Radiator Petcock

[Robinjo]

Does anyone recently still have their box from the radiator? If so, could you tell me the manufacturer and part number? I'm trying to procure a replacement petcock for my radiator and it's not going well.

Most of them seem to be M14-20.

 

[Jmar1622]

Does anyone recently still have their box from the radiator? If so, could you tell me the manufacturer and part number? I'm trying to procure a replacement petcock for my radiator and it's not going well.

Most of them seem to be M14-20.

1/4 npt fitting from an auto parts store. I didn't have luck getting mine to seal up. I ended up tapping it with a 1/2 x 20 and running a bolt with a rubber gasket into it.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I believe something like this would work, since it mimics the seal that is on the plastic plug that came with the radiator.

1/4 NPT Male Plug Thread Hex Head Socket Solid Pipe Fitting with Sealing Ring 746453541102 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1/4 NPT Male Plug Thread Hex Head Socket Solid Pipe Fitting with Sealing Ring at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Robinjo]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to look locally but may just order this one as well.

 

[Robinjo]

So.... we had a returned radiator at our production facility and they let me have the drain plug as they didn't need for their investigation(s). It measures to be 14-NPT so I'm going to try this one. If it works I'm definitely take more of them off the units that get returned or damaged.

Edit: The one from work didn't work so I'm back to waiting for the one SD posted above. I have rigged my old one to temporarily work, but I do not trust it for very long.

 

[k.rollin]

Does anyone recently still have their box from the radiator? If so, could you tell me the manufacturer and part number? I'm trying to procure a replacement petcock for my radiator and it's not going well.

Most of them seem to be M14-20.

My radiator was marketed as a replacement for the 5th & 6th generation Honda Civic. My petcock leaked a little bit this past summer; turns out the o-ring had dried out and broken. Replaced the o-ring and no more leaks.

 

[Robinjo]

It’s not the o-ring, unfortunately. I can see on the threads where it fouled. I have a metal one coming and just dealing with the slight drip for now.

 

[Gtstorey]

Have you tried teflon tape?

 

[Robinjo]

Have you tried teflon tape?

Yes, that's how I got it to only be a drip. It's drivable but something has to be done for the long-term. This band aid will work until the bolt in unit arrives.

 

[SmsDetroit]

I have an extra radiator that I can rob the petcock out of. My original rad they never finished welding the side tank so df sent me a replacement

 

[SmsDetroit]

My radiator was marketed as a replacement for the 5th & 6th generation Honda Civic. My petcock leaked a little bit this past summer; turns out the o-ring had dried out and broken. Replaced the o-ring and no more leaks.

I had the same issue

 

[Robinjo]

I may hit you up if the replacement unit I bought doesn't work out. Since it's a slow drip and the driving season is all but closed in North Alabama, I'm not in too much of a hurry. It seems my Conti Extreme's do not like the 45 oF and below weather we have been getting lately. Loss of grip yesterday was very much noticed.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Alternative to a plug or petcock for the radiator lower drain hole:

1/4 NPT thermostat switch (on at 210, off at 190) - used for my auxiliary heat exchanger fan in my build. Just made sense to kill two birds with one stone: caps off the hole that will likely never be used in the radiator and avoids having to put a sensor adapter into the auxiliary HE coolant circuit - since it uses the engine coolant.

Tapped out the 1/4 NPT hole a little larger so the thermostat sits further into the hole - and made sure threads were clean and correct.

 

[ccgillett]

Dusting off this thread, a lot of parts for my car have been sitting for years. I filled the cooling system for the first time yesterday and have a few drips per hour coming from the petcock. I'm assuming the o-ring or gasket is dried out. Is that a standard part I can buy anywhere, or do I need to order a specific part number?

I was hoping any gasket or o-ring would have swelled up after sitting for a couple days, but doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Robinjo]

I just went to a store and and got some O-rings that fit the petcock.

 

[Gtstorey]

It’s probably a pipe thread so you might be able to replace with a plug. Even if it’s metric you can still plug it.

 

[ccgillett]

I just went to a store and and got some O-rings that fit the petcock.

Cool thanks, that's what I wanted to hear!

 

[Robinjo]

It’s probably a pipe thread so you might be able to replace with a plug. Even if it’s metric you can still plug it.

That's what I ended up doing. It was a bolt in 1/4-NPT one that ultimately fixed my issue. I'm not sure where to get one, I ended up ordering mine off the inter-web.

1/4 NPT Male Plug Thread Hex Head Socket Solid Pipe Fitting with Sealing Ring 746453541102 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1/4 NPT Male Plug Thread Hex Head Socket Solid Pipe Fitting with Sealing Ring at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Gtstorey]

Any hardware store/ Home Depot/Plumbing Supply/Harbor Freight should have 1/4 pipe plug.

 

[Robinjo]

I may have been looking in the wrong section then. I was looking in nuts/bolts. Looks like I should have gone to the pipes section.