Will someone please look at my nipples?
 

I've been doing a LOT of cleanup since I've got the engine out, and I'm finding that the coolant nipples on a number of parts are badly eroded, some even having holes in them. I'm wondering what I might could use to repair them. I was thinking of JB weld but I don't know how it'll stand up to the coolant over time. Anyone have any suggestions?

cut them off, and drill and tap for brass barbed fittings.

It looks like your nipples are off the car ... I like the brass inserts ... however I am trying to think of another way. JB-Weld says it will sustain the coolant but I have my doubts... I guess you could do it and check it in 6-12 months.

Have you thought about brazing the holes?

I'm assuming that you mean cut the entire host fitting off, not just the corroded nipple? Then tap into the aluminum body where the fitting connects? Why would I need to drill? Wouldn't the part of the host fitting inside the body be welded/joined in there enough that I could just tap that?

My brasing/welding skills are about a 0.5 out of 10. I'd probably really screw it up.

There's no guarantee that the hole is the right size to accept a tap. If you just try to force in the tap, you'll probably break it off. I think tapered threads are even more particular about the initial hole size than straight threads.

Mark - I happened to have a kit for JB-Quick here on my desk - It says it is resistant to coolant. I think the goal would be to let it set up for 24 hours before you attempted any sanding or forming into what the hose would attach too.

As MadScience said - Most of the barbs I am familar with have tapered threads so that inital "screw in" is very important.

I am looking at your pictures again - In reality a hose and clamp are going to be well below any of your damaged areas. The goal would be to make sure you have a proper mix of water/coolant so that cancer is not living in such ideal conditions ... My sneaking suspison is that you had more water than coolant and that caused the rust to develop. You could also treat the spots with a rust inhibitor (sp?) ...

I wouldn't worry too much about that. If you are capable of drilling and tapping for 1/4" NPT then go ahead and do it. There is plenty of meat on the water pump housing for tapping, but on the thermowax assembly that may not be the case. Just tap VERY slowly (only about 1/8 turn at a time) and use lots of lube.

If you don't want to tap, I think you'd be fine just cleaning those nipples up and filling the pits with JB-Weld.

Also as you tap do 1/8" turn like Aaron said then back the tap out alittle then forward another 1/8 turn again. As for JB weld im done with that ghetto crap. Ive used it before to fill a small hole from a sensor i had installed on the water neck of the waterpump. Lasted a month or so before leaking. I did it as proper as possible, In general JB weld is ghettoooo....its like a fake welder haha

a little vaseline will help prevent it from corroding on the outside but the inside there is nothing you can do to prevent it aside from keeping your coolant clean and free from hard minerals(tap water causes electrolysis).

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to JB Weld, despite some reservations of my own and others, and hope for the best.

is it safe to say that this thread has me all hot and bothered?


btw, you can bypass all this crap running through the manifold and whatnot. just block it all off man.

Awww... I was hoping for some boobs.

jesus that was not what I wanted to see

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Awesome, Aaron.

wow, that chick is ripped!

i puked a little in my mouth..

Dude - That ain't right ...