Hello all. When I replaced the belt tensioner last summer I used the Doorman plastic elbows. I cleaned out the holes in the engine and lubed the orings with silicone grease There was seepage from the upper engine hole but not from the other three. So yesterday I replaced the elbows with the Doorman aluminum elbows "Aluminum Heater Hose Fittings 47065HP". The orings on the new one seemed to be a smidge fatter. I drove it today for about 100 miles and so far no leakage.


Anyway, has anyone else tried the aluminum elbows? Thanks!

Sorry, "Doorman" should be "Dorman".

there are a number of people who have them, and a few write ups on here. they are good when yuo can get them, seems sometimes there is supply issues. i have them on mine.

Did you use the Dorman orings that come with the Dorman metal elbows?

I could not tell from searching the posts if the new Dorman orings are better than the old ones. I nearly put on the GM or ACDelco orings but figured that the Dorman ones were probably ok.

They were still not leaking this morning. They have been on for two days through two thermal cycles.

mostly the aluminum ones wont get brittle and fall apart like the oem. the orings were fine on mine i put a glob of black rtv on it to be extra sure.

I used the Delco rings on the Dorman aluminum elbows on mine when my plastic ones blew apart. Also used a light coat of black RTV to be sure. Perfection.

Delco o-rings are the ones to use IMO, the old Dorman o-rings were a bit smaller, and had a good chance of leaking, I actually seen them measured, not just going from visual observations.
The o-rings that come with the Fel-PRO Lower Intake Manifold Kit also work as well as the Delco ones, in fact they may be the same.

I have not went with an aluminum one yet myself, but I did put on a new nylon 6,6, one right before they made the aluminum ones, I removed the Dorman o-rings, and went with the ones from my Fel-PRO LIM Kit, I used a little Vaseline on my o-rings and nothing more, and I have driven a good thousand or more miles with no leaks.

It doesn't matter much if you use awesome aluminium or plain old plastic, just as long as you set them right. Lube the O-ring, then push it in perfectly straight, taking care to not crush the O-ring. My first replacement seeped constantly, but its replacement sealed the deal.

That being said, I've heard great things about the aluminium ones, and I'd definitely consider them the next time I have to rip off the 3800'* tensioner.

It mainly only matters if you use the old Dorman elbows with their original o-rings on them, mine leaked with them, so I replaced with the Delco o-rings, and no RTV at all, just a little lube, and it did not leak whatsoever.
I'll look for my pics that I took of the Dormman o-rings, vs the Delco o-rings, even without seeing them measured in the pic, you can tell they are not the exact same size, the Dorman o-rings are minutely smaller, but enough so that they can cause leaks.

Believe me, it matters!

My plastic elbows (6months old) blew apart at WOT coming off a red light one morning. That sucked.