Cannot get the quail back on

[M2M]

Took the locking thermo quail off to inspect and clean but cannot get it back on...is there a trick to this?

[Bill G]

On mine, I just have to fiddle with it until it goes. You are usually pressing against the rubber O-ring and if it is a good O-ring, it needs some hand pressure to get it compressed enough to go under the catches that hold it shut.

PS: If you are talking about where it connects to the radiator filler neck, my 1929 has an Allen wrench set screw holding it to the neck. Don't forget that.

[M2M]

Originally Posted by Magicbox51

On mine, I just have to fiddle with it until it goes. You are usually pressing against the rubber O-ring and if it is a good O-ring, it needs some hand pressure to get it compressed enough to go under the catches that hold it shut.

PS: If you are talking about where it connects to the radiator filler neck, my 1929 has an Allen wrench set screw holding it to the neck. Don't forget that.

I cannot attach the "locking" thermo quail to the radiator !!! I took it off by removing the allen wrench screws; it came off easy. I would have thought it just twists on then you attach and tighten the screws but I cannot do that...what am I missing? Does it attach with the screws fitted or without?

[harryc]

what year is your car and what is the location of the allen screws you removed. If you completely removed the allen screws that are underneath the quail you are in trouble and will likely have to buy some replacement pieces.

[M2M]

Originally Posted by harryc

what year is your car and what is the location of the allen screws you removed. If you completely removed the allen screws that are underneath the quail you are in trouble and will likely have to buy some replacement pieces.

Car is a 1931. What am I not explaining that no one seems to understand my question?

This is what I have, see photo below.

I'll ask the question again. Those brass tabs in the photo below...when you want to ATTACH the quail to the radiator should they be on and tightened, or on but loose, or completely off? It was on my car but I cannot get it to attach again.

[1931 flamingo]

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Loosen the screws, install the cap, orient it so it faces front, rotate the tabs under the neck of the radiator, tighten the screws, don't forget the gasket.
Paul in CT

[Jacksonlll]

It ollks like yourscrews are going in from the bottom. They should go in from the top. Put the screws in loose. Rotate the tabs. Hold them from turning, then tighten them. Good luck.

[VinceBlack]

I had one on mine and took it off, someone overnighted the screws and bent the rim inside the neck so it would not seal. I fixed the neck and sold the qual.

[Purdy Swoft]

Be careful !!! One of the things that the quail or motor meter radiator caps are best at is ruining the upper neck of the radiator .

[M2M]

I did finally get the quail on; what I was doing wrong was trying to gently twist it into place rather than just put it in place then tighten the screws

...BUT even with the special o ring the suppliers sell to stop it leaking it still leaks at 45+mph the only thing left to try is to put some Right Stuff below where the gasket/o-ring sits for a tighter fit...I searched the forum and this has worked for others. In the meantime I purchased a normal radiator cap which doesn't leak at any speed.

I wish they sold non-locking moto-meters like they do for the Model T. With those the anti-theft system is to unscrew it and take it with you...and they don't leak. I can foresee a thief destroying a Model A quail or moto-meter and the radiator neck trying to steal it...I love the looks of the quail but I too may decide to sell it.

[Purdy Swoft]

I had to use the red high temp silicone sealer to stop the leaks around the thermo quail radiator cap when accelerating . I prefer the look of the original radiator cap .

[Mulletwagon]

Put my quail on the 31 today. Had to do the "grind" mod to reduce the outside diameter of the tab mounts. Was curious as to what the temperature had to be before seeing any red on the thermometer. Put the sensor in increasingly hot water on the stove until the red was visible. The temp was right around 200 F. This seems to suggest if any red is seen the engine is close to boiling over. Can anybody provide any additional insight as to how to interpret the thermometer under the bird ?

[M2M]

Originally Posted by Mulletwagon

Put my quail on the 31 today. Had to do the "grind" mod to reduce the outside diameter of the tab mounts. Was curious as to what the temperature had to be before seeing any red on the thermometer. Put the sensor in increasingly hot water on the stove until the red was visible. The temp was right around 200 F. This seems to suggest if any red is seen the engine is close to boiling over. Can anybody provide any additional insight as to how to interpret the thermometer under the bird ?

On the car I think the thermometer is never IN water but heat comes from air/steam.

[1931 flamingo]

Put a temp gauge in it. JMO
By the time the Quail shows "hot" it may be too late.
Paul in CT

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Be careful !!! One of the things that the quail or motor meter radiator caps are best at is ruining the upper neck of the radiator .

