> Where can I get this tee and other pipe and misc. fittings cheaply in
> the US?
My Home Depot carries them. Generally they are 1/8" NPT pipe threads and
they will have brass fittings in that size, in the "small item" plumbing
section.
An on-line source with a much greater variety is McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/
They're not a discount supplier, but their prices are competitive, handling
charges are very minimal (if any), and they have no minimum order. And
their on-line catalog is wonderful !
I generally get my orders in one business day, but that might be because
their west coast warehouse is only a few miles from my home. San Jose might
take two days.
If it turns out the fittings are BSP or some other weird British thread,
then they will be much harder to find (although not impossible). Much to my
amazement, I discovered British Association threads in my A/C fan motors the
other day ! Fortunately I have a BA tap & die set, so I was able to clean
them up.
Oh yeah, the reason the tee is a bad idea is because the body of the tee can
resonate at certain engine rpm, and the repeated flexing will work harden
and eventually crack the nipple between the tee and the engine block.
Tapered pipe threads are not the strongest things in the world, they're
actually very weak right at the joint. That said, I've seen lots of people
do it and get away with it on street motors, so it must not be all that bad
an idea.
Randall
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