Guest Anonymous Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 I have noticed that a lot questions arise about cost for a conversion. I have a little over $30.00 in the water temp conversion alone! A machinist could have done the conversion for what it took me to do it myself. The metric tap costs over $40.00 at your "better" stores. I found one for less than $8.00 (Vermont /American)at an auto parts house. The brass fitting $3.00 at Home Depot.I could not find the required 37/64ths drill bit any where for less than $30.00 and few places had this size.It was getting late and I forked over $20.00 for a smaller 9/16ths drill bit (Made in the USA) to piolt the hole in the brass fitting for the metric 16mm X 1.50P tap .The 9/16ths new drill bit gouged tne bottom of the shoulder area of the brass fitting where the Datsun water temperature sending unit rests against.I used a 1/2 inch reamer to smooth this out. When doing this proceedure do not drill the initial hole no more than 1/2 inch deep with a 1/2 inch drill bit followed carefully by the 9/16ths drill bit for about 3/8ths inch depth.The metric tap will adequetely thread the brass fitting despite the smaller 9/16ths hole.I did not even try to locate a bottoming metric tap so be careful of running into the "smooth" shoulder for the sending unit area with the tapered metric tap.My modified cast iron headers are going to cost about $15.00 less than the Summitt brand block huggers. So it goes. The Datsun sending unit fits deeply into the brass fitting to be out of the way of the headers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Don't feel bad. I spent more than that. Did a beautifull job making the adapter and then discovered my heads had 3/8 npt. On top of that I had already installed the motor and couldn't get a drill down there to redrill and tap the head. I was ready to when some one on this board filled me in on adapter that Stewart Warner makes. just had to do that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 I bought the brass fitting from ACE and went to a large machine shop with a photocopy of the JTR diagram--gave it to them and said, "I want that." Cost: $20. Savings in time & aggravation: Priceless. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Well at least, I will be able to point down at the adapter and say," I re-made that fiiting " and tell myself, "Yes, fool when you could have bought a whole handful of adapters for a lot less" I plan on three conversions and probaly will not quite break even on the third. Any body want a $30..00 custom made adapter(you pay for the shipping) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QWKDTSN Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Boy am I glad I'm running autometer gauges with their own sender Only ten or so dollars more and you get a new gauge to go with your adapter fitting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 thats what im sayin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 I like them Datsun gauges so I can spend a lot more money on some white face gauge overlays or maybe some yellow ones before I get around to after market gauges. I am trying to get this econmy going in my own small way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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