[Vwdiesel] Broken Radiator Nipple

[James Hansen]

That sucks, Dave.
There is a cyanoacrylate based product that is supposed to fix that type of
plastic.  The guy at a local supplier showed it to me last week, but don't
ask me to recall the name of it.  It's a cyanoacrylate base glue with a
special powder/fiber filler/binder that is supposed to be the secret weapon.
It claims to be able to glue the hose barb back on a plastic rad tank, etc,
one of the fixes proclaimed were indeed a plastic rad tank. I'll inquire and
get back to you tomorrow if you don't like option 2.

Option 2 would be a 2 part epoxy putty.  Devcon makes very good product, any
of the ones like magic bond epoxy stick, etc would work.  Rough the surface
area with a 60 or so grit paper, clean clean clean, then clean with
iospropal or methanol.  Wear gloves, preferably a disposable non-permeable
vinyl or prefereably nitrile.  I mix the putty, then use a smallish piece
and rub it on the roughened part keeping the part wet with alcohol.  This
acts much like a primer and gets the epoxy well into the scratches as
alcohol is the solvent for this type of epoxy putty, and it's a mechanical
bond, so getting better surface contact improves the "bond".  Don't get it
too sloppy, and when the area is coated, hold the nipple against the old
hole, maybe use a small stick to hold it all in line.  Press a bunch of the
stuff around the nipple to hold it into place, use lots, but leave room for
the hose, smooth it out, you can use a bit of alcohol to make it easy to
smooth.  Very important to get the edges nice and smooth, it lasts forever
that way. Let harden, should hold.
Would it be meaty enough to allow you to run a small pipe thread tap through
it and thread a nipple in that you could epoxy putty into place?
-james

> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
> On Behalf Of Dave Cook
> Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 1:07 PM
> To: Cabriolet Group; Audi-VW-Diesels Group; VW Diesel Group
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] Broken Radiator Nipple
> 
> I was working on putting on my much-despised v-belts, and while trying
> to tighten the a/c belt, I smacked the nipple on the radiator that
> returns to the coolant reservoir.  Great.
> 
> Anyone have this happen and find a successful way to fix it?  (Besides
> a new radiator...)
> 
> 
> Dave Cook
> 
> 
> 
> 
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