broken rad nipple

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RJ93SS
Third Gear
Posts: 853
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:55 am
Location: Vancouver, Canada

broken rad nipple

Post by RJ93SS »

i was going to do my coolant tank move the other day and cracked the nipple off where the cap is...but before this i was going to remove the small hose on the rad on the top pass. side, i noticed that the hose was split by the clamp so i took it off and pulled the hose further up the metal line so the split wouldnt cause any problems, well it did, i took the slack out out of the hose and that caused a pleasent drive to work this morning, i hit the highway and gave it gas, causing the engine to shake and all of a sudden i could smell fluid, i thought it was coming out of the cracked nipple on my fill tank. i noticed the temp shot up but i got her off to a safe spot before it got to Hot, i hope. anyways i opened the hood to a massive cloud of steam and when it all cleared i noticed the nipple on the rad upper pass. side had cracked off because that hose i mentioned had no slack and when the engine shook at throttle it put to much force on that god damn mother ****** cheap little plastic nipple. sorry...

so i started doing searches and noticed i was not the only one this happened to and guys threw in koyo and n/a rads. so i was gung hoe about the koyo for 220$ shipped but noticed it had no tranny hook up lines so now i am turned off of this.

after doing some thinking and looking at what i could do i was wondering

could i tap the steel part on the engine that my upper rad hose goes to and thread a brass fitting in their and just reconnect the hose and plug the broken nipple off, has anyone tried that, i was hoping for a cheap and easy fix for now???? thanks in advance and thank you subaru for using these nipples
93SS 04 wrx brakes/slotted w/ hawks--TD05 -- 06 I/C -- 20mm n/a fsb -- Stage 2 -- 550's -- Perrin DIV DP -- 2-3/4 Tit Exhaust -- K&N -- C/C -- A/C Delete -- Grounded -- GT Leather Interior -- WRX/STI Strut Setup -- 17" 225's -- 2 Kids Seats ;)
cjc
In Neutral
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:15 pm
Location: so cal desert

broken nipple

Post by cjc »

you can do what i did, i reamed the hole just to the point were a threaded brass hose barb would thread in, then using a generous amont of jb weld sealed the fittings to the plastic. now this was an a jdm coolant resevoir that i did this on but it should still work for your use.

just make sure to sand any plastic you apply jb weld to, and also let the jb weld dry at least 24 hours if possible.
one more thing, make sure all surfaces are dry you are gluing.

good luck :-D
93 turbo legacy
97 legacy gt wagon (rip)
2000 legacy l (rip)
1990 legacy wagon
RJ93SS
Third Gear
Posts: 853
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:55 am
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Post by RJ93SS »

thanks, but that whole piece on the rad is thin and i can see hairline cracks in it, i ordered a new rad from lordco for 195 bucks and i will be installing it tomrrow, i'm wondering if i should do the upper and lower rad hoses as well
93SS 04 wrx brakes/slotted w/ hawks--TD05 -- 06 I/C -- 20mm n/a fsb -- Stage 2 -- 550's -- Perrin DIV DP -- 2-3/4 Tit Exhaust -- K&N -- C/C -- A/C Delete -- Grounded -- GT Leather Interior -- WRX/STI Strut Setup -- 17" 225's -- 2 Kids Seats ;)
kleinkid
Fourth Gear
Posts: 1212
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2003 3:39 am
Location: Oak Harbor, Washington

change hoses

Post by kleinkid »

If they are more than four years old, change them. Now would be a good time, you're drained. They don't cost that much.
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