has anyone ever taken apart cast iron radiators?

MikeDaugherty

i could really use some help here. if anyone has taken apart a radiator and then re assembled it do you know what would be a good gasket to use between each section or would you suggest silicone between the sections i am at a loss here. any advice would be awesome thank you

Jamie Hall

The only ones...

I've taken apart are the variety which have one or two tie rods at the top and at the bottom, and have passages both top and bottom.  I've taken several of these apart to fix leaks.



In these, the sections are connected with push nipples -- finely machined nipples which make a precise press fit between the sections when the sections are pulled together.  In theory, no gaskets are required, nor anything else which will keep the sections from pulling tightly together.  You can get replacement push nipples; I forget the outfit that does it, but hopefully someone else will list it.



In several cases, the leak was because the bottom of the push nipple had rotted out -- no surprise -- so I just turned the nipple upside down and reinserted it.  In those instances, I placed a bead of the red silicone sealant in the groove OUTSIDE the nipple area between sections, where there would be enough clearance for it, and made sure that it was just thick enough to touch both sections as they came together, but not so thick as to keep them from pulling together properly.