Radiator drain mods?
- Thread starter SPANNERSPINNER
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Anyone have any luck w/ this since we chatted about it? I found the size of my plug is a 10mm x 1.50 and I want to find a draincock to fit. Napa said all their stock won’t be metric. I’m not a wiz on plumbing parts. I looked thru the bins at an Ace and came up short. Was hoping to find something local if able. Beuhler? Beuhler?
Next time I drain and flush my cooling system, I'm going to see about tapping the petcock fitting in the radiator so I can install one of these.
This is one of my pet peeves as well. Worst. Design. Ever. I just reinstalled my radiator after an engine rebuild, and I kick myself that I didn't fab something up while I had it out.. A remote drain valve outlet seems to be the answer.
Best thing I've found so far, a piece of cardboard shoved up between the radiator and frame rail, and tweak it until it points down into a bucket. Still generally a mess, but minimal..
Best thing I've found so far, a piece of cardboard shoved up between the radiator and frame rail, and tweak it until it points down into a bucket. Still generally a mess, but minimal..
I drilled and tapped my CSF radiator today for 1/4”. I’ve got the above drain cock Ryan posted arriving at Napa tomorrow. Drain ‘puck’ as the guy at Napa calls it has lots of brass to work with. Slow and steady. Lots of grease and q-tips to sweep out the hole of brass bits frequently.
Here it is. It goes 2 (correction) 3 full turns in w/ a wrench. Cost me in total:
1) 7/16th w/ 3/8” shank ~ $10 (tossed the receipt).
2) 1/4” pipe tap $5.34
3) draincock valve $8.26
1) 7/16th w/ 3/8” shank ~ $10 (tossed the receipt).
2) 1/4” pipe tap $5.34
3) draincock valve $8.26
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Made a brass bit grabber w/ long tweezers ziptied to hold a rag plus a magnet grabs them easily too. I was very careful to keep sweeping the hole after a few turns of the tap w/ a greasy q-tip too.
If you can I would clock the drain slightly to the right (e.g. you are at 6, maybe do 5 or between 4 and 5 o'clock) that way when you attach a hose you are not automatically having to fight with a crossmember or frame arm. Maybe dry fit first then clock it accordingly!
Nice job by the way, really wished I had taken the time to do this with mine, but figure it probably would have voided the warranty.
Nice job by the way, really wished I had taken the time to do this with mine, but figure it probably would have voided the warranty.
I just lifted the rad into place so I’ll take a look at where it’s pointed and clock as you suggested. ThNks!
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I also noticed the other day that the upper rubber mounts were missing the front section so I made two from a large neoprene washer.
Woohoo!!! She is coming back together F!! Good job!
Apologies too. I didn’t mean to add that rubber mount post to this thread but I suppose it’s in the ‘right’ category.