Spectra Radiator leaks

[bowhunter13]

Big puddle under truck on passenger side of radiator by tranny cooling line. It not tranny fluid but anitifreeze.

so i drain tank.. needed to be pulled anyways a it still had oil in it from oil cooler orings being bad.

i call spectra and ask if there is a washer i can buy to replace exsisting one. No SIR you need to replace radiator? this unit looks brand new.


anyone have any ideas ? The brass fittings comes out of a hole in radiator ( not screwed in) and this flat aluminum washer and a nut.. then you connect your tranny line.

I figured there would be a replacement washer of some type... not wanting or able to spend 200 bucks on a new one.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

Brass into aluminum in a wet environment is a no no. The galvanic reaction will eventually cause failure to the aluminum. I am not exactly sure what fittings you are talking about, mine are aluminum on my aluminum radiator, i keep them plugged since it's a manual. For a fix i would reccomend drying it, wiping it down, heating it with lighter or torch to make sure all coolant is evaporated, let it cool, the sand a little, wipe down with alcohol and JB weld it. Do you have a picture of where the leak is coming from?

 

[bowhunter13]

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

i would agree but this is the way it came

 

[79jasper]

Pics didn't work.
Or just use a thread sealer.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[bowhunter13]

How the heck do you post a picture. i cant even find info when i search it. I hit the insert image, click browse and then pick file and click upload.

 

[madpogue]

For whatever reason, attachments from "Quick Reply" don't work. Hit "Go advanced" on your reply. Attach from that page.

 

[bowhunter13]

picture

not sure if this worked either

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

That'll just keep corroding. You can use some rtv, or jb weld, maybe some quick steel. The fitting seals from the inside, they tried to use the aluminum washer on the outside as a dielectric union. They should have used a nylon washer inside and out.

 

[madpogue]

Makes you wonder what washer they did use on the inside.

 

[bowhunter13]

so are you saying get a new radiator or find a nylon washer?

 

[bowhunter13]

no telling, i dont want to remove the other side... and i dont want to buy one!

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I don't know how you'll get it inside. That's why you'd need a new radiator. Unless you can weld alminum, cut the section out, put the piece on and tighten it, then weld it back on.

The right way would be to get a new radiator. You might be able to bent and sqeeze a really flexible nylon washer in there and by some.miracle get it on the inside fitting then nylon on the outside. If it was a brass or copper washer you need to get it out of radiator or its goire to bore a hole through the bottom of it

 

[bowhunter13]

well that fitting doesn't move so im not sure what was behind it if anything. THANK YOU for the assistance.. EVERYONE!!!

ill bit the bullet ... yet again.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

You can jb weld or rtv all around threads and put washer back on and tighten it. It might hold forever. Having two very dissimilar metals together in a heated solution with high conductivity is just asking for failure. The elevated ph in these elcs are alreasy beyond what aluminum should exist in anyway.

 

[79jasper]

Ah, now I see. The other part of the fitting. I thought you were talking about the nipple part.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk