[Healeys] Brass

[Simon Lachlan]

I have removed the hot water heater tap from the block of my BT7. It had
been jammed in the open position with no handle ever since I've had the car.
Abuse by a PO, though I've gathered from others and now see for myself that
these things are living on borrowed time from the moment they are fitted.
With judicious use of a small blow lamp and a small(ish) hammer I got the
tapered rotating section out of the main body. I've polished up all the
interfacing surfaces and now I'm ready to fix it/put it back together.
1) I've got some brass rod left over from some carb work, so have suitable
material for the little handle/lever thing. I'll file it down to size and
probably tap and die so I can bolt the handle into, maybe through, the round
end of the rotating section.....any other ideas? And can one solder brass to
brass? Copper I know about, from plumbing. But brass, I don't know.
2) I'm concerned that I may get the thing together and looking halfway
decent only for it to bind itself solid again. What might I do to keep it
free and easy but not dripping coolant? Light oil will do until the engine
has heated up a few times and then it'll dry out and get tacky.....Am I
right on that? Grease ditto? What about that filthy black graphite grease
stuff? A bit heavy, but heat proof? 
Any advice would be very welcome.
Thanks,
Simon