Summit rad guys.. Petcock?

What did you do for a petcock with the summit universal rads????

I did not use/need a petcock. I remove my antifreeze by 1. The old way - disconnect bottom hose with bucket under. 2. now I use a vac pump with a catch can and just suck it out. If you have a compressor, you can get a venturi vac device from harbor freight for $10 that works great (just is a bit noisy) and once you get flow going you really dont need the vac if the container is on the ground. This set up works well for other liquids like trany fluid etc. Click here for pic of vac pump : http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3952

What did you do for a petcock with the summit universal rads????


Hey its not just the universal ones that are missing the petcock. My 4 core rad (looks factory to me...maybe its not however:confused: ) doesnt have them either. What I do is open the petcocks on either side of my motor (down near the oilpan about mid way from the front of the motor) and when they stop draining I pull the lower rad hose to finish it...not super convient but it works:)

I think you have to special order the drain plug hole to get that. I haven't seen a radiator with a drain in a long time but Griffin is just down the road and everyone locally runs them. RM

You can also pressurize the radiator kind the same way as above to get the flow started. I use a piece of 1/2 aluminum linein candy cane shape with a hose on the end. You put that down in the radiator and seal around it and a blow nozzel at the top with a rag. Allow a small amount of pressure into the radiator and anti-freeze will come out the line. It will start a ciphining on the line and drain the radiator in no time.

I thought os siphening after I posted this. ..

I added a 1/4" alum bung (Summit-Jegs) for the petcock. If you don't have the means to weld this I'm sure a local shop would do this for a minimum
charge. It's a pretty thick tank, so the welding isn't to tricky. If you go
this route the last couple treads on the rad side of the bung may have to
be ground slightly to let the petcock close properly, so check before
welding.
Rich

I've got petcock drains in my block like 69NovaSS. A bit messy but it works.

i have the summit rad too and will be adding a petcock...pulling the hose is for the birds man

Added a petcock, only way to go.

I've machined out alot aluminum bungs for petcocks for guys rads and TIG'd them in.

I have that same Summit radiator and I was kind of pissed when I had to drain it a few weeks ago before pulling the motor. I've thought about taking it to a radiator shop to add a petcock, but it really wasn't that bad to siphon the fluid out. Just make sure you use a clear hose that is PLENTY long so you can see the fluid coming, which I didn't do the first time. :eek: :mad: Yuck!

Jeg's has alum 1/4" bungs, #555-15251 $3.69

Jeg's has alum 1/4" bungs, #555-15251 $3.69

Yep, only $3.69 and free shipping but $8.95 for "handling".:rolleyes:

IM sure summit has one and the cost would be a 10 minute drive... :D

how to drain a summit radiator in 8 steps:

1. remove shirt
2. remove pants
3. put on swim shorts
4. place goggles and snorkel on head
5. remove lower radiator hose
6. dry off with old towel
7. throw swim shorts away
8. clean goggles

nothing like an antifreeze bath to cool off on a summer day. just don't go for a drive first...:D

how to drain a summit radiator in 8 steps:

1. remove shirt
2. remove pants
3. put on swim shorts
4. place goggles and snorkel on head
5. remove lower radiator hose
6. dry off with old towel
7. throw swim shorts away
8. clean goggles

nothing like an antifreeze bath to cool off on a summer day. just don't go for a drive first...:D


Been there done that...and can laugh about it now....very funny...lmao...:D

Hi Guys
I did a search on the site for you fellows out there replacing your radiators and up grading to Aluminum .

I would have to say I have seen some guys going trough some major head aches ...and there some really good fabricators here ... my hats off to them .. spending untold hours of design and fabrication to put in some of the after market products in ..cross flow conversions your 1st gen ..and big block conversions for 2nd gen ..a lot of work being done out there .

There are some member who have used our products here ...and some that still don’t know about
Alumitech Reproductions
Correct fit down flow radiators


We are well known on Team Chevelle and Team Camaro .. Camaros.net .
So I thought I would drop by to say hi .

I am here to help with cooling problems ...so feel free to ask any questions you like .

here's a link to Nova Chevy II stuff for the guys looking for correct fit rads

http://www.chevellecooling.com/47.html?sm=8859

Don
__________________
Don
Alumitech Reproductions
www.chevellecooling.com
517-404-6262

Alumitech. With all the product hocking you do on here (Ive searched all your posts) you should donate to the site.

