Leaking tapered plug on head

[Rob Glasgow]

After installing new freeze plugs I noticed there has been some leakage from one of the small tapered plugs (1/2") in the water gallery. Moss lists them as N/A. Does anyone know a source and how do you remove them? See the photo.

 

[rjc157]

I think the only way might be to drill it out

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Shouldn't be too hard to make a taper plug on a bench grinder out of some brass stock. Clean the hole out well and coat a new plug with some JB weld and bang it in.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

After installing new freeze plugs I noticed there has been some leakage from one of the small tapered plugs (1/2") in the water gallery. Moss lists them as N/A. Does anyone know a source and how do you remove them? See the photo.

I think I bought mine from BCS, British Car Specialist or AH Spares(UK). The machine shop I used removed them when they cleaned out the engine.

 

[Keoke]

I simply tapped the plug in and added JB Weld no problem since.
This fix was suggested by The Late Norman Knock and Healey surgeons.

 

[roscoe]

I actually lost the one at the rear of the engine at the begining of a drive. However, the reason I turned around at the end of my gravel driveway was because I had a brake issue and decided it needed to be addressed. When I turned around in the road and headed back up the drive I saw the trail of coolant that went all the way back to where I fired it up. I had some spares, tapped (pounded) it in with some difficulty due to the angle, put whatever epoxy goo I had on hand over the top and no problems since. The next day, quite by accident I spied the errant plug in the grass, right where I had started the engine. Bonus!

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will try Keoke's idea and pound it in and apply some JB Weld.

 

[roscoe]

I realized this morning that I had confused two separate incidents and typed away without thinking. I had two events that resulted in a trail down the driveway. One involved a coolant leak that was not associated with a tapered plug but was discovered due to a brake issue that turned me around. The one I ment to post about was when a tapered plug in an OIL galley at the back of the engine blew out. That one turned me around due to an oil pressure needle that was fluttering in an alarming manner. That one was also a huge mess.

 

[Keoke]

That one was also a huge mess. If you thought that was a mess wait until the plug at the front of the engine behind the timing chain cover loosens.