I've recently replaced the bolts on my header tank - one at a time so as not to disturb the seal - but it seems I've failed. There's some seepage of fluid around the gasket and I spotted a small well of fluid on top of the header tank.

Can I get the replacement gasket from anywhere, and if not, can I use a silicon sealant to rejuvenate the seal on the existing one

Cheers

Jon

 

Sealant would work fine Jon.

 

I thought so, I was looking at this stuff

http://www.japanesecarimports.net/pa...en=&searchKey=

 

If it does the same as three bond it will work perfectly for the header tank.

 

Found some 3-bond - probably better in terms of being reusable

 

Now your talking Jon three bond is top draw when it comes to sealing things and i wouldn't or haven't used anything but on mine,tbho though its not to everyone's price.

 

would be unusual to have coolant on the upper part of the tank if its seeping from the gasket. Sealant is ok and works well over/on the rubber gasket. Ive had two different tanks fail in the same place where the smaller pipe is pressed into the top plate> so just double check on the top.

 

Pay up or pay twice is what I always think

I had just assumed it had come though the bolt hole

Might just get a second hand replacement and refurb it

 

Just as cheap to buy a good 2nd hand one imho,i recently took the one off my 2000 uk to fit on my mates 2005 sti as he had sold it and a bloke was on his way to pick the car up,as the one on his car was leaking. I then bought a mint one off a breaker for £25.00 complete with new expansion cap.

 

After my second one went i bought a second hand and had the pipes on the top silver soldered to the top plate for insurance. I've since done some more playing with mine and found that because im running Carl Davey heat spacer things on the header tank which raise the header about 1/4 of an inch. Under hard acceleration one of the top pipes was just touching the bonnet Id guess this was stressing the pipes and causeing them to leak. I ve sorted that by mounting them the other way round so the header is 1/4 inc lower than o/e position

 

I never thought of solder, I was going to epoxy resin around the welds

I am making my own heat spacers so I'll bear that in mind, thanks for the tip

I have noticed one of the pipes was moving as I fitted the silicon hoses so I guess it must be that - the loss is minimal, almost as though it is an overflow limit rather than a leak so I'll keep on checking the levels while I find a decent second hand one. All the ones on ebay have rusty tops so they'll go the same way

 

I tried resin and it just comes off when the headers got hot and cooled a few times. I dont think you will find the pipes are welded at all from o/e. they are just a machine press fit. Mine were silver soldered as that was advised by my welder. As i had thought about brassing and was advised it would be to hot and posibly warp the top plate. silver solder is very low heat hense thats what i had done.

 

I'm sure I have some silver solder in the garage, and a heat gun, so should be a fairly pain-free experience

 

It's stopped leaking

Anyway, the silver solder and 3 bond will get used when I refurb it

 

Jon, don't know if its any use to you, but got a tank in the garage, actually, its not. It's in a box, in the garage...lol
I replaced mine with a sexy alloy one. It's what I took off, its black, off my 03 STI.
Dunno what its worth, £15...

 

At that price Bob I'll take it off your hands refurb it even though the leak has gone. I'm no longer pressure because the leak has gone but I do want to clean one up along with the rest of my under-bonnet.

 

No worries mate, im only in Ickenham....near west ruslip station...
Give me a PM if you wanna pick it up...

 

Just need to sort a blowing exhaust, once that's done I'll drop you a line and swing by

 

No worries mate, I'll dig it out for you, and put it aside....

 

Don't rush mate, it'll probably be a couple of weeks by time I sort work and college out anyway