leaking radiator from plastic plug.

ButterFingers

ButterFingers

Active Member

ButterFingers Member
hi there, I have been recently plagued with a weeping radiator from the (plastic) drain plug on the passenger side of the car. it sits on the btm corner , passenger side, of the radiator. I tried tightening it up and to no avail.
The plug just went around and around.
So plastic in cars that have a thread will eventually strip and be useless......
I removed the plastic plug and the thread was striped..of course it was...

Q: Does anyone know the thread of the orifice to the radiator? I want to replace the plastic horrible plug with a bolt or plug , but cant find a suitable bolt to go in the hole...:(
is it unf , unc, metric or whitworth.
Peter
 
If your car is a New Zealand assembled unit the radiator was a locally made component to reach the highest possible local content regulations. It will be a National Radiators unit and they used the same plug on all the radiators they made be it for Ford, Rootes, BMC. Triumph Jaguar Vauxhall Chrysler, Skoda Renault and all the others vehicles. They should still be available from Natrad in Australia.
 
hi there,
thank you all for your help.
its 3/8 whitworth thread so I guess a simple bolt would do, but if you want to keep it original, the following is the way to go...
Just found this when reading another post on here regarding the police spoilers and followed the link to this company .....
eBay item number:
111681735033
Brass water drain tap for Rover P3 P4 P5 P6 cylinder block & radiator inc V8

also this one, its cheaper @
eBay item number:
282408015523


Peter
 
Last edited:
Hi Peter,

I have two radiators, one in and one spare. They have different pugs, both in diameter and thread. One has the nylon plug, this is the smaller diameter of the two, the other has a brass threaded bolt. The former is the original radiator or rather the end tanks are. The latter I purchased in 1990 as NOS from a Rover supplier in Melbourne.

Ron.
 
Hi, This is one of those situations where you don't want to know what should be there, but what is there. I would think you need to remove the rad and use a thread gauge to find out how many TPI and the diameter so you then have at least half a clue what thread using online charts or consult someone who would know from the information.

Colin
 
My neighbor came over and measured the bolt hole, it turned out to be 3/8 whitworth 16 tpi. He went back to his workshop and turned a new drain plug in brass, and silver soldered a wing nut on the end. I used the old rubber washer and it
fitted like a glove. Job done and at zero dollars too :) no more leaking drain plug..
Peter
 
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