Coolant drain plugs (RV8) on engine

[DrFelch]

After my first attempt at an engine start, I started adding the coolant to my Rover SD1 1986 Vitesse engine and it started leaking straight out of the offside coolant tap and onto the garage floor. BAH !

I took both of the taps off and it appears that they are, err, hollow. I suspect there is something missing from these taps to actually stop the coolant comming out. It seems as though I could simply remove the taps and stick a UNC bolt in there, but I am intrigued to know whats missing and why my hopes of an engine start were dashed at the final stage ! Of course, Haynes manual, shows something completely different... Maybe I have the Haynes manual that belongs to a Reliant Robin.... It seems just about everything is different ! The 'Vitesse' suplement at the back is 'minimal'...

The first pic is from the rimmer bros site and it seems as though they can supply some kind of alternative to the tap which is basically a UNC plug with some wings on it. The second pic is my 'straight through' design which holds the coolant like an chocolate starfish after a hot curry.....

http://www.cobraclub.com/crcforum/user_files/854.jpg


http://www.cobraclub.com/crcforum/user_files/855.jpg

[russell_ram]

Marcus,

The 'taps' shown in the Rimmers picture are the normal ones found on older engines. Later engines just have a blanking plug in each bank, brass taps sieze anyway, and I don't think I've ever actually used one to drain a block - why would you want to? I've never seen the bit in your picture, which I guess forms some kind of bleed circuit, but quite why you'd want to bleed from the bottom of the block is beyond me.

Think you'll find the thread is probably NPT not UNC but you could always re-thread the hole.

Russ

[STEVE G]

Marcus
As Russ says you dont need the taps,go to a plumbers merchant with your threaded part and get a couple of blanking plugs.As in picture.I think they are BSP.
Steve G
GRAVETTI 427-Rover 281ci.

[StuartH]

Marcus,
I may well have exactly what you are looking for!! When I got my new engine I didn't realise it didn't have taps - tried to get them out of my old block but they wouldn't budge, told RPI that the engine they had sent me had no taps so when I went up to see them they gave me some blanking plugs (apparently you can't get the taps anymore - I then looked again and realised I already had some plugs (but since I was expecting taps I didn't notice!!) therefore if I recall rightly I have some spare ones somewhere - I'll brave going out to the freezing garage and try and find them now and get them to you for monday.

Stuart

[DrFelch]

Hi Stuart, cheers for that. Bizzarely I happened to be in Norwich today and went to RPI who gave me a couple of blanking plugs. They worked a treat, but then I found my next horror... I will post that in the next few mins..

Marcus

[StuartH]

Well anyone else who needs some drain plugs I have now retrieved them from the garage!!

Stuart