.
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theagarcia5mo ago
Tore the whole front end apart looking for it" - that line alone makes me wince. I've been there, taking apart perfectly good parts just to chase a ghost leak. That pinhole in the radiator thing is brutal too, because they only leak when everything is hot and expanded, then seal right back up when it cools down. It's amazing how something so simple that you ignored for so long can save you a whole Saturday of frustration.
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