Weeping hydraulic tank, seal fitting with tape or pipe dope ?? tape

[steveinak]

Weeping hydraulic tank, seal fitting with tape or pipe dope ??

The fitting on the bottom(suction) line of my hydraulic tank has been weeping since i bought the boat last year, i tried tightening it a bit but it didn't help. I took it all apart yesterday now to put it back together do i used teflon tape or white pipe dope to seal up the threads. I've heard that tape isn't good for hydro pumps and motors. The fittings had a blue colored dope on them. I only want to do this once and be done with it, its too much of a pita to drain all the fluid and take all the connections apart, not to mention the mess of the dripping fluid on my engine !!

 

[F/V First Team]

Use liquid, not knowing what flavor you had on previously I am still surprised it was weeping. The stuff I use is Blue Magic

And it works fantastic, never have had an issue with it. Looks like the blue stuff that was on there, but I'm guessing it is from another manufacturer. The white stuff works well in a pinch. Check for pinholes in the weld too while your fitting is out. A can of brakleen

and a nice rag should clean it up for inspection. If you do have a pinhole or more of them maybe a nice etching primer for aluminum and then some enamel around the weld would work well in addition to your thread compound.

(Brakleen is awesome, just don't forget about ventilation)

 

[reelsportfishing]

Put both on there. Tape first, then the pipe dope.

 

[steveinak]

Travis the leak was sneaking out from under and running down the threads of the nipple/elbow that goes into the bottom of the tank, in fact it was coming from under a glob of the blue stuff. I'll clean it up good this morning and use the white stuff i have. Thanks again guys for your help.

 

[steveinak]

Went to local hydraulics shop and asked for the blue magic stuff, all i got was blank faces never heard of it??? so they tried to sell me some Loctite stuff in a little red tube for a mere 38.00, no thanks sez i and went home and gooped it back together with the white stuff i already have and will let it set up overnight before i fill the tank again. Hope it didn't make a mistake by not buying the red tube

 

[F/V First Team]

You didn't buy their little red tube of snake oil?

 

[MDI45]

all that talk of tape no good....i never had a problem with teflon tape ...old school

 

[F/V First Team]

Teflon tape has a very special place in my heart, it has no place in my hydraulic systems though.

Unless it is an emergency, then anything goes in order to get back home.

 

[Poco Loco]

Loctite 545 is the best.
http://www.henkelna.com/us/content_data/141299_LT5557_5452SSF448695.pdf

 

[BillD]

I use this stuff on all the threads and hose connections.

 

[8943post]

Maybe I'm wrong but don't believe you should use tape on hydraulic fittings...