Scott Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I got an ASI rad a while back but it didn't have a drain plug in it so I'm looking to get one. Does anyone have a stock one lying around they don't need? I'm assuming it's going to be the same size? Anyone any ideas where I can get one to fit or if they are a universal size? As far as I know the ASI rad is an exact copy of the fluidyne one so I'm assuming it will be the same. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lude Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 does the radiator have a blanked hole ready? or do you have to drill one? if so i would just get any sort of small tap, from a plumbers merchent or so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Is it like a stock drain fitting, sealed with an O ring on a plastic plug? Or can you just use a stainless bolt with a Dowty seal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 does the radiator have a blanked hole ready? or do you have to drill one? if so i would just get any sort of small tap, from a plumbers merchent or so... Its already there Is it like a stock drain fitting, sealed with an O ring on a plastic plug? Or can you just use a stainless bolt with a Dowty seal? I have no idea Chris, it didn't have the plug when I got it and i'm unsure what they come with.Looking at it a bolt with dowty would be fine though. I dont have thread gauges to check it but I'm guessing it'll be a stock m thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You NEED threas guages and at under a fiver for good ones, and about 2 quid for Chinese ones, there's no reaon to not buy some I just MIGHT have a stock drain plug on a rad here, I'll have a look later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 You NEED threas guages and at under a fiver for good ones, and about 2 quid for Chinese ones, there's no reaon to not buy some I just MIGHT have a stock drain plug on a rad here, I'll have a look later. I do have thread gauges, just not at home lol. Everytime I bring a few sets home they disappear. I've got a stock plug coming now, fingers crossed it fits. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Big thanks to Rajinder for sending me out his spare drain plug FOC. Unfortunately it isn't the right size so it looks like the feeler gauges will be required afterall. I have some known bolts sitting here so I will see if any of them fit first. The hole is way smaller than the stock plug, it wouldn't even take the plug end of it, nevermind the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsween Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 If it turns out to not be m sized and NPT size instead give me a shout as i should be able to "find" something in work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 If it turns out to not be m sized and NPT size instead give me a shout as i should be able to "find" something in work Ideal, thanks I had a little look at the thread when I was in the garage and it does look a little fine for metric so I'm thinking it might be a pipe thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Could be a metric fine thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Could be a metric fine thread It could be, but given it's use I would think it unlikely. NPT or BSP would make more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Well theres hardly much between 1/8 BSP and 10 mm fine The pitch is 0.0057" bigger along with 0.012" smaller diameter for the BSP so not much in it all. Even the thread angles are pretty close at 55 for the BSP and 60 for the metric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Well theres hardly much between 1/8 BSP and 10 mm fine The pitch is 0.0057" bigger along with 0.012" smaller diameter for the BSP so not much in it all. Even the thread angles are pretty close at 55 for the BSP and 60 for the metric Hmm, that might be a bit of a struggle then as if it IS one or the other I'll need to make a guess at it. I'm assuming that the incorrect choice won't seal properly. Although I could just use a dowty to overcome that. In saying that I'm sure I'll notice the difference in feel as I think I have both to hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 You can't just use the thread form for a fluid seal, it will need a fibre or other form of sealing washer. The brake caliper hose banjo bolts are 10 mm fine , you could try one in the rad drain. If it's Japanese it's unlikely to be BSP, I'd have said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 You can't just use the thread form for a fluid seal, it will need a fibre or other form of sealing washer. The brake caliper hose banjo bolts are 10 mm fine , you could try one in the rad drain. If it's Japanese it's unlikely to be BSP, I'd have said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsween Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I'm sure SWAK would do the job. It's liquid thread sealant for NPT threads that is good for up to 10,000psi or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 You can't just use the thread form for a fluid seal, it will need a fibre or other form of sealing washer. The brake caliper hose banjo bolts are 10 mm fine , you could try one in the rad drain. If it's Japanese it's unlikely to be BSP, I'd have said. Really? How do fuel gauges and the like work then? I always use PTFE on anything connecting to the manifold but I wouldn't go near the stuff for oil or fuel. Everywhere I read about fitting a fuel gauge (for my fuel regulator) said to just tighten it in. It's just 1/8npt with no sealant or washer. Same went with the sensors fitting into the oil sandwich plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Right this is starting to bug me now. I tried a 1/8 BSP thread, it wouldn't look at it. I then tried a 1/8 NPT thread, that wouldn't touch it. I then remembered I had a stock pressure sensor sitting for the intake temperature, it went in a few threads but then stopped (due to it being tapered). I tried an M10 1.5 thread, too big. Obviously the same with the M10x1.0 thread. I'm at a bit of a loss here as to what it could be, any ideas? I'm thinking 3/8" but would that not be unusual for a Japanese Rad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) Do you not have a vernier caliper you could measure the root diameter of the thread with ? If say it was 3/8 UNF then it would be around 8.5mm (letter Q drill) depending on how nicely the hole has been drilled. I doubt it would be UNC or BSW as their really too coarse for aluminium, poss BSF ( 8.22 or letter P tapping drill) but very supprised for the japs to use British Standard threads. Edited February 17, 2012 by Dnk (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Do you not have a vernier caliper you could measure the root diameter of the thread with ? If say it was 3/8 UNF then it would be around 8.5mm (letter Q drill) depending on how nicely the hole has been drilled. I doubt it would be UNC or BSW as their really too coarse for aluminium, poss BSF ( 8.22 or letter P tapping drill) but very supprised for the japs to use British Standard threads. Yeah that was my thinking too. I ordered a 3/8 UNF bolt from ebay last night, just to check (think it was a quid) but after that I think I'm really clutching at straws, as you say it would be very unusual for them to use any BS threads. I dusted off my old digital vernier last night but the batteries were dead. I'm going to get a couple of bolts from work, and a battery, and I'll take it from there. I can't believe how much of a pain this has been lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Just tap the thing out to something sensible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Just tap the thing out to something sensible? Yeah that will be my last option. I honestly thought it would be a doddle lol. I thought these little plug tap things would be 10 a penny. http://www.turboimport.com/catalog/fluidyne/mkiv_supra.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 I've emailed fluidyne, it's worth a shot I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Are you sure it's not a BSPT or NPT tapered thread fitting required? A BSP fitting won't start in a BSPT female thread form. Nor will a parallel NPT thread start in an NPT tapered female thread. Those all metal taps in the photo are normally a taper thread. I get this sort of thing on a daily basis, my tap (as in thread making...) collection is quite impressive, the yanks especially like to mix and match stuff on race cars and engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Are you sure it's not a BSPT or NPT tapered thread fitting required? A BSP fitting won't start in a BSPT female thread form. Nor will a parallel NPT thread start in an NPT tapered female thread. Those all metal taps in the photo are normally a taper thread. I get this sort of thing on a daily basis, my tap (as in thread making...) collection is quite impressive, the yanks especially like to mix and match stuff on race cars and engines. Yeah that's what I thought it was initially, but I thought I was barking up the wrong tree you said that it would need to be either fibre or have a seal of some sort and that it couldn't just be a thread on its own I tried the stock intake air temp sensor and it went in a thread and a half before stopping. I'm assuming it's a 1/8 npt taper, this is making me think the taper idea is correct but the thread is wrong. I'm assuming it's all going to be guesswork though which is why it's making the job so difficult. Fingers crossed fluidyne come back with something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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