Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Does anyone have a tried and true method for removing a female plug?? This one is tight BUT it also doesn't help that the allen hole is fubar'd and the standard 5/16 will not grab under a load. BEFORE I start either heating and welding and or grinding I figured I would ask

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

You have quite a bit of the plug proud of the manifold. You should be able to grab it with vice grips or cut a slot across the diameter . A roofer's shingle removal tool at 90° would give you good leverage.

I'd heat the manifold up with a heat gun if required. I'd also suggest PB Blaster but not much help with the manifold mounted.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Robert,

I've used those "sockets" that are a male plug with a spiral toothed flute around the outside that you drive into the female section and the bit grips it from the inside. They obviously destroy the plug, but have worked every time.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Would a metric Allen wrench do the job? 5/16" is a shade smaller than 8MM.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

51woodie
You're on the same wave length as I was.....I tried an 8mm but it fit just like the 5/16 did. I have a 9mm coming as well as an 11/32 Allen socket to see IF maybe they will fit tight.....IF not just close enough I can hammer it in even tighter. That is my thought/plan/direction at this point.....THE other ISSUE I am facing IS these are famous for cracking IF its not done just right!!!! SO...there is that too!!!!!


My "other" Idea was to "maybe" grind a flat spot on two sides to fit a wrench on it as well AS "IF" the 9mm or 11/32 allen fits it to act as a "helper".

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

put a wrench in it and grab with vise grip

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Pipe wrench will grab it and USE heat!

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Hhmmmm.........."maaayyybbeee". Thanks for the idea!!!!

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Mike



I for sure thought about the "heat" aspect BUT NOT a pipe wrench......These are known to crack the head SO I have to be conscience of that too!!!!

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

You could try hammering in a suitably sized torx bit.

Personally if a pipe wrench couldn't do it I would be tempted to weld something to it. A piece of scrap metal bar or a big nut.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

if that was my plug to get out, i would not rush the job! been that way for some time it appears. i would clean all paint off end and plug. and down into there the 2 threads meet. a heat gun carefully used can expand outer so as to allow PB Blaster to soak in. i would consider an big E-Z out and judicially apply torque as the PB had time to work. I would not over power the parts with extra leverage. i would heat head each time i used PB. very warm but not too hot. paint burns, too hot! over and over i would apply and try. never using too much leverage. if it took me 3 weeks of couple times a day to try, nbd! PB, wait, some thin oil let it soak. over n over! repeat. i like the suggestion grind out so something could fit in. like maybe 1/2 extension bit, then breaker bar. i'd limit initial torque loading to about what a spark plug calls for. 22 ft #s or so. maybe bit more after several soakings etc. i would not force it! if you have some gunsmithing in you, a fine tooth hack saw blade shaped to fit and used as a spoke shaver pull from in to out would get plug split. time consuming, but usually effective. ballpeen hammer whack to a drift often to shock threads. a solder gun heated up inside the plug to heat soak the two parts or red hot poker then poker from freezer then inserted to cool plug and cause to shrink and dab paint in the PB. I would not spray it out of can, but rather into container then Q-tips swab it and/or glue brush, folded paper towel below to control any run off.

these approaches used with care should get it to release. I have successfully remove same or similar using one or all of these suggestions. no doubt key is 1) break corrosion hold 2) get lube down inside threads 3) do not overpower metal's strength limits...

Good Luck! let us know how you do.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Don’t laugh but try wax. I had some stuff rusted together and could not get it out with vice grips and pipe wrench. I heated it up some and melted wax in the joint. I left the vice grips still attached and sticking out horizontally. The next morning the vice grips we’re hanging straight down.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

I would drill a proper size hole in a piece of flat stock, slip it over the end and tack it in 4 spots with a welder. Remember, when metal is heated it expands but when it cools it shrinks to be slightly smaller than it started out. Cooling it faster causes it to shrink more.
In this case, coolant could be a shot of penetrating oil.

once it moves, grind off the spot welds and go back the the allen wrench

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Call your plumber.:)

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Many good suggestions. I have used a tool sold by Eastwood that utilizes an air driven impact (like used with chisel) and a lever where you can put some leverage on it. Surprisingly effective when nothing else works such as VISE grips.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

We remove stuck plugs in engine parts every day at work. Use an oxy/acetylene torch to heat the plug only(not the manifold) to a dull red. Have an air blow gun ready,turn off the torch and immediately blow air into the center of the plug to quickly cool it. Keep blowing until it cools down enough to work with it, and spray some penetrant on the threads. If it smokes it's too hot. The rapid cooling shrinks the plug, breaks the bond and they usually come right out with very little pressure.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Absolutely.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

We took broken bolts out of engines at work by welding a nut to them. I probably did this at least twenty times over 30-years and I never screwed anything up. That one should be easy to weld a nut to it as longs it's a steel plug and not brass one.

Be careful you don't break the corner of that casting off.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

I agree, welding a nut is very good, but in this case the outer diameter allows for greater strength than the inside of a nut. Drill a hole in flat stock that fits around the outside will give about an inch of strength and leverage, over a nut welded inside.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Thank you for ALL your responses, I will get the area cleaned of all paint and start with that.....I think I will look at inducing heat along with, "hopefully" one of the "slightly" bigger allen sockets I have coming that will fit the hex tighter than what I already have. It will be a few days before I can get back to it as we here in North Florida are expecting sleet, snow and Ice in the next day and NO heat in my shop SO I will keep all here posted of my results when I can.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

I think some carefully applied heat will help loosen the plug and it should turn out easy.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

This is the correct answer!

Vise-grips will also work in place of a pipe wrench. You don't need to get it cherry red. Just a little heat should be all you need but it will let you know just how much it needs.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

heat the plug and it will expand and get tighter. Let it cool and it will shrink. heat the area around the plug will expand, however its cast iron which does not always play well with heat

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Sorry wrong thread

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

Why mess with it? If it doesn't leak, leave it alone.

Re: Any one have a tried and true method for this one
 

If none of the above suggestions work, simply drill it out to a diameter just shy of the threads. Then use a sharp punch to force the thin remaining shell to the middle and break it free and take it out in pieces. I'm assuming you can access it with a drill.