Thread: Wild Canary down---cheesy aftermarket parts.

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I'm setting here looking at Hortons current catalogue.The Billet Specialties 45 degree aluminum water neck is $94.00---The Street and Performance aluminum water necks are $160.00. I think I paid $21.00 for the water neck that I used. (the one that rotted apart). Fortunately, I found the problem at home---no harm done, except to my penny pinching dignity. BUT---Ya can see where this would have had the potential to cost big big if I was on a trip and cooked a motor as a result of my cheaping out.

I found the same problem ,while doing a intake chg. I see lots of used ones at swap meets that someone has tried to clean up. I may just use the stock ones.thanks for the heads up.

Brian, stop in at your local 'real' parts house.

They should have a cast iron one in stock.

They don't cost much and the one on my 32 is maybe 5 years old and doing fine.

A little paint and it'll look great.

Get a sacrificial anode to put in your radiator--I got mine from JC Whitney--and you should not have that kind of problem again. You have electrolysis going on and it eats away at aluminum. I run aluminum heads, intake, radiator, and water pump, and I use the sacrificial anode to avoid this problem. The water neck is just your first symptom of a potentially bigger problem.

Billet is a good thing as you can always polish it to a nice shine. However, whichever way you decide to go, I do suggest that you put the new unit on a glass tabletop and make sure it is indeed square. Also, if you decide to go with another chrome unit, I suggest taking 400 grit sandpaper to the mounting surface and using gasket "tack" on both sides of the gasket itself. Been there, done that and 250 miles from my driveway .

Bill S.

C9X---I have never seen a G.M. waterneck that has the outlet setting at 90 degrees to a line drawn thru the boltholes, and angled up at 45 degrees like the one in the pictures. If I could find one like that, I would buy it. The way my alternator is mounted, the angled ones that are GM stock would run right into the side of my alternator.

Gotcha.

Do you know what GM car it's off of?

Seems too, there's a billet SBC outlet that swivels to fit the situation.
It's already cocked at 45 degrees and you spin it on it's axis to get it to point where you want.
An internal O-ring does the sealing for the swivel goody.
Probably has an O-ring on the base.
Don't have a clue as to who carries it.

Fwiw, I've gotten to where I like using studs and nuts to bolt waternecks down.
A little more trouble in the clean-up dept due to I like paper gaskets.
No stripped threads in aluminum intakes for sure.

You would have it made with an O-ring seal waterneck.

Brian, if I understand you right on the 90 degree across the bolt alignment (facing directly forward to the front of the engine) and 45 degrees upward, then I can offer a suggestion of looking at the 84-88 GM/Chevy van. 305-350 options had this and a 90 degree option available to clear A/C lines and alternators. I must warn you about the NPT threaded holes on some of them (especially high altitude) for the TVS mount. I have found some that didn't have nor require that TVS hole. Cast iron and all of what you are requesting. Might give it a go.

C9X---It is an o-ring seal waterneck.---Its an aftermarket unit--- Do the pics I posted not show up on your computer?

At www.bigbauto.com on page 86 is the water neck you are looking for. It was used from '55 to '64 on sbc's

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

C9X---It is an o-ring seal waterneck.---Its an aftermarket unit--- Do the pics I posted not show up on your computer?

The pics show up just fine.

A little scary though.

I was just commenting on how much easier it is to clean a gasket surface where an O-ring's been used than it is to scrape off the paper gasket remnants.

Originally Posted by C9x

The pics show up just fine.

A little scary though.

I was just commenting on how much easier it is to clean a gasket surface where an O-ring's been used than it is to scrape off the paper gasket remnants.

Okay---my bad!!! I didn't understand (not an uncommon occurance)

A little poor communication on my part.

Not a prob.

I recently bought a Holley mech. fuel pump for 94.00 (110) gph that
last about 150 miles. The local speed shop sent it back to Holley to
see if they would replace it. Proly made in China also. I've never had a
chrome water neck that was worth a crap. I personnaly don't think
21.00 is cheap for a waterneck. Just get an iron Chevy one and make it
pretty somehow. At least it will last.
Ron

When I worked in auto parts here in Arizona,it wasn't uncommon to see aluminum water pump cores badly corroded,also something you need to watch on used intakes.Reason is in certain areas water may have a high alkali content so always mix your coolant with distilled or purified water and a quality anti-rust and water pump lube, Red-Line is a good choice.Now,heres a little off the wall cure,mix up some JB weld (not the quick dry) and put a thin coat on the new outlet inside and let it cure 48 hours before you install it,it does not corrode,should be the last outlet you buy!