What can ruin your entire day?

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 20:56
ThreadID: 10305 Views:3795 Replies:11 FollowUps:4
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Scenario. My radiator drain plug shears (it is plastic)! Fluid pours to the ground! Fortunately I am in town but it still neeeded the radiator out to access plug and reef out remains etc.
Question. What could I have done in the bush? Radiator sealant would not have fixed it - it was a steady stream.
Comments - advice?
thanks
MikeToo little time in the bush!
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Reply By: Member - Ross - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:00

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:00
bleep it off and get a threaded brass replacement.
Suitable anti-corrosion (Loctite) and/or plastic thread tape and you've got it licked.

CheersFidei defensor

Rosco
AnswerID: 45601

Reply By: Diamond(due to duck season) - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:02

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:02
gday mike.
how the heck did you shear it in town.
ps above is a good idea plug so simple lol.
cheers
due to duck season coming
ive decided to hide out
love jemima puddle duck
back after the season
AnswerID: 45603

Follow Up By: Member - Mike (SA) - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:10

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:10
Possibly 300,00kms plus!! Like idea of bradd retrofit.
MikeToo little time in the bush!
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FollowupID: 307678

Reply By: Phil G - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:33

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:33
Out in the bush, you could fill the gap up with 2-part epoxy radiator/fuel tank repair stuff. Or carve out a piece of wood the right diameter and screw it in there as a replacement. Might need a cable tie thru the core and around the bottom tank to retain it.
AnswerID: 45607

Reply By: Will - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:42

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 21:42
Ok then, s'morning reversed out of our sloping driveway, stopped, handbrake on, got out to shut gate, shut gate, holly sh*t paj rolling towards me, get outta way, try n jump in door as passes, crashes through gate,pull handbrake (too late) hits boat trailer, top of trailer hitch snaps, bricks behind boat trailer wheels dont hold, boat crashes into rear brick wall and 2 out of 3 prop blades shear off. Later today all fixed, $350 out of pocket and handbrake adjusted!!!!! Time for a beer......

Will.
AnswerID: 45610

Follow Up By: Roachie - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 09:22

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 09:22
Will,
You need to re-do that little event and this time, get it on video......For the $350- it cost you, you could be in line to win $10grand on funniest home videos show!!!
Sorry mate, just joking.......I've had some bloody awful things happen to me like that too....LOL

Cheers,
Roachie
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FollowupID: 307718

Reply By: Moneypit - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 22:22

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 22:22
I think Will's in front at the moment by about a 1/2 a bonnet.

Your problem Mike: -

Boat bung forced into the hole. Sealant around it.

Could use a piece of cork [have to drink the wine as well so win-win].

Still gotta wonder what made it break if you weren't putting it in or taking it out. I always thought it was just one of those things that sort of just was 'there'!!

Dave
AnswerID: 45626

Follow Up By: Member - Mike (SA) - Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 22:29

Thursday, Feb 05, 2004 at 22:29
Guess thats was the point. We plan, we carry spares etc - but I would have been floored by this stupid bit of pastic failing out there!Too little time in the bush!
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FollowupID: 307698

Reply By: sdc - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 08:47

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 08:47
There is a 2 part mix called Ferrope (?spelling) available from plumbing shops. just mix equal parts. Wet hands stop it from sticking to your fingers. Is just like putty can be used under water - good for tinnies. Sets like a rock.

AnswerID: 45652

Reply By: Member - Bradley- Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 10:03

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 10:03
Tapered wood plug using some plastic bag as thread tape ? secure with cable tie / wire..

If you need to do an emergency fix on rad / hoses, a good idea is to release the rad pressure cap to the first detent to remove the pressure build up. that way you only need to overcome the gravity head of pressure in the system, not 15 psi or so. Yes this does lower the boiling point of the fluid , so you then have to take it real easy and watch the temp and water levels. Some of that metal filled 2 part putty in tubes may be handy to carry as well, seals fuel tanks etc as well. CheersMoo... everyone knows what a Jackaroo looks like :-)
AnswerID: 45662

Reply By: Justin - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 11:33

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 11:33
I always carry a two part epoxy. The stuff I use is called 'J B Weld it'. I once put a hole in the sump of an offroad buggy I race. Oil was still hot and the oil pressure in this thing is stupidly high. I used some of this stuff and never bothered replacing the sump. I've done numerous races since and never had a problem. It's a lot stickier than most expozies out there and sets like a rock. It can be used with all manner of oils and fuel too. Always works a treat.
Cheers,
Justin
AnswerID: 45678

Reply By: Member - David - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 12:05

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 12:05
Mike,
Had a similar thing happen to me, only at the top end of the radiator, a breather thing , still needed to plug it so radiator could pressurise. I used and swear by Selleys "knead it", its a two part epoxy in 1 inch plastic tube with the consistency of plasticine.You only cut off as much as you need,takes about 10 minutes to set like steel and can be drilled and taped, also good for leak in fuel tank.
Cheers David
AnswerID: 45684

Follow Up By: Willem - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 13:14

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 13:14
Yep, I split a fuel tank once out in Gregory NP and used the Selleys two part epoxy and it worked a treat. Set rock had in a short time and the tank never leaked again. Always carry it with me now.

Cheers,

WillemWillem
Out on the Gibber
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FollowupID: 307744

Reply By: Member - Mike (SA) - Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 14:00

Friday, Feb 06, 2004 at 14:00
Many thanks to all of you - the respnses have been very helpful. I am now going to source some of the recommendations.
Again my thanks
MikeToo little time in the bush!
AnswerID: 45690

Reply By: Member - Howard- Monday, Feb 09, 2004 at 21:22

Monday, Feb 09, 2004 at 21:22
Had the same thing happen
hammered a screwdriver into what was left of the plastic plug in the bottom of the radiator, screwed out the remains.not much risk figured plastic would stuff up before I damaged the metal bottom tank.
found a bolt , yes a plain old bolt ,just like the ones in the bottom of the emergency tin of nuts and bolts you carry with you you when you go bush ie lots of different sizes &threads etc , just put the bolt into the drain plug ,put some water in and thats that. was still there when the car was traded 2 years later.

If I hadnt had a bolt with the right thread i would have most likely used U-needit.
repaired a 2h themostat housing on the 60 series up the gulf in 2000. Got to Darwin and got a replacement a week later.If not for a 4000km trip home I wouldnt have gone to the effort of changing it over. The repaired one wasnt leaking at all.
AnswerID: 46061

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