308 QV broken radiator bleed screw

No big deal at all. Just work out the old, flimsy bleed screw and go to Home Depot and get a black metric screw with female HEX head (it is in their slide out bins near the front of the aisle). Not sure the length, just get a shorty. Also get some matching size alu washers to act as a seal (as they don't have copper units).

That is what i did before eventually throwing away the stock unit for something lighter/better.

 

i used a simple bolt extractor thingy. The guys at Sears or Home Depot can help get you what you need. Have a feeling it will be very easy as it is not 'stuck' in there more than the missing head means you have nothing to grab it to remove it.

 

Best to use a left-handed drill bit if you go this route.

 

Get 1) A small 'Easy-out' & LH drill bit (about 3/32") & drill it out to take the easy out. Good chance that the drill bit will walk it out, but the easy-out will do the job.

or
2) Craftsman now has some small broken screw removal tools that work quitie nicely.

You don't want to use a steel replacement as a permanent fix as galvanic action will corrode the brass fitting it's screwed into. However, it's a quick temporary repair.

Use either a small o-ring, a fiber washer, or both to ensure a good seal.

If you know anyone with a lathe, it takes about 15-20 minuites to turn a new one out of brass stock. Or, places like T.Rutlands carry them.

Hmm, probably should run off a small batch & add them to my list of products.

Good luck,

 

It's not just a common bolt...or maybe it is on the later models????

Mine starts to leak air before it's all the way removed...I've had later ones fall out before they passed air/fluid.......burnig the cr@p out of my hand as I fished in the dark of the valence!!!!!

I always thought it had a channel or flat side cut in it.....

 

Since it's down for the winter, why not remove it and fix the screw and while you are at it, get the radiator cleaned and power washed and flushed?

 

I did it last week on my BMW with one of these, and right angle drill, both from Sears. They have a sale this weekend.
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A stainless steel bolt may be a better bet. It is stronger than brass, easy to find, and more corrosion resistant.

Mark

 

Problem with a steel (even SS) bolt is that the radiator is brass, including the threaded fitting. The brass is more electrochemicly active, so corrodes away - same problem as steel rivits in Al holes.

Jason,
The original bleed screw is about 5/8" to 3/4" long, so you've got a ways to go. You'll probably need a 90 degree adapter for your drill. I picked up a Craftsman one awhile ago. Only need it every couple of years, but then I need it bad... HarborFreight also sells them, probably Northern Tool as well.

Sure, I'll turn you out one. $35 + $5 for shipping.

If you want me to make you one, just click on my name & select send email, or just PM.

 

Here is what my broken bleeder looked like after removing, and the temporary replacement I used to get by until I got a new brass one.

I bought it from T. Rutlands, but it needed to be shortened to work on my car.
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That is EXACTLY what i did. Make sure you use a alu or copper crush washer.

 

i got one from gt carparts a while back $ 20

 

And I thought the $9 plastic screw from BMW was bad.

 

Typical Ferrari markup. i used the black screw and a crush washer and never looked back... until i threw out the stock radiator for a better unit from Nick Forza. Was tired of the usual stock unit's cracking/leaking. Of course after 2 decades and 70k miles one should expect to replace such things anyway.

 

Looks like you have the bleed screw sorted out.
Are the Petcocks easy to come by?
The ears broke off the one for my Dino...

 

A friend of mine turned me on to these a few years ago. They work AWSOME (yes I can't stand that word). It has saved me hours of repairs over the years.


Darrell.

 

I had to make a bleed screw for the Alfa many years back. Ace Hardware used to have brass machine screws available. I got an appropriate thread one, threaded a steel nut onto the bolt, then used a Dremel to cut the bolt to length, and to cut a groove down one side of the bottom half of the bolt. Removing the steel nut cleaned up the threads after the cutting.

When the bolt is halfway out, coolent (and air) can escape down the slot, so I finally had one that I wouldn't drop when bleeding the WP.

Then, a couple of months later, (just my luck) a motor mount went soft under a con gusto acceleration and the fan hit the radiator mounted shroud -- so I wound up with a new radiator, fan, and water pump anyway.

 

I also bought my new bleeder from T. Rutlands and had the same problem- it's too long.
Just put a steel nut up the threads, dremel of about 1/4", and used the nut to clean up the threads as it comes off the bolt. Been fine for a couple of years.

Those bleed screws need very little torque to seal the radiator. Mine broke while trying to "just slightly" tighen it a bit more. Live and learn.

 

Sure, I'll turn you one out.
I'll make it ~10mm long which is the length I believe the original 308 ones to be. (I believe the the TRutlands one that JWise had to cut down was about 18mm long. I may still have his broken pieces somewhere.)

Hmm, will turn out a couple of extras in case anyone else needs one.

It'll have to be the week after Christmas as this weekend I got strict orders from Cindy to not schedule any Unobtainium work till then. (Of course I've got 2 camlocks to make tonight when she isn't looking...)

You've got eMAIL coming your way.

Strange that it's tightening up as it goes in, the hole has to go all the way into the radiator, unless the hole wasn't threaded full depth? Ah, well, it's moot as the correct length screw shouldn't run into trouble.

 

The one on the right is what my 308 had, a screw with a bunch of washers. And on the left is the one Verell made for me.

Sorry for the blurry picture.
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