ok so i need opinions on how people solve this issue and what they use, i believe it is the heater bypass elbow but anyways it the plastic elbow that goes into the LIM. I have replaced this elbow i think three times in the last 6 months and isnt really that hard but kind of annoying, it is now leaking again.

I would like to know what you guys do or use to make sure it doesnt leak and last longer then a couple of months.

Where is it leaking? Past the O-rings, or has it developed a crack? What brand elbow are you using? Did you clean up real well where the elbow goes into the LIM and the tensioner? Did you put anything on the O-rings when the elbow was inserted?

There have been some issues with the Dorman (Help products) and GM elbows with warping, and also with the O-rings.

To expand on what Archon said, did you get the broken-off end bits out of the tensioner and the LIM the first time you replaced the elbow? The ends tend to break off right where the o-rings are recessed.

I use a small amount of sealant on the o-rings before I insert them. It also lubricates them so they go in smoothly. Just put a dab around the side of the o-ring that goes in first, so the insertion forces the sealant back to the o-ring.

If you have had multiple failures, the aluminum may be pitted right where the o-ring is supposed to seal in the LIM or the tensioner assembly. willwren'* rtv suggestion should take care of that problem, too.

Are you running Dex-cool? Old Dex can be really corrosive on aluminum parts.

sorry for the late reply, busy day today, the elbow hasnt cracked but i have noticed each time i replace it (by the way i do use the elbows from the local auto parts store maybe i should stop that) the o-rings are very flat and seem like the dont really seal much anymore, if i use sealant should i use the high temp rtv sealant (orange stuff as i like to call it) to keep it from leaking? also i dont use dex cool i use the green stuff i forget what its called right now

the first time i replaced it, it needed it badly it had corroded and cracked off on the insided of the LIM and we did remove the pieces of it from there, i believe it was the original one that was in there the first time i replaced it

I use the orange stuff on the L36'*.

Get the DORMAN elbows from your local auto parts store (they may be in the HELP section) as opposed to the GM elbows.

When properly installed, a GM elbow will last a long time.

A few months back, we noticed that some GM elbows (possibly a bad lot) had failed prematurely by relaxing into an acute angle and breaking in service. And, IIRC, one was supplied with a faulty o-ring. We tested different lots of Dorman elbows and could not reproduce the mis-alignment problem. Hence the recommendation for Dorman elbows, which we have not known to fail in this way.

I'm the one that found the bad o-ring on a new GM elbow when I was working on EK98'* car. He has Dorman now.