High top radiator brass drain tap

[jagnut66]

Hi,
Does anyone know where I might get hold of a brass drain tap for a high top radiator?
Many thanks,
Mike.

[myoldjalopy]

Hi Mike,
Funny, I was thinking the same thing last night!
What about this? https://www.morrisminorspares.com/cooli ... rs-p829633 Not the same as the original on mine, which is more like the engine block drain tap, but should work. (I don't supppose the engine block tap is the right size/thread?)
Or, just a plug: https://www.morrisminorspares.com/cooli ... 8-p1238283
My main worry would be damaging the actual rad itself trying to get the old tap out - its siezed shut and I bet the thread into the rad is locked solid as well. Anyone had success getting these ancient drain taps out without damaging the rad?

[jagnut66]

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions but I will carry on looking for an original style one.
I believe, as you say, the engine drain tap won't fit.
I may well have my radiator re-cored, so I would ask him to extract it then if I was unable to do so.
I have also seen these advertised (below), what do you think?
Meantime, if anyone has an original for sale, I would be interested.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[jagnut66]

Hi,
Well the drain tap came out smoothly, I might have been able to unblock and free her up but there is no getting past that broken / long gone handle.....

Radiator drain tap.JPG (144.43 KiB) Viewed 1429 times

[myoldjalopy]

Well done! Was it just a case of some penetrating oil?
Well, the replacement taps look the biz, I like the top one especially. But no idea of actual quality just looking at the pictures. The crucial question is - is the thread correct? Do they specify the thread where you saw them?

[jagnut66]

As to the radiator, well, she is full of the red stuff, added to that her fins are shot in places, so I think a re-core is on the cards.
Out of curiosity I prised off the thermostat housing, almost expecting to find just an empty hole, as I have on other cars that I have acquired in the past running on plain water without anti-freeze.
Surprisingly there was indeed a thermostat present, more bulky than ones I've encountered or bought as new replacements in the past, so I wonder if it's the original one that came with the engine......
Covered in red stuff but I think a good clean up and she can go again.
Despite it running well on the trip back up to the Midlands from East Croydon, the waterways are also full of the red stuff, though I think a good flush through will see her right.
Obviously having removed the engine steady I've compromised the head gasket, so when the engine and transmission are stripped out and ready to be put up for sale I'm going to pop the head off and slip a new one in there. I shall leave it loosely bolted up though, the next owner can torque it down when it is all in place, plus they may wish to pop the head off and insert hardened valve seats first anyway.

Any thoughts on whether either of the two 'new' taps I pictured above might be a suitable replacement for the knackered original?
Many thanks for any assistance given, as always.

Especially if you have an original style tap for sale!
Best wishes,
Mike.

[jagnut66]

Do they specify the thread where you saw them?

The second one is noted as being 1/4" BSP. Would that be correct for my rad?
I believe it's also listed as a Jaguar item, so that'll bump the price up................
Best wishes,
Mike.

[myoldjalopy]

I don't know what the thread is..........hopefully someone on here will do though.
How did you get the old tap out - did it put up a struggle?

[jagnut66]

No, she came out easily, to my surprise.
I took the radiator out (as I was going to anyway), laid her on the worktop and used a 15mm spanner (perfect fit). The tap wound straight out.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[myoldjalopy]

Its always nice when things turn out easier than expected!

[Declan_Burns]

Why not just take it apart, clean it and lap the core. Then fabricate a new handle and braze it on.
Regards
Declan

[jagnut66]

Hi Declan,
I'm beginning to see that may be the route I have to go down....
Though I shall keep looking for now.
To clarify, the reason I'd rather fit a replacement is that the drain tap will be under extreme pressure whilst the car is running and I don't want to 'create' a weak spot and risk the engine.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[myoldjalopy]

Must be someone on here knows the correct thread?

[IslipMinor]

ESM and Charles Ware both list a radiator drain tap for 'original radiators'. It looks very like the one fitted to our radiator, which is 'original' as far as I know - it certainly has not been replaced since 1965! The only difference is that ours has a short tube extension outlet, and we have a plastic tube on it to control the direction of the water being drained.

I believe the thread is 1/4" BSPP (the second 'P' is for parallel), and the hexagon spanner size is 5/16"BSW/3/8"BSF - 15mm AF is a bit tight, but could well fit. It is 0.009" smaller than the BSF hexagon size (when new!).

If anyone can confirm the thread and spanner size, I will add it to the 'thread' list. I can't get mine out, the system is full of water!

[myoldjalopy]

Thanks Richard, the 1/4" ties in with the example which Mike quotes/illustrates above, but is is tapered or parallel? I found a 2014 post in which Declan Burns gives it as 1/4" BSPT: viewtopic.php?t=58015
So, can anyone confirm if its 1/4" BSPP, or 1/4" BSPT?

[jagnut66]

Thanks for the above, I have just bought this from eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Hand ... 2749.l2649

Not greatly expensive if it proves to be unsuitable.
If it fits and works okay I will let everyone know, as, like I said, it's quite cheap.
As a back up plan I have also taken Declans advice on board. However rather than strip the tap down I am giving it a good soak in a plastic lid full of 'plus gas' for a few days, hopefully this will free it up and allow me to give it a good clean and 'fettling'. I will then see about flushing it through and, if it responds well to all this, I will see about brazing a new handle onto it.
With that in mind I now need to sift through my 'odds and ends' for a suitable piece of sacrificial brass.........
Best wishes,
Mike.