look at what these fellas did:

http://www.flyinmiata.com/projects/O...preinstall.jpg

that gives you a real good idea of where to put it if you've got the pan off the car. between the two ribs, close the the rear one, towards the bottom where it tappers into the pan. its a better location then the front when you've got the pan off.

 

Sick coolant bypass to the back of the motor.

 

its aluminum,their is no need to,the tap method is fine...also i used a 23/32 bit or was it 22/32

 

sorry ---- rag I don't have a tig welder sitting at home.

 

The tap method? You must mean the "tap and JBweld ghetto **** method"- which is a plausible route with the pan on the car, but is not ideal.

Sorry, but this is ******* ghetto:



And I'm sure no shops in your city have one either. Give me a break.

 

When the last time you removed the underbelly pan and admired your retun line?

WTF do you mean it's not ideal...it's the most ideal...it's just not pretty...who the **** cares?!
******* Permaseal it or Red Thedlock it if you really care about looking clean....**** dude...who gives a **** how it looks...

And it's not ghetto if it works 100%....it's a ******* return line for crying out loud....it's been done this way for 17 years. I JB welded the **** out of it to 1. ensure it didn't somehow back it's way out, and 2. seal the threads...

 

Oh, I understand where you're coming from. It's an improvised way to get it to work with the pan on the car. But with the pan off the car, why not do it right? And here's a little rule about modifying cars I like to follow: if you use duct tape or JBWeld it's NEVER right, even if it works 100%. If the pan is off why not pay someone $15 to weld a fitting on?

Maybe it's just me but I like all the work I do on my cars to look professional. It's how I am. In all likelihood I'll end up using JBWeld (or similar) because my pan will be on my car, but I'm the kind of ---- **** that scrapes off the excess, lets it get a little tacky and then smooths it out- And yeah, I have sealed stuff up with JBWeld before.

 

i did a 3/8" fitting. seems to be working fine.

 

PS: I used no JBweld, just teflon paste.

 

Why is everyone so angry lately?

 

I'm not angry. I do enjoy lively discussion, which might be apparent by now. I don't think a few strong words hurt now and again. I still know who's sandbox I'm in and I hope nobody thinks I'm shitting in it.

 

hey buddy go weld a brass,copper or steel fitting to aluminum.

also i jbwelded my return and you cant even tell.

 

Just to ghetto up the pan tapping a little more, a holesaw works great!!

I know for most applications you should use the right drill bit, but the bit for a 1/2" NPT tap is one big, expensive ****.

We are talking about 1/8" thick aluminum, and a position that makes it very hard to get a giant drill bit straight into. I just used a 11/16" holesaw and then tapped it with no problems. I would say in the situation it is actually better to drill the hole a bit small and let the tap ream it out nice and round rather than risk the hole being to big. Less chips and mess in the pan from a holesaw as well.

 

They make fittings specifically to be welded to aluminum. I had a cast aluminum fuel rail for my DSM that had them welded to both sides... NEXT!

 

The aluminum is thick enough that you can tap it quite nicely, there is no real need for the JB weld, I think FM/begi's manual calls for RTV. I did use JB, just because I actually thought it was the best thing for the job. My JB weld job doesn't look all messy like that either. I ordered the tap and drill bit from McMaster-Carr, maybe $20 for both. I have since used the same drill and tap for other things.

If the pan is off the car all you really need to do is get a piece of aluminum tubing tig welded on to the pan (with a little extra weld on the end to serve as a barb), it would probably cost less than the drill and tap method.

 

I couldn't find an alluminum fitting for mine and there was no way to weld non aluminum to aluminum. So chill J it works it holds, and if you do it clean it is perfect. just be sure the pan is nice and clean and the tap is straight fwiw i put my drain right in front of the motor mount and it was perfect. Also i would not use cheap as rubber hose for this get some real teflon inner braided stainless line and laeve one less thing to worry about any hydraulics store should have it in popular thickness's made while you wait.