radiator

[whitewolf]

Had my rad re-cored and been brilliant u til past few days. have a slight leak.


Took radio off and found a tiny pin hole. warmed with blowtorch and sorted this.

In the process i removed the otter switch which was covered in ptfe tape. I removed all this to make see threads were clean and assembled with some putty and sealing ring.


now i have a drop and just annoying. Going to double check (wheel off and liner out) but believe its the otter.

Is ptfe ok to use again? What's people recommend? I don't have any fibre washers which I've used to fix my corsa 5years ago and still ok *touch wood*

[phillpot]

PTFE is intended for taper threads where things tighten before reaching the end of the thread. If it's a parallel thread and tightens right up to some sort of shoulder there should be a copper or fibre sealing washer.

That's the theory, but in practice a little of each can help,when "needs must" PTFE can be wrapped around the top of the thread to form a temporary "washer".

Better (imho) is a good quality thread sealing paste (Loctite thread seal etc.)

[whitewolf]

Cheers mike.

The ptfe seemed to do the job last time before i disturbed it.

I may try some or if i can get some threadlock use that.


just so annoying to have it leaking... but id rather it now then in middle of no where and breakdown

[GAjon]

Loctite 577 or similar, designed to seal pipe threads, but can also be dismantled.
Don't use thread lock.

[whitewolf]

So angry right now...

Got home and started leaking - perfectly ok as i wanted it to to find it.

Jack up, wheel off, liner out and found problem - the plumbers maite isn't MY mate... good while cold and not under near full pressure but the moment the thermostat opens and it warms up it just comes off...

Wheatly i opened and topped up the swirl pot I found a residue and guess this was the plumbers maite that's dissolved... :-s


so anyway, tonight i removed the otter switch with a big bowl below and let coolant out until it found its own level. Then put some ptfe tape on the threads and mating surface and nipped up.

filled coolant back up and started car... thermostat opened and weeping again... grrr then to really piss me off my n/s/r tyre went flat!!!!


Only tyre that's innertubed too. the tyre place fitted a valve but popped straight out and the fork truck one they tried i pulled and tore.


Least it happened at home and not on motorway...


Pissed off Mick!!!

[whitewolf]

Well a happier day today - got the tire plugged and sealed and a valve fitted to the alloy.. no more innertubes hopefully.!!


As for the leaky rad - removed otter and found a small ring sealer - plastic or alloy Im not sure... very soft and broken.


Anyway what my dad did was using a plastic milk bottle, a hammer and some large sockets was made a plastic washer and it fixed the leak... until today.



Drove to work perfectly fine. drove home perfectly fine. put car into garage and started leaking.


So tomorrow Im off to buy some fibrewashers.. gonna use one and possibly silicone on the threads... except for locktite 577 what's anyone else's suggestion/actually running sealed up method??

Cheers

Mick

[phillpot]

clicky ,B567 or B577

With a good washer you shouldn't need any sealant, paste, tape or anything else.


They just don't make milk bottles like they used to!

[whitewolf]

Cheers mike.

Tbh more then anything what you've done is made me chill out it and realise Im stressing over something that is easily fixable.

Gettin an assorted fibrewasher set tomorrow so hopefully i shall be reporting voodoo news soon :-)

[whitewolf]

Well... of the 140 sealing washers pack none fitted!!! Too small or too big...

So silicone i tried...left 24hours and tried... leaking again!!!


So angry....

Our lasses dads given me some others. one black rubber that is the correct size.

So tomorrow I'll try that.


Maybe a dowty seal??

However before i remove otter I'll cut away all silicone and make sure its not the face of the rad.

[whitewolf]

Just re read previous message - bloody predictive text on my phone putting wrong words in.


Anyway I was given some RTV silicone that suitable for high temp and have just tried this on the threads and mating face.

radiator and coolant still hot and its accelerating the silicone drying time. also had car running up to 90'c (on dash) and this is where everything else failed...

So far so good. my next option is checking pressure cap rating. The Taimar came with a 20psi!!! I've luckily got a 15psi spare so fitted that. thinking possibly a 13psi maybe better??

[whitewolf]

Been out and hasn't leaked.

Took a friend for a run and gave her some beans. No leak.

Got back home and no leak.


Hopefully this RTV is doing the trick. Realise now what i did wrong with ptfe. told much and didn't wrap it in opposite direction to threads.



Hopefully this Will finally be ok.. touch wood!!

Mick