Re-rounding radiator cap

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Re-rounding radiator cap
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joseph Magedanz on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 08:51 pm:

Does anyone know a way to make this radiator cap round again to make it usable? The threads are good, but the whole thing is kind of bumpy instead of round, and it will not thread into the radiator neck:

cap 01

cap 02

I want to use it as a spare and also to keep anyone from walking off with my nice one...

Thanks.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 08:57 pm:

Round wood peg in a vise and a leather mallet ought to do the trick.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susanne on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 09:09 pm:

And if you have a wood lathe, make the peg fit both the ID and the dome on the top. Actually, you'd have a rather awesome tool if you did that!

Oh yeah - this is IMPORTANT - before you attempt to straighten (or actually re-rounden!) the cap, you need to anneal it, otherwise you risk cracking it, ruining the cap. Brass anneals at between 480 and 650 degrees farenheit. No hotter - you don't want to sag the cap. Get it hot for a few minutes (IIRC it will be dark maroon in a dark room or oven or somesuch when it's done) and let it cool.

Good luck...
Sus


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 09:11 pm:

Or go to a bearing house and see if they have a single large ball bearing that is just the right size; then gently force the bearing inside the cap and tighten a screw type radiator hose clamp around the outside until it is round.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joseph Magedanz on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 09:34 pm:

Thanks for the ideas. I'll see if I can make something work.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joseph Magedanz on Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 11:06 pm:

Well, success! I ended up using a water inlet that goes on the side of the engine block as an anvil and lightly tapped all around the threads of the cap with my lead hammer*:

cap 03

cap 04

Then once it started a few threads, I used valve grinding compound to work it into the neck deeper and deeper until it goes in just fine (a few issues with the old, after-market non-Ford radiator for my stationary engine, but that's another day):

cap 05

The lead hammer is actually babbitt from my engine rebuild. The guys asked if I wanted them to keep the old babbitt and make a soft hammer for me, and so they did. Very handy:

hammer

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Friday, December 21, 2012 - 12:03 am:

Who made the babbitt hammer? looks similar to the hammers the guys make here in escondido.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joseph Magedanz on Friday, December 21, 2012 - 01:44 pm:

Vic & Dale's engine rebuilding did that for me. I use it a lot...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Friday, December 21, 2012 - 01:45 pm:

yep those are the guys!


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