Apollo drain bolt size

[Scott Dabinett]

I bought the parts for my Apollo seperatly so I didn't get a drain bolt! Fitted it all but can't fill with oil! Very frustrating!

 

Am I right in thinking that the bolt i need is M20x1.5 metric fine? Just need to confirm so I can make one tomorrow! What is the best material to make it from? Ali the same as the tank or mild steel or stainless??

 

Thanks

 

Scott

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Mild steel. Stainless will react more with the ali.

[mav]

Pop to your local ford garage and get the drain plug from them. It's the same as the gearbox and diff drain / fill plug.

 

[Myles]

Also pop to your local bicycle shop and get a 32mm (from memory) headset spanner - you'll need this over the coming years to brace the tank against the torque of trying to undo the drain bolt. Pics here - click on the thumbnails for a larger size.

 

The walls of the Apollo are pretty thin and it's not a good idea to try and undo the bolt at the expense of creasing/crumpling/whatevering the tank.

[SLR No.77]

And use some PTFE tape to seal it

 

Stu.

[Paul Richards]

Quoting mav: 

Pop to your local ford garage and get the drain plug from them. It's the same as the gearbox and diff drain / fill plug.

Agreed. Although you could try your local scrappy.

Ford one will have a magnet in it.

[jj48]

You don't need PTFE tape to seal it and i have never in all my years of working on cars used the stuff on drain/level plugs. The thread is the same as a Sierra diff level plug and most of those come with a rubber seal attached to the thread( there is a name for the seal but cannot remember what it's called).It also has a magnetic part inside to attact any small particles to it.

Regards

Richard

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Dowty seal washer ?

[SLR No.77]

Quoting jj48: 

You don't need PTFE tape to seal it and i have never in all my years of working on cars used the stuff on drain/level plugs. The thread is the same as a Sierra diff level plug and most of those come with a rubber seal attached to the thread( there is a name for the seal but cannot remember what it's called).It also has a magnetic part inside to attact any small particles to it.

Regards

Richard

Yes it's normal practice to use a dowty seal. No they don't seal very easily. Search the archives ....... PTFE use is quite common .... individual choice though.

 

Stu.

 

Edited by - sforshaw on 9 Mar 2013 00:46:07

[Scott Dabinett]

Thanks everyone! Ended up making one from brass! For future reference if anyone is interested it is m20x 1.5 metric fine (Major diameter 20mm and minor 18.16mm Incase someone else wants to screw cut one)

 

All went on fine with just a very small leak from one of the hoses on the sandwich plate! Going to wort out today!