9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

I bought a radiator for my 2001 from a junkyard.
On the tank a little below the cap looks like something maybe battery acid got on it and ate a groove in it. The plastic in this groove can be scraped off with a fingernail. It doesn't leak but looks to go at least half way through the material.
I want to just clean it and put something on it for piece of mind. Any suggestion as to whats the best stuff?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Are you talking about the scratch being on the long neck that extends up from the tank to the cap? If so, no need to worry. Coolant should never get that high.

If you want to fill in the crack with glue or welding material, you need to first find the plastic material stamp on the tank. (I forgot what mine said when I replaced it a while ago.) Depending on the material, you can match up the right filler.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

It will see coolant. It's packed away because I'm moving but as far as I remember it's on the tank about next to the battery.
And it doesn't look like a scratch it looks like something softened it or ate it away.
I scraped at it and I would guess I hit solid material probably half way through.

I've read there are glue sticks just for this use, also read some people just take part of an old tank and use it as filler doing a plastic weld?

Or should I just prep it good and put some JB Weld in it?

I'm thinking if I should just leave it, plastic weld it, or epoxy it. But what ever I do it needs to expand and contract at about the same rate as the base material.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Before you can weld or glue plastic, you need to know what material it is. Check out this list: http://www.export911.com/ref/plasAbbr.htm and match it up to the stamp on the tank. The material abbreviation should be embossed on the tank somewhere - sometimes, they put it in a triangle shape - other times its just the three letters somewhere. Once you know the material, you can match up the right filler.

The battery sits on top of the tank for a 2001. So, if the cut is beside the battery on the filler tube, your out of the wet zone of the tank.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

I mean the side tank of the radiator.
Anyway I roughed it up with a wire wheel, degreased it and put JB Weld over top of it.
Like I said it didn't leak but it was ate maybe half way through at the deepest spot.

It was weird, it looks like a rust track on steel, only in plastic.