Repairing Steam radiator

Jeff Zumbrun

I have a Eastwood steam radiatir with a pin hole or two in one of the columns. Can I remove hat column and put it back together with out the leaky column. Can the pin holes be welded.

T_4

Repairing Steam Rdaiator

I'm trying to repair and old Gurney single pipe steam rad,
which is leaking. I took it apart. The bottom push nipple
attached to the first section was badly corroded ( could
see daylight thru the bottom. I coated it with red rtv,
put it back together. It still leaks . This is a ten section rad. I found smaller rads 3 section same rad. I've been trying to salvage push nipples from these. Is there any easy way
to get the nipples out of an end section, so that I can reuse them? Would heating it help? Thanks.

Daniel_3

Is it a plain gurney, column type? There's a thread below concerning this very subject which may help.

Jamie Hall

Red RTV

works just fine, even with corroded nipples -- I've done a good few which were just as you describe.

However.

Do NOT coat the nipple, or what's left of it; the thing is a really tight fit, and meant to be. Instead, clean the faces of the two sections, just outside radially from the nipple, thoroughly -- wire brush and all. Must be bare metal, and reasonably smooth. Then, put a thin bead -- say eigth to three sixteenths -- of the red RTV in a complete right around the nipple, say an eigth inch outside it. Then pull the radiator back together. If you have the right amount of the stuff, it should just, but only just, appear at the outside of the joint after you get finished pulling everything up tight.

john_171

If all else fails

you can get a new push nipple from Oneida County Boiler Works in Utica, NY. They are about the only place left on earth where push nipples are available! You may have to send them a sample so they can match it though. Good Luck!

mike jones_2

try jb weld = follow the instructions, worked for us

T_4

Rad repair

Hi,

Thanks for responding. I coated both the nipple
and the faces of the sections with red rtv.
I let it set for 24 hours before use, Is that necessary?
It worked fine for a few days, then started leaking.

So I have recovered some nipples from a 3 section rad
that I got from the house next door. The folks at Oneida
suggested coating the nipple with black permatex. BTW they
don't have these nipples.

The problem that I have is this 10 section rad weighs
300 lbs. So I can't lay it down/ stand it up without
another person to help. So I'd like to get it right
next time.
Thanks

john_171

Rad Pinhole

I second the previous post--J B Weld does the trick! Just take the leaking section out and use a wire wheel on a drill to get the surface free of old paint, dirt, rust, etc. before following the directions. Once the rad has be "JB Welded" you can put it back together. It'll be ready for use in 24 hours.

john_171

I always use

the black Permatex "Formagasket" for sealing between the nipple and radiator section when working on old radiators. There may be other types of sealants that would work as well or better, but this has ALWAYS worked for me. Just be sure both the nipple and the hole on the rad section it enters are CLEAN, and then apply a thin coating to both. It's nasty stuff to get off your hands, so be careful! As to letting it stand 24-hours, I have waited, and have also used the rad right away and, except for just once, when the hole in the section where the push nipple went through was damaged, I've never had a leak--in both steam or hot water radiators.

T_4

Black Permatex

Hi,

Thanks for responding. Where did you buy the
black permatex formagasket? I looked at Autozone
and they had a couple of different ones in a tube.
Permatx Form-A-Gasket #1 Fast-drying, hard-setting sealant designed for sealing rigid materials and flanges, or patching holes and joints
Permatx Form-A-Gasket #2 Slow-drying, non-hardening sealant designed for sealing cut gaskets and stamped parts.

Just want to make sure that I get the same stuff you're using, I appreciate any help.

Thanks
Tony