Coolant Crossover Tube Plug Alternatives

[jm@ReischePerf]

Just wanted to pass some info along from a customer. I know a lot of you guys end up needing to replace this plug, here are some options he found:

Motorcraft p/n (OEM direct replacement): F3LY-8A500-A

Lower cost alternatives (will need to be cut down to fit)

Aluminum AN -10 plugs
Russell's p/n 660290
Earl's p/n 981410ERL

Steel AN -10 plug
Eaton Aeroquip p/n 900598-10S (Grainger 4VRV3)

I have not personally modified one of these and used it yet so I can't guarantee fitment but please post any experience you may have with these options here.

 

[P49Y-CY]

joel i bet if any machinists would make a stainless steel piece like the one that guy jay in virginia was making for a while, they would have a consistant seller, similar to your great t-stats.

i have used the stock plug, and it works fine, but that 1/4 inch drive is really not too good. plus the stainless looks terrific underhood imo

 

[ninety2pony]

^ what he said... i actually have one that was machined for me, i dont know how anyone can still use that 1/4 stock piece of crud after one use.

 

[P49Y-CY]

it is usually ruined after the first time it comes off the car in my experience. both times i needed to use vice grips, the 1/4 drive just twisted. i would be all for the ones listed above, but if they need to be cut that isn't something i can do at home yet. that's why i say, the one that guy was making was great.

here are some pics of that one i bought. it uses a slightly bigger o-ring, which according to jay is a more readily available size than stock. but i have also read some things where they say the stock o-ring size is readily available. i couldn't find it in a normal parts store though.

 

[03 DSG Snake]

The Oring is in a different spot than the OEM plug. Any chance for sealing issues?

 

[DSG2NV03]

I have one on mine from Jay and no sealing issues

 

[P49Y-CY]

The Oring is in a different spot than the OEM plug. Any chance for sealing issues?

no, it works perfectly. actually, it is in the same place in relation to the top of the plug - it just has a shorter bottom section, that's why it looks like that when both are sitting next to each other.

 

[tnuce10]

Is the guy (Jay) still selling his stainless ones?

 

[P49Y-CY]

Is the guy (Jay) still selling his stainless ones?

no, last i could tell he was trying to get a machine shop to make them as of april of this year. he had moved or somehing and no longer had access to his shop as of march of 2011. he was mostly on the lincoln boards.

 

[P49Y-CY]

somebody who could manufacture and market these could turn a nice lil profit i'm sure

 

[Tractionless1]

Member 99COBRA2881 has been making them forever as well.

Contact info:
Anthony
(785)658-5921
Midcontinent Mustangs

Been on my Cobra 5 years now.

 

[Tractionless1]

The Oring is in a different spot than the OEM plug. Any chance for sealing issues?

Considering you can move ring lands up or down a piston, doubt it.

 

[tnuce10]

I am going to talk to my machinist about making these. But I am waiting to hear back from Sid...don't want to step on any toes or piss off the SVTP gods :beer:

 

[keith89]

very interested

 

[jm@ReischePerf]

I thought about doing them but to make a profit and after the distributor gets their share they'd probably end up retailing for more than the Motorcraft units :bash:

 

[P49Y-CY]

^ oh yeah i think the most i ever paid for one from ford (even full local over the counter retail) was about $25 (that was several years ago)

but jay's were $40 iirc, and i was happy to pay that. yes, expensive, but i do somewhat indulge my car hobby lol. but to me the whole thing was having a hex head, stainless that looked good underhood and gonna last forever. plus i wasn't about to try to weld a nut on top of the stock piece.

 

[Tractionless1]

I thought about doing them but to make a profit and after the distributor gets their share they'd probably end up retailing for more than the Motorcraft units :bash:

I'm sure members would pay more as they'd be able to spin them off unlike OEM.

 

[jm@ReischePerf]

Well breaking it loose the first time is the main issue. After that lots of grease or anti-seize plus minimal tightening and you won't have any problems. Unfortunately it's easy to think of it as a bolt that needs to torqued down but it really only needs as much force as capping a 2 liter.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I've got one from Jay and Anthony both.

Anthony makes a coated mild steel one and Jay used to make stainless ones.

Jay made me a special tapered seat version so I could use a direct read mechanical gauge sender without the adapter nut. In my mind these would easily bring 40 bucks no problem.

 

[P49Y-CY]

^nice setup!