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Drain petcock

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Old Oct 7, 2020 | 09:43 AM
  #1  
Fire"Dutch"Bird's Avatar
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Drain petcock

I bought a new, aluminum radiator, that came with a plastic draincock.
Is it OK to change this for a brass one?
I see lot's of new radiators on offer with brass petcocks, but I always was thinking that brass and aluminum don't match?
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Old Oct 7, 2020 | 02:17 PM
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Re: Drain petcock

That is correct: the aluminum will corrode violently. I'd stick with the plastic.
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Old Oct 7, 2020 | 02:18 PM
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Fire"Dutch"Bird's Avatar
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From: Northern part of The Netherlands
Car: '88 Firebird Formula 350
Engine: 350 (5.7 TPI)
Transmission: auto 700R4
Axle/Gears: BW 9-bolt L.S.
Re: Drain petcock

OK, but why come almost all new aluminum radiators with brass draincocks..??
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Old Oct 7, 2020 | 02:22 PM
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Transmission: auto 700R4
Axle/Gears: BW 9-bolt L.S.
Re: Drain petcock

From the Corvette Forum:

0Tom@Dewitt
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Brass and aluminum are in the same family, non-magnetic and they do not react with each other. People have been using brass drains in aluminum radiators for years without a problem.
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Old Oct 8, 2020 | 01:36 PM
  #5  
Fire"Dutch"Bird's Avatar
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Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Northern part of The Netherlands
Car: '88 Firebird Formula 350
Engine: 350 (5.7 TPI)
Transmission: auto 700R4
Axle/Gears: BW 9-bolt L.S.
Re: Drain petcock

As most aluminum radiators are equipped with brass petcocks and obviously without major problems, as far as I'm aware, I ordered a brass draincock as well.

Last edited by Fire"Dutch"Bird; Oct 9, 2020 at 12:59 AM.
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