Rad bleeder screw still leaking

Sorry Jim... I don't understand the WHY of your problem though...

A STOCK radiator can be shoved up into the top mount in ONE of THREE positions. The MIDDLE position it ht correct one and cooling can be adversely affected if its in either one of the other two. I am assuming all this could be true of the new aluminum radiators as well.

If this is indeed in the center position, then it would appear that the valve was not welded into the "correct" position for easy access.

Your recourse is probably several of the following.

1. Do nothing and live with it... knowing that there are several other ways to purge the radiator of air.

2. Install fittings, copper lines, and another valve so that you can "remotely" purge the air from the top of the radiator.

3. Cut open, drill, file, or do all three to the current opening so you have access.

4. Return the radiator and ask for a correct replacement.

Hopefully its just that the radiator is misaligned. Drop the radiator again (should just about fall out if you whistle correctly) and shine a light up there to look at the inside upper bracket. It coulda been bent or smashed. NO NEED to drain or disconnect hoses, just the wiring as there usually is enough slack to drop it down and out, or at least take a peak up there...

Then it shouldn't be too difficult to have Joe do it right this time... Incent him with food (or the lack of it), until he gets its done to your satisfaction!

HA! HTH...
 
I can bleed it

Hi Tony,

I can reach and use the bleed screw thru the frunk access hole and I can bleed the air in the stock manner. I am just whining about the general alignment. It could be an issue with the nose of the car, the lower bracket, the radiator. It works, I was just expecting a big difference when I reoriented that lower bracket.

On my 78 there was definitely a set of guide channels that the rad slides into like you describe, hit them just right and all is well, or you end up in front or behind the guides as you say. My 85 doesn't appear to have these guides. Just smooth walls where the rad goes. There is a centering hole at the top that accepts the little "button" on the rad's top rail. I have the rad plugged into the top center hole and once the lower bracket is installed, there is no play fore or aft.

So the rad is in, it isn't leaking, I can bleed it normally, the car runs cool.... I am just perplexed. :confused: It will stay this way till spring... or maybe forever. :)
 
I had the same problem on my '85. The alignment button fits in the hole just fine, but the bleed screw is shifted far enough to the front to foul on the sheet metal above the radiator. I cut the sheet metal back about 5 mm to clear the bleed screw. Furthermore, the bleeder bung was canted a bit to the left so I could not access it through the opening in the front trunk. I fixed that problem by using one of these bleed screws.
 
So I am not alone

That is good to know Bjorn, Thanks. And good to know there are options on the bleed screw.

My bleed screw is tilted forward, but still has clearance on the edge of the access hole. I will just stop fiddling with mine, since it is working OK and just not lined up as I expected.
 
Jim,
Are you sure this has to do with the bleed screw and maybe a bad weld at the threads (where the bleed screw goes in)?? MAYBE?
I am running stock screw with no problems in about 1500 miles.
John
 
Certainly could be a misalinged bung

Sounds like Bjorn had a bungled bung weld, so I am sure mine is off a bit too. Fortunately I got the rad to a workable position for the bleed screw and I will just be happy I achieved that.

I am so happy with the performance of the radiator that I really can't get upset with this little issue.
 
A few things to consider:

*Copper washers are intended for higher pressure sealing and they are not created equal. aka copper is not just copper.

There are a good number of these from low-buck suppliers that are pre-work hardened from the stamping process. They arrive in the package so hard no amount of compression from the threaded fastener will seal them.

The cure is to heat them up until they are bright cherry red and allow the offending washer to cool very slowly. This discovery was made on a batch of Goodridge brake lines. Their "new" copper crush washers would not seal.. at all.

Copper crush washers on aluminum is not the ideal condition as aluminum makes a rather poor internal thread material, specially when they are fine threads involved (M10x1.00 in the case of the OE bleeder screw). Coarse threads should be used in aluminum along with anti-seize to prevent galling which aluminum threads have a great tendency to do. Keep in mind the OE bleeder screw boss was not soft aluminum. Crank down too much on that threaded aluminum boss and there will be a world of serious grief due to ripped out internal threads.

If a copper sealing washer must be used in these conditions, the AN900 copper foil with a soft center might work. Still not ideal for these requirements:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/an900.php?clickkey=7323


The better solution would be to use a O-ring sealing washer. These metal washers have a O-ring bonded into the center of the washer. They create a seal by the O-ring's elasticity creating a seal between the two surfaces with the metal washer limiting the amount of crush on the O-ring.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=u2t2sf

Make absolute sure the sealing surfaces are flat, clean, parallel and free of pits and defects. Even the smallest surface defect can cause enormous grief when trying to create a pressure seal.

As for teflon tape on straight threads, simply NO. teflon sealing tape is intended for tapered pipe or similar sealing threads. It works due to the gap between the threads due to the taper which shrinks as the tapered threads meet under torque. On straight threads there is simply not enough gap for the tape to function properly. It will cause a significantly amount of problems just from the increased thickness of the teflon tape. We are dealing with a few thousands of an inch or hundreds of a mm on straight threads, simply no room for teflon tape or would this be a proper application for teflon tape.

Fiber sealing washers.. no thanks. They can work but there are far better ways and parts that do work much better with better reliability and durability.

O-ring alone with no support will also fail due to near instant O-ring extrusion or damage from over compression. O-rings must sit in a properly designed groove or they simply do not work.. at all. O-rings must be of the correct compound, size and hardness to create an effective seal. When O-rings are properly applied, the work very well as a static and dynamic seal.

Bernice
 
HA... Jim, Others, In the words of Ron Popeil...

Godfather of the Ronco Line for the "As Seen on TV" products to make your life easier...

"SET IT, and FORGET IT..." is not just true for his Rotisserie Oven, it could also apply to these purge valves!

 
Good idea for ALL copper washers... I think I'll cook...

mine a bit before I try to install them from now on. Good point!
 
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