Help!! Plastic Radiator Top (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Toad]

I replaced my valve cover gasket today. As it turned out, the old gasket was probably fine -- it's just that whoever had it off last didn't bother tightening the 4 valve cover bolts closest to the firewall.

Nonetheless, I'm not a very large person, so when crawling to reach the rear of the engine, I heard a cracking sound and knew I was in trouble. I broke-off the bypass No. 3 fitting from the plastic top of the radiator. Here's a pic:

So my question is: Is there any way around this? Has anyone threaded a new nib into the radiator top or something similar? How big a job is replacing a radiator?

 

[OGBeno]

I think you have to get a new radiator....

 

[AMMO]

Yup I had the same thing happen to me... I picked up an aftermarket 2 or 3row for around 2 bills.

-Matt

 

[CodyRx7]

I did that exact same thing to mine a few months ago.

Keep an eye out on the parting out and for sale forums here. I scored a clean used radiator from a club member for FREE.

 

[Mr. Toad]

Grrrr. Thanks guys. I may do some experimenting on the broken one.

At least radiator replacement looks to be a fairly quick job.

 

[asher z]

I had the same problem.
I fixd it with an heat durable epoxi glue.
You dont have to by a new radiator.
Its been 7 monts with out any leeks.

 

[Mr. Toad]

OK -- I have a plan

Picture 1: The broken nib, a piece of 5/32" OD brass tubing, (leftover from my Megasquirt project, but you can get it at most RC hobby stores), and a 5/32" drill bit.

Picture 2: The plan. Clean out inside of broken nib with drill bit. Fit section of tubing inside broken nib. Use drill bit to clean out hole in radiator. Press exposed brass sleeve into radiator hole and glue using high temp epoxy. Glue-up will be inside another sleeve.

I'm going to bed now. I'll post-up tomorrow to show whether it worked.

 

[Slomo]

Looks promising, curious to see it. Good luck.

 

[NaterGator]

I wouldn't replace a whole radiator just for that little 'issue' for the life of me! Isn't that what being a shadetree mechanic is all about?

Looks like you are on the right track

 

[alkaline747trio]

The plastic top tank on the radiator can be replaced, cheaply...by any competent radiator specialist, or the average joe who will be patient with the clamp that holds the tank to the core. Just requires removal of the radiator, but this allows you a chance to clean it and the condenser extremely well.

 

[450 DUDE]

If I was going to try to repair the nipple ( wich I would) I would buy a threaded nipple prolly 1/8 or 1/4 npt drill the hole and tap (be carefull) thread the nipple with epoxy. good to go!

The only thing Im not sure about is how much room there is to install the fitting.


ken

 

[wingman358]

Good idea, Mr. Toad. Let us know how it goes. I can see this being useful in the future (I'm a klutz ).

 

[Tackelbarry]

A dealer that worked on my 80 did the same thing to

my radiator and tried to use JB weld to patch it and then did not tell me. Low and behold, I found the damage. I used a 5/16th's drill bit to drill out the hole (slowly, so the plastic spirals down the bit towards you and does not get into the radiator), next I used a 1/8"-27 NPT to thread the hole. I used a brass fitting with plumbers tape and had no leaks. Do not over tighten, the plastic thread will strip. You will only have approximately 3/16th's- 1/4" thread depth. This fix lasted me until I was able to get the dealership to take responsibility for their damage and install a new radiator. Hope this helps.

 

[Mr. Toad]

Thanks for the good info and ideas.

alkaline747trio: Plastic top replacement is in my future. This is more or less a daily driver.

Tackelbarry, 450 DUDE: A threaded fitting is what I originally had in mind, but I wasn't sure how thick the remaining plastic was on the radiator. Although I have a nice selection of thread taps, I couldn't think of a "best" way to do this repair. Threading-in a big zerk was at the top of my list. Nonetheless, I went the way Tackel's mechanic did, but I sleeved it on the inside with brass. (see next post) Hopefully it'll work out better. If it doesn't, and I still feel like messing with it, I could try a thread-job then . . .

Nate: Your Saturday GPS project looked much more fun than mine. Hope the reverse camera works out for you. May I suggest a reverse beeper too?

 

[Mr. Toad]

Progress Report

First Picture shows the materials. I'm using an unshrunk section of heat shrink tubing to sleeve the outside of the repair. I cleaned everything with acetone and got ready for the glue-up.

Second Picture shows the sleeve surrounding the exposed brass shaft. I plugged the shaft and filled the sleeve with JB Weld. I couldn't find anywhere on the packaging stating that JB Weld works on plastic, but it had the highest heat tolerance of any of the epoxies at my disposal.

Third Picture shows the glue up after un-plugging the brass tube.

Tonight I'll top off the radiator and try it out. And of course report back to Mud.

 

[Mr. Toad]

Success.

 

[NaterGator]

Success.

'atta boy!

 

[Kalawang]

It seems to me to be a pretty bad miss on the part of Toyota's engineers to leave such a brittle part there necessitating a new radiator to many unfortunates.

What's wrong with replaceing the plastic part with a brass or copper tube, threading it to the steel and sealing with a high temperature epoxy ?


Kalawang

 

[-Spike-]

What's wrong with replaceing the plastic part with a brass or copper tube, threading it to the steel and sealing with a high temperature epoxy ?


Kalawang

There's no steel to thread it into would be the first problem with that repair.

-Spike

 

[NorCalDoug]

I hope it holds.

I didn't feel like screwing around with mine...

I broke mine while replacing the fan clutch...a heck of a stupid place to put a nipple and hose

I replace the entire rad...but I think it was for the best...the overheating issues I had no longer exist.