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Grrrrrrrrrr! Stuck freeze plug!

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Morris

Morris

Yoda
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I have pried out all the center bits, and now there is no place for my pryer to find purchase. What do I do now????
 
Small, SHARP cold chisel and the "knobbling hammer"... six ounce ball-peen... *tap-tap*... or a Dremel tool. Either way, be careful of the inside lip of the hole. No breaking it, if you please /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I vote for notching the remaining ring with the Dremel until it's paper thin and then tapping with a drift and light hammer. Once the ring is almost split the remains should be easy to remove.
 
I got it. I used a narrow wood chisel and some tappity-tap. Lip looks okay.
 
SWEEEEET.

When you reset the new one, this is the ONE place to use Permatex Form-a-Gasket, #2.
 
Oops. I misunderstood your earlier post about Permatex and freeze plugs and thought you meant use Permatex thread locker. I know, I know... I am an idiot. But that red thread locker is like super glue, so it made sense at the time.

I have already installed 3 plugs. Should I take them out and start over?

Please say no.
 
Okay: "no."

Should be okay, just keep an eye on 'em for, say, oh... the next few years. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

If they don't leak the first time the engine's taken up to temp, they'll be fine.
 
Engine guy did mine, used some yellow stuff. I did not ask he just pulled em and replaced when he worked the block, His comment was I knew you wanted this done, did the one on the head as well, good man.
 
I don't remember. What temp does it take to loosen red? Probably need a rosebud to knock them out. Hopefully they won't leak man.
JC
 
Yup. Hot, hot, HOT. Bit late to "undo" 'em now tho.
 
Thanks Jeff, I didn't have any red laying around. Got some green and blue but no red...lol
JC
 
JC, I've got a handy little pocket reference guide from Loctite, that lists all that information. Makes it easy when you have doubts as to what to use.
Jeff
 
Sooo....

How hot will an engine block get? It seems that under normal conditions I won't get anywhere near 482F. And if I am hitting the 482F mark I've got other problems.
 
Morris, around the freeze plugs, the hottest you should see is just about the coolant temp. Trust me, those plugs aren't going to fall out due to the heat! It will take a torch to heat them up to release temp if they ever have to be removed.
I would think that if they saw 482 degrees, it would mean that your garage was on fire.
Jeff
 
So, if I do want to remove them and put new ones in the right way, would it be okay to hit them with a torch, or will I risk cracking or weakening the block?
 
You should be able to release the Loctite with a propane torch without the risk of damage. Remember to heat the freeze plug rather than the block, so the heat transfers through the Loctite to the block.
Jeff
 
Mehheh... you think he'll be doin' this any time soon enuff to REMEMBER how/what he used to set 'em?!?! --- Somehow I doubt it'll be an issue soon.

And JC, with regards the green Loctite: KILLER stuff! I put it on my Elan "rotoflex" bolts ~once~... NEVER AGAIN!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

EDIT: My friend/partner used GREEN on the idle adjusting screws on a set of DCOE's on a small block Cobra... had God's own time cleaning THAT off later! Full R&R, disassemble. I HOWLED watchin' him fuss with that! --He, however, was not laughing. "What were you THINKING, man?!?"
 
Too late. Heated em, popped em out, replaced em.

Since nobody said, "Of course they won't leak," I did not think I could handle anymore sleepless nights worrying about it.

Although, I have to say, I think I was better off with the Red stuff as far as future removal is concerned. Permatex 2 is the same as the black "pipe dope" I used to use when I installed and serviced gas pumps. Denatured alcohol and a nuclear blast are about the only things that will get that stuff off. And the alcohol only works when the stuff is still soft.
 
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