Temporary rad valve stem patch?

guzzinerd

I've got a couple rads with leaky valve stems.  I've repacked a few successfully already but would rather do these in the off season. 

The valves in question are original/old and don't even turn anymore.  Is there any harm in just JB welding the stem bases until I take them apart this summer?   If not, is there another temp patch you recommend?  The boiler shuts down around 1.5 psi.

Thanks 

EdTheHeaterMan

JB Weld on the stem takes about a minute to apply, adding packing takes about 2 minutes to apply. There must be over a hundred valves for you to need to save that much time! if you have 18 valves and you have already completed some of them then there is less than 15 minutes of saved time for this task. Unless you are removing the valves and taking them to the machine shot to repack them. Have you tried repacking the valve stems in place?

guzzinerd

Problem is that I have cabinet radiators that I have to take apart to get to the valve.  I'd rather do it when it's warm in case something doesn't come apart as it should and then be stuck with a cold radiator waiting for parts.

Am I understanding from your reply that JB weld will work ok in the meantime?  I know I'll need to scrape the stuff off later when I repack them.

mattmia2

i would see abut finding a deep well or crowfoot socket and some socket drive accessories that will let you do it without taking the radiator apart. I suppose a small hose clamp and piece of rubber tubing like fuel line might be able to seal it up. You'd probably need a wire wheel in a drill press or grinder to clean off the jb weld such that it wouldn't rip apart the new packing.

guzzinerd

Thanks.  Yeah, I'll probably just use rubber or vinyl tape with a hose clamp in the meantime to avoid the extra work of removing epoxy later. 

There is no room to work down in there without taking off the metal panels.

Thank you

Mad Dog_2

Yeah..Dont put epoxy on something you'll need to get apart soon. Those old valves are heavy, chunky bronze & brass..very little goes bad.  A thin graphite packing rope or Teflon Packing or tape and pipe dope usually works very well   Mad Dog 🐕 

mattmia2

Don't crank on the packing nut too much or you could crack it. It is better to add packing a little at a time and just snug the nut down then add some more instead of trying to add and compress a lot all at once.

guzzinerd

Mad Dog_2 said:

Yeah..Dont put epoxy on something you'll need to get apart soon. Those old valves are heavy, chunky bronze & brass..very little goes bad.  A thin graphite packing rope or Teflon Packing or tape and pipe dope usually works very well   Mad Dog 🐕 

 Was leaning towards pushing graph rope down around the stem base with a blade.  Will give it a try today.

mattmia2 said:

Don't crank on the packing nut too much or you could crack it. It is better to add packing a little at a time and just snug the nut down then add some more instead of trying to add and compress a lot all at once.

 One of the valves is stuck and doesn't have a packing nut around the stem but rather a large nut below the stem housing.  The bakelite handle is also broken off, probably by someone who tried forcing it with a wrench.  If the graph rope doesn't seal it I may just epoxy it and replace the whole valve later.

Thanka again