The next step involved the use of high temperature silicone again. The FF-1209 seal face is a frame that slips over the front of the radiator. The face of this frame will provide a flat surface for a thick soft gasket that will make an air seal between the cooling duct in the lower cowling (yet to be installed) and the face of the radiator. The FF-1209 seal face is slipped over the radiator and the builder is to make note where its placement is across the upper and lower tanks on the radiator so a 1/8" bed of silicone can be placed under those areas to bond the seal face to the coolant radiator. I took this one step further and placed tape above and below this area and also on the frame … so after the silicone is applied, cleanup of excess silicone material will be easy without leaving messy streaks on the paint or the radiator.
Applying a 1/8" bead of high temperature silicone to the upper tank.
Once the silicone is applied to the radiator’s upper and lower tanks, the FF-1209 face seal is slipped onto the radiator, pressed flat against the upper and lower tanks and taped in place while the silicone sets. The plans also call for placing beads of silicone on each side of the radiator between the radiator and the FF-1209 face seal.
Two additional vertical beads of silicone are laid down where the
FF-1209 face seal meets the radiator on either side.
The next step in the plans involves installing the coolant hoses, but I did not want to possibly disturb the curing silicone, so decided to prep and paint a couple of small parts and will finish up plumbing the radiator during the next work session.
