How to extend the needle valve

I have a thunder Tiger Pro .25 engine that is in a coweled P47-thunderbolt. Can anyone give me some pointers on howto extend the needle valve by round 2 inches so that I can adjust it with the cowl on. I have seen many suggestions on the net that I cut a slot in the top of the adjuster and use a screw driver. I would prefer not to use this method as I try to take as few items as necessary with me when I go to the field.

Thanks in advance Gerry

Reply to
GerryGerry
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Reply to
GerryGerry

Try cutting the existing needle valve shaft and then using short pieces of brass tubing to splice in a length of cable type push rod. Solder the splices in place. This would retain the original knob yet be flexible.

Reply to
BCRandy

Does the Pro .25 have a hole in the end of the needle, and a set screw on the side? If so, use a piece of music wire.

Reply to
Robert Reynolds

Sorry, I got distracted and forgot to give you the rest of the answer. If you don't have a hole in the end of your needle valve, solder a piece of wire to the end of the needle. That's the way it was done in the olden days. Put an L-bend in each end, one for your fingers to grip and the other for added soldering area.

Reply to
Robert Reynolds

Reply to
GerryGerry

Take the needle to a machinist and ask him to drill a hole in the end, tapped to match a pushrod end. Make an L-shaped handle out of a pushrod end, thread a nut onto it, screw it into the needle, put sme Loctite on it, and tighten the nut down to lock it in place.

rj

Reply to
Ralph Jones

On Wed, 30 May 2007 12:26:45 GMT, I said, "Pick a card, any card" and "GerryGerry" instead replied:

Slip a piece of fuel tubing over the reeded end of the valve. The length is determined by your distance from the engine to the outside of the cowl.

-- Ray

Reply to
Ray Haddad

A piece of stiff plastic tube, like for fish pumps might do the trick.

Reply to
Morgans

P47-thunderbolt.

Reply to
Chuck

Im guessing this needle valve doesnt have a hole in the center and a set screw? I just take the proper length and dia of pushrod, bend the end that will stick out of the cowl to an "L" and go from there. The trickiest setup was where I had to rotate the needle valve around to where I could reach in thru the front of the cowl to get to the socket head setscrew.

Reply to
Fubar of The HillPeople

Yet another method: Using a Dremel tool or similar, slot the end, then glue a guide tube into the cowl to line up with the end of the needle. Then an ordinary small screwdriver can be used.

There - lots of options! :-)

Reply to
Geoff Sanders

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