Alumitech. With all the product hocking you do on here (Ive searched all your posts) you should donate to the site.

not a problem ... where do I sign up.

I am a member of Team Chevelle and Camaros .net
Member ship cost are no big deal .. but I dont see where I can become a paid member here ?

I have Don's product and I gotta tell you that since I started the "restification" on my 72, replacing the radiator with his unit was easily the most "drop in' upgrade I've made. We all know what it's like trying to get repop parts to fit. His literally just slides right in. And dropped the temp of my coolant about 20 degrees instantly. And saved 8 lbs off my front end.

Don, Steve takes donations via Pay Pal to keep the site going. There's a link in the top right hand corner of every page. Making a donation allows you to post pictures that are hosted by the site.

I use and old electric fuel pump with some hoses and go right into a clean 5 gal gas can and pump it out. Gas can has spout and makes fron easy filling. I flush the fuel pump and hoses with half a cup of gas when done and put it away. Have used the same pump for years. I also took the pet cocks and soldered in a 1/2" long pc. of brass tubing (you can get it at a hobby shop) in the end and can sting a pc. of rubber hose on the end and then drain both side of the block into a pan without spilling a drop on anything including myself.

i have the summit rad too and will be adding a petcock...pulling the hose is for the birds man

I know this is an older thread, but the solution (for me) was to get this from Summit:
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/sme-2201-11_w.jpg

"No drain, no problem!
Need a convenient way to drain your radiator but don't have a drain valve? Then we've got the solution for you. These Summit radiator hose drains splice into a 1 3/4 in. lower radiator hose to provide a quick and easy drain location."

You can find others like this at Summit: HERE (http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=drain&x=47&y=10&searchinresults=true&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=4294924500+115)

Nice find!:D

I have an Alumitech in my 68 El Camino. It really is a very nice radiator and dropped in like stock with no modifications at all. Don was good to work with and the radiator came packaged well. I had ordered one from Jeg's and Summit and was disappointed so I finally pulled out the money gun and gave Alumitech a chance. No complaints (other than the credit card bill).

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/sme-2201-11_w.jpg


Does anyone sell just the petcock like the one in the photo above? It has an extension tube so you can push a piece of tubing over it. Like like the suggestion from a few posts up, but allready made for you. Most of the petcoks don't have this extension, and the coolent still goes everywhere but in the bucket.
Ron

Hey Now. Go to Orchard Supply, or NAPA for the Petcock. I am sure many other places also have them, including Air Compressor repair, and your local Radiator Pepair shop. Respectfully, "Bill's" II :D

Lowes hardware, Home Depot, your local ACE hardware!

This is not a hard part to find!

Any parts store!

It's a 1/4 inch pipe drain valve.

I have an Alumitech in my 68 El Camino. It really is a very nice radiator and dropped in like stock with no modifications at all. Don was good to work with and the radiator came packaged well. I had ordered one from Jeg's and Summit and was disappointed so I finally pulled out the money gun and gave Alumitech a chance. No complaints (other than the credit card bill).

I bought mine From Classic Industries. The first one they sent me had a bent mounting ear so I sent it back. The second one arrived in better shape but everything was a little "off". With some tweaking I got it to fit.
Like the old saying goes: You really do get what you pay for.

Wowo this is an old one dug up... The problem wasnt locating a petcock but that summits radiators do not come with a bung to put a cockpit in..

BTW My Father put an Alumitech rad in his 67 Chevelle. With the stock 4 core brass copper it ran at 230 all day and boiled over at idle. I talked him into the alumitech to look as factory as possible and his temps are now 190* all day.. This is with a 396 no fan shroud I believe the 396 is bored .100 over. (taken to Max bore only because the machine shop convinced him he would get great power gains just from the over bore:mad:)

Hey Now. Go to Orchard Supply, or NAPA for the Petcock. I am sure many other places also have them, including Air Compressor repair, and your local Radiator Pepair shop. Respectfully, "Bill's" II :D

Thanks Bill! I'm in OSH all the time. I'll take a look next time.

Al, I don't know why I did'nt think about these being the same things. The drains on my compressors have lines on them for the same reason.
Ron