can you put a drain petcock in hose.

[chevyart]

have new ron davis radiator for vega. no drain petcock. could get one welded in, but its a hassle to get to shop, leave it and go back. has anyone ever put a regular brass petcock in radiator hose and not had any leakage.definiterly not enough room between rad. lower outlet and water pump(sbc) to use the plastic adaptor from jegs(its 41/2 "long). that is my only choices. suggestions welcome and appreciated. thanks art

[zeke]

You could make something out of a piece of large copper plumbing pipe and braze a 1/4" FPT fitting on it maybe.

[283vega]

jegs and summit sell an inline petcock and pipe that goes into the lower radiator hose

[spencerforhire]

I'm in more or less the same situation; replaced the rad in the race car this spring with the EXACT same part # from Summit that I put in there 4 years ago and after I install it I look and it's "oops, no drain petcock". Not really all that big a deal I guess, but maybe this winter I will get a bung welded into it.
You could drill a hole in your lower rad hose and use a -4 AN bulkhead fitting(like would go in a fuel cell)
http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/a ... /overview/
A couple of nylon washers to seal it up and a cap for it.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/f ... /overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/fra-492904-bl
It would require two wrenches to remove the cap, but it would at least give you a way to drain the rad without disconnecting the lower hose and making a mess.
No guarantees on wild ideas; I really don't know if the hose would expand enough under heat and pressure to "spit it out".

[jon72vega]

jegs and summit sell an inline petcock and pipe that goes into the lower radiator hose

That.

I have one of those in mine, & it's very easy to get at.
My Griffin came with a drain peacock, but it was placed at a near impossible area to get to to open / close.

[chevyart]

thanks guys. i inquired into part that jon and 283 mentioned. its 4 1/2" long and i do not have a straight run that long to install that neat little part, and zekes idea is good, but would not work for same reason as just mentioned, no straight run in hose. hose starts curving right from radiator outlet to water pump. spence's idea is exactly what i am looking for. that small part may just work in the round radiator surface.it probably would make its own flattened area when tightened in. could i use a gasket sealer along with the washers?. i assume i would need a washer on inside and outside(?) spence: do you know if there is a fitting like the bulkhead type fitting , but with a female bung like fitting on outside that would accept a petcock ( that i think has pipe threads). spence's idea is the one to use, but he put the fear of god in me with the expression of "wild ideas". he is right, the hose maybe could possibly expand and push out the fitting. probably really need to do it the right way and have bung welded in to rad to accept a petcock. still will toy around with spences idea first. got the computer in my head running. hope i dont burn it out thinking about this too much. thanks for your good ideas. art

[zeke]

Spence's bulkhead / cap idea sounds good! One of those nylon washers on each side of the hose wall with a smear of teflon pipe thread sealant in the rubber hole before assembly should be leak free.

[67shovel]

I guess a block drain wouldn't help you get the rad drained

[cosvega76]

Art,

I have the Griffin radiator like Jon's. I called Griffin and they sent me a bung that I had TIG'ed in on the other tank facing straight down.

Chuck

[crawfw]

I find it easier and less messy to pump it out of the radiator. I have a small diaphragm pump and a piece of ss 3/8" tubing I drop to the bottom of the radiator . Even if I had a drain, I would still pump it out because of the ease and cleanliness of it. I imagine there are different/inexpensive variations that could be used.
Maybe a small livewell pump. Could hook that straight to the battery.
just a thought rather than fabricating the radiator, especially if its already installed.

[chevyart]

CRAW I'LL LOOK INTO ONE OF THOSE PUMPS. THAT IDEA SOUNDS TOO EASY. ANOTHER GREAT IDEA FROM ALL OUR GREAT MEMBERS. THANKS ART

[spencerforhire]

I just had a slightly different idea; instead of cutting into the hose to install the bulkhead fitting, why not drill into the rad tank, close enough to the lower outlet that the inner nut and washer could be accessed with a pair of needle nose pliers through the outlet? If it decides to leak, then have a bung welded into the hole.
Why does this remind me I need to make an appointment for a colonoscopy?

[chevyart]

thanks spence/ i think i will just bite the bullet and have the bung welded in and install the petcock the right way. you were probably thinking the same thing.sometimes i just look for the easy way out, which could lead to problems later. PS down here we call the guy who does the colonascapsy's the Rear Admiral.

[zeke]

"Rear Admiral"

Yep, pull the rad and do it right.

[spencerforhire]

Rear Admiral; excellent term for a proctologist. Reminds me of a urologist here in Halifax with a vanity plate that reads "PP DOC".