I went back to the stock cap. Besides messing up the neck the moto meter started to corrode. Piece of Vintique pot metal junk...

I do like the looks of the Moto meter tho and eventually I drilled a hole in a stock stainless (repro) cap and installed just the meter without the pot metal locking part.

[Tudortomnz]

Motometers mounted on the filler were never intended to show radiator temperature, all they really do is maybe show that your radiator is now boiling. They are more Model T era ornamentation. By the Model A era, the inside mounted dash temp. gauge was on most cars [ Chrysler corp. etc] & these are the best for accuracy. I have had repro motometers & quail on my '29 but put the original cap back many years ago. Looks clean & simple & no problems .

[F.M.]

Originally Posted by Tudortomnz

Motometers mounted on the filler were never intended to show radiator temperature, all they really do is maybe show that your radiator is now boiling. They are more Model T era ornamentation. By the Model A era, the inside mounted dash temp. gauge was on most cars [ Chrysler corp. etc] & these are the best for accuracy. I have had repro motometers & quail on my '29 but put the original cap back many years ago. Looks clean & simple & no problems .

Well you hit the nail on the head when you said (RE-PRO), if you get Originals Ones of both you speak of, they work fine.. (But NO Ther Mo Quails were ever made.)

[wmws]

I have an original motometer I got at Hershey years ago and it is very accurate.

[M2M]

Motometers work well in my experience; but of course a proper temperature gauge is better. Problem is the poor quality repro "locking" system sold for the Model A that leak. Non-locking system for Model T do not leak.

[F.M.]

Originally Posted by M2M

Motometers work well in my experience; but of course a proper temperature gauge is better. Problem is the poor quality repro "locking" system sold for the Model A that leak. Non-locking system for Model T do not leak.

Again, RE-PRO, I use Original Gaskets on Original Stanco or Jarvis pieces with no leaks .. And they do have a locking system..

[veggie]

Hello m2m
I think you hit the quail right on the head.
Put the old cap back on and be done with it.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by veggie

Hello m2m
I think you hit the quail right on the head.
Put the old cap back on and be done with it.

That's what I did!

[Purdy Swoft]

Me too !!!

[John Dayhuff]

Ok now I've got a problem with mine and I can't figure this out. I've been taking the entire lock ring off the radiator each time I was checking the water level even though I knew that the quail itself should spin and tilt back but mine didn't and I was fine with that. This is an original so didn't want to force anything. So I go to check it yesterday and I can't turn anything...., finally the quail itself comes off the ring and then I had to put some pretty good pressure on the ring itself to get it off the radiator which like I said above, I never had to do that before as the whole thing came off pretty easily, ring and all. I see the two screws and I under stand how to reattach it to the radiator but I think mine is corroded to the point that the little stops that are supposed to keep those two tabs from spinning around and around as you tighten the screws, I think there pretty much corroded off and gone forever. Anyways, here's my question, how does the quail attach to the ring and still be able to pivot and stay on the ring?

Thanks,

[John Dayhuff]

I'd post a few pictures to make it easier but I could never figure out how to do it on here as it ask for a URL link and I have no idea what that is....LOL.

[John Dayhuff]

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Testing.

[John Dayhuff]

Whoops there we go, got it figured out. Now what?

[Greg Jones]

I too gave up on the repro quail on my 30's and just went back to a standard cap. Too bad, I love the look of the quail. I have been thinking (oh-oh) if there was some way I could affix SECURELY just the bird to a standard cap. I have a couple original birds that came loose from their original perches. I realize it would take some doing and working with pot metal is not my strong suit, but....I wonder if anyone has done such a thing.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

My quail runs just into the clear. If it goes thru and above, I’m close to boil over. My mercury thermometer is accurate as long as I’ve had it, and it’s been on the car for 40,000 miles.

[John Dayhuff]

The "anyone?" bump.

[John Dayhuff]

Ok, let me try this.

Hi John,
I think you can remove that center ring from the base ring by cleaning off some of the crude and oxidation and gently prying between the two with a small knife or screwdriver that the two will come apart. Now I'm thinking that this piece originally screwed together with the quail in place and perhaps with some sorta 1930's loc tight was used to hold it in place but it still let the quail pivot? I don't know for sure as I'm just guessing here. If you look you might see a divot mark on the side of it, not sure what thats all about but mine had it. Perhaps someone here with more knowledge on how this went together will chime in here. Take care,

[John Dayhuff]

Hi John,
Yes thats exactly what I did and found, gee your pretty smart.
I'd still like to know how this actually works though and goes together. Does that outer ring screw into the center underside of the quail or what makes this whole thing stay together? Yes I'm desperate for help since now my car is sitting in the garage undrivable.

