Reassembling old cast iron radiator

[gadolphus32]

I have an old cast iron radiator sitting in my basement. It used to be in my kitchen. I removed it during a remodel.

Because the thing is so incredibly heavy, I disassembled it to move it. I did this by removing the bolts, then tapping each rib apart with a hammer.

I was thinking of reusing this radiator in another part of my house. My question is: How likely is it that the radiator would not leak if I put it back together? Can these things generally be put back together, or are they shot once you take them apart?

There is no obvious damage to it and I was pretty careful taking it apart. But before hauling this thing back upstairs and hooking it back into the system, I'd like to know what my chances are of having it hold water when I put it back in service.

 

[hj]

It is a tossup. The "nipples" that join the sections are tapered an may NOT seal once they are reassembled. If you can find new "push nipples" of the right size, remove the old ones, apply a lubricant to the new ones, assemble the radiator , tighten the draw bolts, tap the sections together, and retighten the draw bolts, it should work.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Plumber69]

Did you build your floor up. If you did you might have to get some one to thread you some nipples

 

[gadolphus32]

Thanks to you both. I didn't even realize there were push nipples inside the radiator because everything is so rusted together. I thought they were just built into the ribs.

As for the floor height, I'd be running new lines to this radiator, so it should not be an issue.