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MG MG Y Type - radiator question

Hey all, the previous owner of my YT installed a temperature gauge in the dash board, looks like from a TD. It is all there including the cable and sensor "bulb". I have a fitting to install in the radiator that is brass but the radiator tank appears to be steel. How can one join the two? Thanks, Tom
Thomas McNamara

With clean surfaces - silver solder, using appropriate flux.
R A WILSON

Not that it changes the soldering process much, but I would bet money on the tank being brass/copper, too?
Willem van der Veer

I assume you tried a magnet Tom since my rad is certainly brass, and I fear 700 deg C silver solder may damage the radiator. All my connections both fan thermostat and temperature gauge are soft soldered.

If the thermometer you have is a TD I think it is installed in the casting fitted to the front of the head,and modified for the fitting.

Bryan

B Mellem

Just a word of caution.
You say you have the radiator fittings.
The Temperature gauge from the TD cam in two flavors.
Securing the bulb on to the radiator in two different ways.
The Radiator fitting has an adapter.

JA Benjamin


Just a note here.
The TD temperature gauge came in two flavors.
A gozonto and a gozinto.
The TD radiator had a fitting with internal Straight Pipe threads.
There are two flavors of adapters that fitted into the radiator. One with internal threads one wit external threads.
The adapters sealed against the radiator with a fiber washer.

The bulb seals with a compression copper washer.

I attaching pictures to two posts.

Now if you have an adapter which you think is suitable, please ignore this bit of info.

Also I agree that Hard silver solder, more properly, silver braze would be too hot.
Perhaps the respondent meant Soft Silver Solder, which would be fine.


Jim B.

First.
Gozinto and radiator adapter.

JA Benjamin


Second picture

Gozonto.

I dont have a picture of the gozonto adapter.

Moss sells both types of adapters.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

I thought the overall consensus was that the TD did not have a separate temp gauge. I have a green face Jaeger temp only gauge in my TD, but it was added later (think they sold them as an aftermarket). Later, the TD had a temp/oil pressure combination.
Bruce Cunha

Yes Bruce:
I am talking about the temperature part of the combo gauge.
There was a recent post about a dealer installed single gauge.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Easy flow silver solder melts at about 650 degrees while brass melts at 900 degrees. A freshly cleaned joint with the correct flux and a fine point blue flame from your torch is the secret for a good joint. The brass fitting would need to be heated first the heat will transfer to the thin casing.
Peter
Peter Vielvoye

Original y-type radiators had brass tanks , header plates and tubes ,the fins were steel. Modern cores mostly all copper and brass.
I have soldered many brass seats to accomodate switches and sensors with soft solder without issue and silver solder can also be used very successfully depending on the person behind the torch.
R J Snell

Just to give you confidence Tom I used plumbers solder without any trouble and run the cooling system at 7lbs pressure which gives a higher boiling point, also increases the radiator efficiency. Bryan

B Mellem

Hey all, I was incorrect, the tank is brass or at least non-Ferris. Any advice on drilling the hole to avoid chips in the tank? Tom
Thomas McNamara

thick grease on the drill bit and take it slow, don't want the swarf to spin off. could even try thick solder flux. Bryan
B Mellem


I would use a hole saw, and a large vacuum.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

You are really wasting the effort to put the temperature sender in the radiator, It really needs to go in the elbow on the front of the cylinder head below the thermostat.

You should also ensure you have a bypass blanking thermostat fitted.

There is just enough "meat" in the elbow to drill & tap for the sender/adaptor. I have done quite a few of these on Y-Types over the years.

Tony
A L SLATTERY



I fitted the sender unit in this position years ago, never had a problem
John UMG624

s1

Hi All

I fitted the sender unit in this position years ago, never had a problem
John UMG624

s1

This thread was discussed between 17/11/2016 and 19/11/2016

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