coolant leak

Post by **trikey** » 10 Oct 2006, 19:58

evening all
got a slight problem today, one of the plastic coolant pipes that run under the van has started leaking at the front, its the one that comes from the top of the radiator, the shamfered piece on the end and the metal insert have come off. was wondering if it would be possible to bond it back into the pipe as its quite pricey for a new one, and was wondering wot could of caused the problem, old age,or could it mean i have problems elsewere,
its not the actual pipe that comes off the radiator but the plastic one that the rubber one joins to.
many thanks.
sean 1990 1.7 deseil

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 10 Oct 2006, 20:05

Have a look on Go Westy yank site, they have a fix for this very problem.

www.gowesty.com

Lots of other useful tech stuff in their archive/library

Post by **trikey** » 10 Oct 2006, 20:19

cheers for that, looks a good site.

Post by **trikey** » 10 Oct 2006, 21:53

anymore advice gladly welcomed.

Post by **Mocki** » 11 Oct 2006, 06:25

the rubber pipe will fit over the plastic one if you warm it up and stretch it ...mine did

Post by **trikey** » 11 Oct 2006, 15:58

is`nt it supposed to fit over the plastic one anyway, so you can put a clip on it and tighten it up,

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 11 Oct 2006, 16:21

I had a problem at the other end of my pipe I put some self almalgamating tape over the bit of metal and hammered it back in to the pip it wouldn't go all the way, I fabricated a new ridge out of two small o rings and one larger onethen almalgamating tape to hold it all in place, I then put two hose clamps on one before the ridge and one after so it is held by a wider surface area but not done up as hard.

Post by **trikey** » 11 Oct 2006, 17:34

cheers for that.

Post by **trikey** » 13 Oct 2006, 19:10

was looking at the gowesty site and it got me thinking about bonding the metal inner back in lighty ruffing the outer so i can get a better grip on the rubber pipe, and putting the thing back together. wot do you think,
i`m not tight
just skint.
anyone got any ideas for a good heat / water proof glue.
cheers
sean

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 13 Oct 2006, 20:06

right I have fixed mine it seems OK although like I said may fix was at the rear of the pipe. in the end I didn't use the multiple o rings or the tape around it just in case it became disloged and clogged up th cooling system. but ti did do the amalgamating tape around the metal pipe and whacked it home there is no way thats coming out again. My problem was that (and this may be quite common) that outer hose is used as the drain point, with the constant on and off at this point the pipe has become brittle and cracked. hose clips are used instead of the nice spring clamps. these can and are tigtened up too far possibly distorting the metal and/or cracking the plastic. any way my pipe had been shortened and the metal pipe wasn't seated in the plastic. so I seated with tape then got a length of rubber coolant hose from Halfords, this was slightly longer than the hose that goes from the plastic 'tree' to the hard plastic. It was a perfect fit and length so I just added one o ring between the metal lip and the plastic body then put 2 hose clamps on the first one I tried as best to seat it on the rubber O ring.

There is a hose I have sourced which could in theory replace all the hoses front to back rubber and plastic for about £10 a meter, unfortunately for an internal dia of 32mm external will be 44mm which may be tricky to pass through the chassis and petrol tank, I can only buy it in minimum lengths of 20M as well, but that chassis cross member opening is pretty tight....may need to go under rather than through, OK for 2WD. Anyone want to have a go? If it did fit say 6meters to do the whole van you could do out and return for £60.