mechanical temp sending unit - ok to drill/tap this plug?
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
mechanical temp sending unit - ok to drill/tap this plug? has anyone drilled and tapped this plug for a mechanical water temp gauge sending unit?
I think it's a 1/8" NPT on the su.
Thanks for any help
I think it's a 1/8" NPT on the su.
Thanks for any help
On The Tree
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If there is enough material around the current hole to drill and tap it larger, you should be able to do so and install the correct adapter to mount the sender. Just make sure that it actually goes into the water jacket and that there is enough clearance inside the head for the sender bulb.
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Thread Starter
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Thanks for the responses. txcarbuilder, do you mean take the plug out completely and drill and tap into the head?? The heads are installed with the GM torque to yield bolts, so I don't want to remove the heads to drill and tap. I'm scared to drill and tap the hole with the head installed because of metal shavings possibly getting into the water passageway, if that makes sense...
I saw the 2277 adapter. It's perfect and I actually went to order it yesterday to overnight it but they said due to the Easter holiday I wouldn't get it until Monday.
I'd like to try and fire this up this weekend so I'm betting drilling/tapping is my best bet.
Engine is going into a 72 Firebird.
I saw the 2277 adapter. It's perfect and I actually went to order it yesterday to overnight it but they said due to the Easter holiday I wouldn't get it until Monday.
I'd like to try and fire this up this weekend so I'm betting drilling/tapping is my best bet.Engine is going into a 72 Firebird.
I drilled and tapped that hole to 1/8" NPT. There's enough material there, but just barely. You have to make sure you drill exactly down the middle of the plug and tap it straight. Make sure you use some Teflon paste when you put it back in.
PS that adapter fitting won't work with your sender. The adapter narrows down inside so your sender won't physically thread into it. Ask me how I know
PS that adapter fitting won't work with your sender. The adapter narrows down inside so your sender won't physically thread into it. Ask me how I know
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The hole is 12m/m with a 1.5 thread pitch. You can run a 1/4 inch pipe tap into it if you have an adapter that size for your sender. If you have to go up to 3/8 pipe you will have to drill it out first. Run your shop vac while you are doing it to suck up any shavings and you should be fine. The 2277 adapter won't work. You need one with 1/4 male and the female has to fit the threaded part on the sender. That is a straight thread, not pipe.
Last edited by txcarbuilder; Apr 3, 2010 at 03:37 PM.
adaptor Street and performance makes an adaptor for what you are looking for it is 12mm on the head side and 1/8 pipe for the sending unit side and they have them in 3/8 and 1/2 also and it is about 2 inches long so that the sending unit is in the adaptor housing, although it is pricey at about $30.00 but it works.
I drilled mine while it was on the engine, I just did it slow and used a shop vacuum and grease on the drill bit.. just doing it slow and a little at a time and you should catch all of the shavings.
Ive got pretty much the same set up, other than a Thunder tensioner.....Im using a Gates Part #K060539. There was a kid on here that did a LS in a red Miata that gave me the part number he ran, and it was a little too long, so I think this one is 1/2" or 3/4" shorter IIRC.
Hey Demonpixel, check out this link. Instead of drilling into the head............
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...x-3-8-npt.html
Hey Demonpixel, check out this link. Instead of drilling into the head............
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...x-3-8-npt.html
Last edited by blk96406; Apr 4, 2010 at 09:36 AM. Reason: added link
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shavings [QUOTE=bczee;13132978]I drilled mine while it was on the engine, I just did it slow and used a shop vacuum and grease on the drill bit.. just doing it slow and a little at a time and you should catch all of the shavings.[/QUO
thats a good idea.
thats a good idea.
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Thread Starter
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Thanks guys. I found out that the fitting on the su is 3/8" NPT not 1/8". I have a tap/die set that is standard but there's only one tap in my set that's an NPT tap and that's a 1/8".
I'll try to hunt down a 3/8" tap today from a hardware store but if not I think I'm going to give Stree and Performance a call: Only thing I wonder about that is the adapter being two inches long. I hope my water temp su will reach far enough into the head. If the S&P adapter is specifically made for this purpose though I think I should be fine.
Yes they do, slightly. These headers were specifically made by Edelbrock for LS1s going into second gen F-bodies, made to clear the stock crossmember. Part number is EDL-65073: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-65073/
Yes, the part number is 522K6 at Autozone. It's a Duralast belt.
I'll try to hunt down a 3/8" tap today from a hardware store but if not I think I'm going to give Stree and Performance a call:
Street and performance makes an adaptor for what you are looking for it is 12mm on the head side and 1/8 pipe for the sending unit side and they have them in 3/8 and 1/2 also and it is about 2 inches long so that the sending unit is in the adaptor housing, although it is pricey at about $30.00 but it works.
Yes they do, slightly. These headers were specifically made by Edelbrock for LS1s going into second gen F-bodies, made to clear the stock crossmember. Part number is EDL-65073: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-65073/
Yes, the part number is 522K6 at Autozone. It's a Duralast belt.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
I'm thinking about drilling and tapping into the top of the flat round part of the water pump. Although I just got back from Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, O'Reilly's, and Sears Hardware, and NONE of them sell a 3/8" NPT tap. I didn't even find a 1/4" NPT tap.
Where are you guys buying these from?
Where are you guys buying these from?
I'm thinking about drilling and tapping into the top of the flat round part of the water pump. Although I just got back from Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, O'Reilly's, and Sears Hardware, and NONE of them sell a 3/8" NPT tap. I didn't even find a 1/4" NPT tap.
Where are you guys buying these from?
Where are you guys buying these from?
x2 on this.......... I spent the morning tearing my Matco/Snap On tap-and-die sets apart and the misc ones I have, and no 3/8.
found one, here is the link: https://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=1167
Last edited by blk96406; Apr 4, 2010 at 08:51 PM.