Fw: Stag coolant taps

["Mike Stevenson" <mike.stevenson@domain.elided>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Stevenson <mike.stevenson@domain.elided>
To: Tim Buja <buja@domain.elided>
Date: 19 October 1998 20:22
Subject: Re: Stag coolant taps


Hi Tim,

I run a Mk 1 Stag with the drain taps that you mention and recently I
swapped the pressure cap from the 13 psi to the 20 psi version with no ill
effects.  I'm sure I read somewhere that this conversion is ok and I'm
equally sure that someone will put me right if I've made a faux pas!

Regarding the dumping of coolant on your head, I didn't get away with it
even with these valves fitted.  The fact that the valves need to be opened
several times during the draining, cleaning, flushing and inhibit procedures
mean that unless you can open them and get your hand out of the way with the
speed of a striking mamba, you're going to get the poached arm treatment.

I resorted to tapping the crossbar of the valve with a wooden hammer shaft
so that I wouldn't have to get too close but then the exhaust, the starter
motor and everything else just seem to gang up against me.

The drain at the bottom of the radiator is easy though!

Does anyone have a better way?  (As if I didn't know the answer to that.)

Regards,

Mike.
No position of office to declare. (I'll resist the Oscar Wilde quotation.)



>A quick question regarding coolant taps on the Stag.
>
>I purchased two coolant taps (brass fittings with ball valves that fit
>into the engine block drain holes) last year.  These valves were deleted
>on MkII Stags, but I'd like to install them in place of the threaded
>plugs that I have on my car.  Does anyone know if these coolant taps
>are suitable for use with the 20psi cooling system?  As far as I know,
>they were only used on MkI Stags with the 13psi cap.  I will be doing
>my annual coolant flush next weekend, and I'm tired of getting coolant
>dumped on my head when I remove the drain plugs from the block.
>
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