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Sealing Coolant Pipe


kmpdx
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Hey Guys,

I am having trouble sealing the metal tube that connects the lower radiator hose to the part above the water pump on my 1991 Loyale. The tube has two slots that go around the end of the where it plugs in to the housing. The slot at the end is like 1/4" wide and the one behind it is maybe like 3/4" wide. In the 1/4" slot there is a flat gasket that goes around it. The other slot has nothing in it but it seems like another gasket could go in there. I tried to plug it in with just the gasket that is there and it just leaks coolant. to make things worse it is all under the A/C compressor which is a pain to move. How should I deal with this? Are there gaskets that I can buy? What are they called? Should I use RTV? 

Thanks!

kmpdx

Edited by kmpdx
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I bought an o- ring the same size... the reason it appears flat is because it has been in there waaay too long lol! It's supposed to actually be round.. >tip < I put a film of grease inside the pump neck and the ring that helps it slide/pop in.. otherwise it will roll out of the groove.. I do this a couple times to make sure it's seated.. no RTV!!

Edited by Len Dawg
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What Length wrote. It's an o ring. When hey are old and squished flat, they don't seal anymore found that silicon plumber's grease is good for this and all cooling hose connections. The hoses don't get stuck. Be sure to check the clamps after a run or 2.

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Hey thanks guys. So in frustration I put thermostat RTV on the old o ring and carefully placed it in. That was before I read your post. I think what the issue was is that the way I had the lower coolant hose pushed down on the lower pipe of the radiator was putting a little downward force on the front of the pipe and unseating it a little. It's all coming apart tomorrow and being redone properly with the o ring. I will report back when complete. Thanks!

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Check for pitting in the pump socket, and the groove the oring goes in on the pipe. The surfaces have to be good for a seal.

 

I have used the red rtv to seal pitted ones - but new o ring, put it together install th bolt into the head, install radiator hose - all before the rtv sets. Everything must be cleaned and dried completely for it to work. And don't add coolant or try to run it until a day goes by.

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I got it done using the o ring only. Didn't have plumber's silicone so i used a little spit. lol. Part of the issue was that I had pulled the radiator hose on to the pipe past where the alternator adjustment bracket is. i have AC so the bracket it actually over where the hose fits on to the pipe and unseats the seal of the o ring if anything is touching it. It means that the radiator hose can just barely fit beyond the bumped out lip of the pipe. kind of a weird design and took quite a bit of finagling to get right.

Thanks guys!

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