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Radiator Drain


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I pulled the radiator and had it serviced as part of building "Summer". When I was trying to drain it the plastic drain plug broke/cracked.

 

Now it's serviced and in the Buggy, I noticed it seems as though it may be leaking? I haven't fired the Buggy yet so I don't know what it will do when I actually put pressure on it.

 

My question is.........Is this a off the shelf part? Are these drain plugs universal? Where can I get one?

 

Thanks,

Glenn

82 Hatch, should have just pulled the hose off in the first place.....

01 Forester, blew a water pump bypass hose already............

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Guest taprackready

I would try a NAPA or some other such store. I'm pretty sure those drain plugs are universal. Most Auto parts stores have a HELP section with little odd pieces that get broken and worn out like plastic vacuum fittings, oil drain plugs and rad drain plugs.

 

Bill

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Take along your old/broken one to match the threads. There are at least a dozen different sizes.

 

These plastic draincocks seem to have a max life of 5 years or so. I got one at the "Help" rack to replace the last one that gave up the ghost. It was labeled for a Datsun, I believe. But it was a perfect duplicate, even had the drain hose nipple. That's handy for avoiding a mess while draining the radiator, I tell ya.

 

-- Mark

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  • 1 month later...

hello i'm new around here. i started lurking the other day as i'm in the process of replacing the radiator and fan from an '87 dl 5spd sedan.

 

i'm glad i found this thread about the radiator drain plug. what i'm getting is that drain plugs are:

a) universal, in the sense that there are many sizes available, but you have to match up the size and threads

B) something found at NAPA, or the junkyard if you want to go hunting.

 

i'm also thankful for the thermostat thread, and finding out that you can remove the "mud-panel" from the bottom of the car, since the drain plug is in pretty tight and it's difficult to access it from the top side of the car.

 

i suppose i would have learned all this eventually on my own, but it's a lot nicer (and WARMER too!), to have read that what I'd thought would work, will work.

 

also I am looking for a replacement radiator fan for an ea82. the one on the passenger side. anyone have one?

 

thanks

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snotrocket,

sure wish i could be there to watch (help) with your re-install of the ea82. i've never done anything that complex before, and i'm frankly scared of all the wiring and especially vacuum hoses involved in disassembly and reassembly. i get the idea of how an engine works, but the entire chilton chapter on emissions control was lost on me. any tips to help make this stuff a little less mystifying?

 

thanks for the 'for sale' tip, i'll post my WTB over there.

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Drill the bib out, weld shut and cut and weld in new bib elsewhere. How to weld aluminum? My dad told me that the old timers would get AL welding rods, lay on the part that needed welding, and heat the suckers up with a slightly carbonizing flame (no Ox, just acetylene) and the AL would puddle, then use a peice of steel to push the puddle to where you needed the AL to go to.

 

Heck, it may work and a rad as it is not bearing any structural weight, it just needs to not leak at what - 15 psi?

 

MD

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  • 1 month later...

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