leaky drain cock

[gundoca]

So I took apart the drain cocks and put back together, now they leak. What's the proper sealing goo for the valve???

[ford38v8]

Shouldn't need anything.
The valves are spring loaded tapers. You may have "cleaned" a leak into the taper.
For future reverence, Rule # 1 states: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Old Henry]

Same thing happened to me. Gave up trying to get it to seal and replaced it for cheap. Here's a selection: http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_me...radiator+drain

[gundoca]

You may be right, they were in poor shape to begin with. Originally, I was going to replace but thought a good cleaning would do. The springs are not very "springy" and the brass looks like its been taken apart more than once before.

[Old Henry]

It your drain cock is the original and you are sentimentally attached to it you might be able to get it to seal by putting some lapping paste on the insert and twisting it back and forth in the valve to smooth and true the two surfaces together to seal.

[V12Bill]

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I have bought new springs at a local Ace hardware store. Pick the right diameter spring made of the same size wire and cut to required length. As mentioned above, take valve grinding compound and lap the two pieces together and reassemble. I have done several of these amd most of them appear to be leak free.

[gundoca]

Great advice, will try to fix if that don't work I will just replace. Thanks

[white64]

One of the more interesting thread titles, especially on a forum with a lot of "older" guys...

...had to come in to see what kind of comments had been made!

[Drbrown]

Seems everything gets leaky when it gets old.

[ford38v8]

Regarding old leaky stuff, remember that original equipment, no matter how old, is way more desirable than anything retrofit. That's what my wife says and I believe her. They don't make stuff anymore like we had back in the day, so be careful and take care of whatcha got.