[John Dayhuff]

Still no answer to these questions. Is this going to mean I have to buy a reproduction? Anyone got a good original? Are the reproductions the same quality as the original? Is there any certain parts suppliers I should buy this one from over the others?? So many questions.

[John Dayhuff]

Does anybody out there rebuild these radiator hood ornaments? It kills me to have to put a REPRODUCTION one on this car.

[John Dayhuff]

Is there any differences between the original quail and a reproduction?? ANYONE??

John

[Digger]

I have a similar challenge with repop moto meter I am trying to install. The brass tabs are not grabbing enough of the lip under the treads of the radiator to keep it on. One side is fine, the other can’t grab. Should I make a custom piece that is just a little longer?

[duke36]

Originally Posted by M2M

I did finally get the quail on; what I was doing wrong was trying to gently twist it into place rather than just put it in place then tighten the screws

...BUT even with the special o ring the suppliers sell to stop it leaking it still leaks at 45+mph the only thing left to try is to put some Right Stuff below where the gasket/o-ring sits for a tighter fit...I searched the forum and this has worked for others. In the meantime I purchased a normal radiator cap which doesn't leak at any speed.

I wish they sold non-locking moto-meters like they do for the Model T. With those the anti-theft system is to unscrew it and take it with you...and they don't leak. I can foresee a thief destroying a Model A quail or moto-meter and the radiator neck trying to steal it...I love the looks of the quail but I too may decide to sell it.

Any ideas how to secure a motor meter shaft to the locking cap to make it more difficult to remove? Just lifting the cap and removing the nut isn't theft resistant.

[DHZIEMAN]

Originally Posted by M2M

I did finally get the quail on; what I was doing wrong was trying to gently twist it into place rather than just put it in place then tighten the screws

...BUT even with the special o ring the suppliers sell to stop it leaking it still leaks at 45+mph the only thing left to try is to put some Right Stuff below where the gasket/o-ring sits for a tighter fit...I searched the forum and this has worked for others. In the meantime I purchased a normal radiator cap which doesn't leak at any speed.

I wish they sold non-locking moto-meters like they do for the Model T. With those the anti-theft system is to unscrew it and take it with you...and they don't leak. I can foresee a thief destroying a Model A quail or moto-meter and the radiator neck trying to steal it...I love the looks of the quail but I too may decide to sell it.

I put a post up on making a moto-meter cap from buying two parts from two suppliers. I have cut and pasted it here! I had a similar problem first off with pot metal caps that look great, don't quite fit right and then ya gotta grind or file part of the coating off to get them to fit right, then they leak (and Chorrode). What follows is what I did! I threw all the other pot metal stuff in the trash! What I did follows:

Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Sunrise Beach, Mo
Posts: 390
Default Re: Motometer Radiator cap for 1930 Model A
TA DA! After looking and looking, any cap sold that has a thermometer in it for a 1930 Model A seems to be Pot Metal!!!! After much consternation, and some thought, I purchased the cheapest stainless steel cap to fit a 1930 Model A, then purchased a mini motor meter from Macs, I center punched the rivet on the inside of the radiator cap and kept increasing from 1/8 up to 9/16th drill bits to drill a center hole in the cap. I got out the part that holds the cap to the radiator, set it aside, along with the gaskets and brass center plate and started working on getting the hole in the SS radiator cap to be 9/16 without burrs. I then Drilled out the part that holds the radiator cap to the radiator and did the same thing. (9/16ths with no burrs). The tricky part of all this is U really need a drill press and need to really hold on to keep drilling centered on the cap and the cap hold down. If that can be accomplished the rest of the effort is assembly and clocking the motor meter to be properly aligned when the cap is tightened is simply aggravating but once done and the brass nut on the motor meter is tightened and the cap with motor- meter installed, you have two metals that may interact BUT, they are not pot metal and are not going to corrode so bad that eventually crap falls in the radiator. The only part compatibility issue that I can think of might occur, is I have an aftermarket radiator. not sure if the neck on originals is high enough to allow the cap to clear the shroud. If anyone wants pictures, I would be happy to furnish. The one finished installed picture is on my original post.