Water Neck Modification

31 Woody

31 Woody

Senior Member
I am planning to install temperature gauge on my Cabriolet. For the water neck, I can buy one that has the boss with a drilled/tapped hole already or I can drill and tap the one I have. I think it is a repo anyway—anyone have experience to share with this (I.E. am I crazy to consider drilling and tapping, just spend the money)? Thanks,
 
I've done both. For my first temperature gauge, I drilled and tapped the outlet at the rear. Later, for another car, I bought one already done but the idiots had put the fitting on the side, directly above the head nut. The nut did not even fit into the recess intended for it either. It was trash. Imagine someone being so stupid as to make something like that that required the partial draining of the cooling system and removal of the probe to be able to check the head tension.
If you have what is needed, do it yourself, then you know it is right.
 
Synchro, I think I have the same goose neck. I not only have the temperature sensing bulb there but also the coolant tap that goes to my heater. So the nut is not accessible. But I have the offset socket wrench that makes checking the torque on that nut possible. I also use the offset for checking the nut that is blocked by the distributor. Let me know if you want one and I will bring one with me to Ruidoso. See https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=978661&cat=41753
 
nkaminar said:
Synchro, I think I have the same goose neck. I not only have the temperature sensing bulb there but also the coolant tap that goes to my heater. So the nut is not accessible. But I have the offset socket wrench that makes checking the torque on that nut possible. I also use the offset for checking the nut that is blocked by the distributor. Let me know if you want one and I will bring one with me to Ruidoso. See https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=978661&cat=41753
Click to expand...

Neil. Since installing that outlet, I have recently made a special tool for the nut under the distributor and could use that on the problematic nut under the thermostat probe.
All good, thank you.
 
nkaminar said:
Synchro, I think I have the same goose neck. I not only have the temperature sensing bulb there but also the coolant tap that goes to my heater. So the nut is not accessible. But I have the offset socket wrench that makes checking the torque on that nut possible. I also use the offset for checking the nut that is blocked by the distributor. Let me know if you want one and I will bring one with me to Ruidoso. See https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=978661&cat=41753
Click to expand...

You would be better off getting a Snap-On Obstruction Wrench #S-8663. https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/snaponheadwrench.htm
 
My'29 Open Cab Pickup has a water neck that was drilled and tapped, it works great. I decided to have a machine shop to the work as the wall thickness is pretty thin and tapping by hand, I feared would not generate threads that would hold. That was back when I worked in a captive job shop, and I could get this kinda of work done for free.

If I were doing it today, I would opt for the one with the boss and already threaded.
 
I considered placing the temperature sensor in the water inlet casting, but I choose to install it in the upper radiator hose instead. My rationale is that the coolant flow in the water neck, being just above the pump, is too turbulent and may have air pockets. I have a thermostat in the upper hose, so I mounted the temperature sensor just below it as this region should always have coolant due to the flow restriction of the thermostat.
 
If you tap it on the rear, you only tap deep enough to have a couple threads and thats ok, or maybe I should say only enough that fitting will only thread in a couple threads, if you go deeper the temp probe will hit the front of goose neck and damage it when you screw it in. I have done several like this over the years with no problems.
 
Synchro909 said:
I like my first born child too much to swap for one of those. Snap on cost BIG $$$ so my home made one will continue to serve, thanks.
Click to expand...

I like homemade, I have many myself. I was referring to the one the vendors sell. I don't know what you consider "BIG $$". Last Snap-On S-8663-B I bought on e-bay for $40 .

There is one on e-bay right now for $30

542601


https://www.ebay.com/itm/4048441866...v5MV07xAhpPDj33tfWjbxGGZMG|tkp:Bk9SR5yaidLtYw
 

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