Selecting Correct RTV for rad leak (updated w/ pics)

[shoon]

Was going to go out and buy a tube of RTV or silicone to seal up the end tank on my rad, and was wondering what would adhere the best to the plastic side tank and metal portion of the rad?

the permatex high heat orange RTV? or just the black stuff?

 

[Racer X]

Vice grips to recrimp the end tanks would be my suggestion. Failing that, replacement is the way to go.

Adhesives are not going to contain the pressurized coolant leaking from the radiator.

 

[shoon]

its a new rad just over 1 yr old.

was going to see if I could pull the side tank off, seal with RTV, then recrimp; only concern is braking those tabs if I open them and bend them back to recrimp.

 

[sperold]

Pretty hard to get an outside patch on a rad, but give it a shot.
Almost all Taurus / Sable rads fit your car and I have seen them for 70-80 bucks new. Sometimes clenching the rad again with vice grips does the trick and might work better than goo. They tend to leak when it is cold. Look on this forum for clenching advice.

 

[shoon]

Picked up some Orange high heat RTV

http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...ermatex_High-Temp_Red_RTV_Silicone_Gasket.htm

Temperature range -65ºF to 650ºF (-54°C to 343°C)

should hopefully do the trick for me.

Cleaned the crap out of the side tank once I got it off, then ran a bead of RTV. set the side tank on, wait 1 hour for RTV to tack, then recrimped it.

Going to go do the other side when this side is done. Will let you know how it works out. Also make not of the POS stock gasket for the side tank, made out of some black RTV.

 

[AREA 91]

its a new rad just over 1 yr old.

was going to see if I could pull the side tank off, seal with RTV, then recrimp; only concern is braking those tabs if I open them and bend them back to recrimp.

I would take the rad back and exchange it for a new one. Even if it's only got a 1 year warranty on it, the parts store should give you another one.

If I remember correctly, the last 2 rad's I bought had life time warranty's on them.

 

[SHOZ123]

I had a brand new Visteon radiator leak when cold from the tanks. I always recrimp a radiator now when it is going back in, new or used.