Can anyone supply details of tube fittings that fit the radiator plug hole?
I want to create an elbow ending in a stub pipe to take the hose to the overflow bottle.
Many years ago, another engineer pointed out that the existing overflow pipe (which starts some distance down into the bottom hose header) will not allow any gas to escape into the overflow, but will force water out. (For example, air introduced by a small leak, or combustion gas from a slight head gasket blow). I had a spare radiator re-cored and modified to have a stub pipe braised into the neck near the top hose connection, and I have used it for many years.
A few years later, I had a chance to test this, as I had a slight head gasket blow. Before I stripped the engine, I carried out the following test with a standard radiator, and my modified one.
Run engine till thoroughly warmed up; Stop.
Fill overflow bottle and radiator.
Run engine at 2000rpm for 30 minutes
Stop and allow to cool completely
Measure how much water is required to refill just the radiator
Standard radiator required 480ml; modified radiator required 70ml.
So this proves that connecting the overflow to the top of the radiator, by the top hose, allows gases to escape to the overflow bottle, whereas the standard arrangement drives out a larger quantity of coolant.
My modified radiator has now developed a leak, so I have temporarily refitted my standard one. As I don't have access to anyone who could quickly make the modification, I thought I could achieve the same by replacing the plug with an adaptor - hence the question above.
I want to create an elbow ending in a stub pipe to take the hose to the overflow bottle.
Many years ago, another engineer pointed out that the existing overflow pipe (which starts some distance down into the bottom hose header) will not allow any gas to escape into the overflow, but will force water out. (For example, air introduced by a small leak, or combustion gas from a slight head gasket blow). I had a spare radiator re-cored and modified to have a stub pipe braised into the neck near the top hose connection, and I have used it for many years.
A few years later, I had a chance to test this, as I had a slight head gasket blow. Before I stripped the engine, I carried out the following test with a standard radiator, and my modified one.
Run engine till thoroughly warmed up; Stop.
Fill overflow bottle and radiator.
Run engine at 2000rpm for 30 minutes
Stop and allow to cool completely
Measure how much water is required to refill just the radiator
Standard radiator required 480ml; modified radiator required 70ml.
So this proves that connecting the overflow to the top of the radiator, by the top hose, allows gases to escape to the overflow bottle, whereas the standard arrangement drives out a larger quantity of coolant.
My modified radiator has now developed a leak, so I have temporarily refitted my standard one. As I don't have access to anyone who could quickly make the modification, I thought I could achieve the same by replacing the plug with an adaptor - hence the question above.
Comment