Successful fix of Rover 820/800 expansion tank!

I have just managed to fix the badly leaking coolant expansion tank in my Rover 820. It still leaks very slightly and hasn't been tested for long, but so far it looks like a complete fix. What's better is that the method can be used over and over again if required.



It was leaking very badly with the upper input pipe cracked and almost broken off, and a split at the top near the seam.



The method I used was to use some waste plastic (from packing material supplied with large paper rolls I use at work) and a soldering iron. I chose the plastic as it seems similar to the bottle and I have plenty of it. I worked on the bottle with it still in place.



I cut the waste plastic into small strips to use like solder or welding rods. I then used the hot iron to melt into the bottle into the crack, going about half way into the wall thickness. I then applied the additional plastic, melting that too, making sure the plastics mixed well and gradually built up and resealed the plastic, working along the crack.



The broken pipe was more difficult, especially the underside. I may take the bottle out some time and do a better job. I used a similar technique to melt the plastic around the pipe joint and add additional material and build up the joint making it watertight and much stronger.



It's only been up to full temperature a few times but it is holding well. The areas are still weeping slightly but that's nothing to how they were, especially the broken pipe. It would hold no pressure at all before and if I was ever in slow traffic I had to put the heating on full to stop it boiling - which does work very well.



I'll let you know how it goes after some use and include some photos.

from the last news http://ift.tt/1ki9IrQ

via IFTTT