Well here it is the 3rd time in 6 mos. that the new coolant elbows are leaking on my 3800. Bores are clean when I install them??? When the car cools down or before it warms up, they weep deathcool. What should I use on the orings to keep this from happening again? And yes, the deathcool is coming out and green will be going in. Thanks
Coolant elbows
- Thread starter ffl
- Start date
- Status
Common problem, are you using GM OEM elbows and not those from the HELP section?
Clean and dry the bores well and smear a bead of RTV on the O ring as you install them, this takes care of it permanently.
Ive heard a thousand times "you shouldn't have to put RTV on O Rings" but in this case its the only way to seal them in used parts, the bores micro pit and weep coolant around the O Ring.
amazing gm never fixed it (design change) quick during production or better yet caught it during testing before production
Last edited:
Where are these coolant elbows located? I have a 2001 Impala 3.8 liter.
I found the location of these, you have to remove the alternator and the belt tensioner bracket.
Last edited:
The ones from AZ, AA Help section are pure junk, that's a big part of your problem, go GM original.
The O Rings are very slightly larger and thicker and use a better grade of plastic (not as brittle).
Definitely use RTV on them anyway, the O Rings cant seal even very minor pits in the bores from corrosion alone.
Originally Posted By: ffl
Those are the ones. I have used the ones from autozone and advance both. I had the intake gaskets changed by a pro last weekend and their still leaking! Should I use the GM elbows or aftermarket? Thanks for the RTV advice.
Quote:
Permatex Ultra Black or Ultra Grey
I put silicone on them before I stuff them in the hole. Absolutly stupid design! I see a few cars a month leaking from them.
Yep, a thin coat of RTV will keep it leak free for years. Give it a few minutes to get tacky before you assemble, then a few hours afterwards before you fill it with coolant.
My wife's NB just sprang a slight coolant weep from a plastic hose union (not bad, 12 years and the only coolant weep ever encountered). Drained out about a gallon of G12, disassembled & dried the plastic union piece, a thin coat of ultra black RTV on the barbs and it's completely leak free.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Common problem, are you using GM OEM elbows and not those from the HELP section?
Clean and dry the bores well and smear a bead of RTV on the O ring as you install them, this takes care of it permanently.
Ive heard a thousand times "you shouldn't have to put RTV on O Rings" but in this case its the only way to seal them in used parts, the bores micro pit and weep coolant around the O Ring.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Common problem, are you using GM OEM elbows and not those from the HELP section?
Clean and dry the bores well and smear a bead of RTV on the O ring as you install them, this takes care of it permanently.
Ive heard a thousand times "you shouldn't have to put RTV on O Rings" but in this case its the only way to seal them in used parts, the bores micro pit and weep coolant around the O Ring.
It is factoids like this that keep in my 25 yr old BMWs
I need to replace a leaking Dorman elbow (leaking at LIM bore on a 1998 GM 3.8) that I replaced 6 months ago . It started leaking after a night of subfreezing weather. I did not use RTV when I installed it. I am panning on using RTV this time .
BTW, Dorman has supposedly made some improvements in their product . The tech support guy told me to look for the #11300 or higher stamped on one of the elbows in the package . However to be on the safe side , I will buy this one from GM and use RTV .
Bars stop leak will stop any weeping.
How are the o-rings looking? I had installed a new coolant outlet on my mother's Sunfire a couple years back. It started leaking shortly after so I figured the plastic part had cracked again, but when I removed it the part formerly known as an o-ring was squished totally flat and felt like hard plastic. The original had no problem maintaining its shape through over ten years of use. I don't know why someone in China thought soft plastic would be good o-ring material. I picked up a Made-in-USA Fel-Pro o-ring at the local parts store for $1.50.
I don't recommend Bar's for this application. It was shortly after using that product that the outlet originally failed, and the o-ring was swelled enough that it may have caused the thin plastic part to fail. I suspect the Bar's because the o-ring on the coolant pressure cap also swelled up right after using it and had to be replaced because it was so difficult to remove and install.
On my 97 the lower elbow is built into the alternator tensioner bracket, which I had to replace. The new tensioner came with an elbow (upper) but I bought a GM one because I've heard the the GM ones are the only ones (OEM lasted 12+ years) to use although side by side they look identical even down to the markings. This was not a help elbow though.
I have never had my coolant elbow leak. But in my production year 3800 Series II the lower coolant is built in to the tensioner and is metal. But I did get a GM coolant elbow when I did my LIM gaskets and I used the metal LIM gaskets because I never want to do it again. I didn't use any RTV on the one plastic elbow and I have never seen a leak from that area.
On the flip side I had to replace my Upper Intake Manifold twice. The first, warped in less than a year.
Originally Posted By: DC44
I have never had my coolant elbow leak. But in my production year 3800 Series II the lower coolant is built in to the tensioner and is metal. But I did get a GM coolant elbow when I did my LIM gaskets and I used the metal LIM gaskets because I never want to do it again. I didn't use any RTV on the one plastic elbow and I have never seen a leak from that area.
On the flip side I had to replace my Upper Intake Manifold twice. The first, warped in less than a year.
- Status
