[Ron Ramirez]

Just going "to the hole" when resleeving old transformer leads with brittle insulation isn't enough. You need to remove the bells and slide the tubing as far up in between the insulating paper as you can get it to go.

And don't use any silicone inside the transformer! Silicone will attack the copper and render the transformer toast in very short order.

Silicone should be kept away from vintage radios, period, end of story.