The Ford Barn

Dameon Hubbard · 02-15-2024, 11:27 PM

Ah yes. I just replaced the motor (after the last was blowing the blues, pulled and found to have a severely cracked block too!) and after 100 beautiful miles i see my brand new radiator fluid dripping out on the garage floor. A closer inspection showed the drip coming from (yip you guessed it) the welch plug.....yay! So. i did what any "normal" human being would do and poked it. Result? A gusher.
So I have new brass domed 1 1/8" welch plugs in the post. Now....dropping the pan.....
Remove exhaust cross over pipe, pull the starter motor, disconnect radiator, drain the oil. I have new gaskets. Any tricks? I read in a similar post use a couple of locator pins (ex pan bolts sans head).

tubman · 02-15-2024, 11:32 PM

I got these with a SBC gasket set for my Corvette. Guess what? They fit a flathead too (I dunno about 60's, but I'll bet they fit). Very handy to have!

(The picture is upside down.)

Dameon Hubbard · 02-15-2024, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

I got these with a SBC gasket set for my Corvette. Guess what? They fit a flathead too (I dunno about 60's, but I'll bet they fit). Very handy to have!

(The picture is upside down.)

Oh man, they would be mighty handy. Im in Australia so its just a little more difficult to get stuff, especially for the V*-60 engine.

tubman · 02-16-2024, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dameon Hubbard

Oh man, they would be mighty handy. Im in Australia so its just a little more difficult to get stuff, especially for the V*-60 engine.

IIRC, they are 5/16"-18 thread. They are available separately here in the states.

Does Amazon.com help? https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-ES-72...s%2C385&sr=8-7

Dameon Hubbard · 02-16-2024, 12:47 AM

Soooo, the bonus of having a pulled down spare engine, it looks like I am definitely going to have to lift the motor two inches at the front, so that the dropped pan misses the oil pump and drive when dodging the front axle (steering rods will be dropped too). I wonder if i can lift the engine that high with the engine stabiliser bars still attached (i'm doubting it).

Dameon Hubbard · 02-16-2024, 12:55 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

IIRC, they are 5/16"-18 thread. They are available separately here in the states.

Does Amazon.com help? https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-ES-72...s%2C385&sr=8-7

The Early V8 Club of America book mentions S2 1/4 - 20 TPI 5/8 bolts.

Terry,OH · 02-17-2024, 11:17 AM

The old are easy to remove through a hole poked or drilled through their center, then pry them out. Clean and dry all the holes and the small seats in the holes. Use some Permatex around the perimeter of the new plugs install in the hole, with the convex surface down until they seat then using a fairly large flat punch and hammer hit the convex center until plugs are firmly in place and center of plug is flat.

Dameon Hubbard · 02-18-2024, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

The old are easy to remove through a hole poked or drilled through their center, then pry them out. Clean and dry all the holes and the small seats in the holes. Use some Permatex around the perimeter of the new plugs install in the hole, with the convex surface down until they seat then using a fairly large flat punch and hammer hit the convex center until plugs are firmly in place and center of plug is flat.

Hey Terry, yip.....thats what i'm going to do. I have the #2 Permatex and the plugs in the post. Its going to be a fiddly job, thats for sure. Everything upside down from under the car. Should be fun.

Terry,OH · 02-20-2024, 10:34 AM

When you get the plugs out also remove as much foundry sand as possible.

Dameon Hubbard · 02-21-2024, 01:57 AM

Well, in order, removed the front section of exhaust, starter and dropped one end of the tie rod and the drag link. Then disconnected the two bottom radiator hoses (all radiator fluid had drained earlier out the buggered Welch plug) and undid the front (pulley end) pan bolts that would be difficult to undo when I lifted the front of the engine two inches. I then drained the oil from the pan and removed the front engine mounts. Then I jacked the engine and popped to timber blocks where the engine mount bolts previously were. Moved the trolley jack back to the gearbox to support it.
Proceeded to undo the rest of the twenty pan support bolts and the 4 from the gearbox. A little wiggle and hey presto, slowly down it dropped (oh, i had also removed the oil dip stick).
Removed the buggered and not so buggered Welch plugs and let a little radiator fluid rain down on me, then cleaned out as much crud as I could from the block, through the cast holes (Welch plug holes) with a bent coat hanger. There was a lot of rusty crud....maybe a cup? Removed the radiator hoses at the heads and flushed till clear.
Cleaned the pan which wasn't too bad and got the new seals ready.

It needs to be noted most this was done under the car in the garage....no pit. Probs around five hours under there.

Awaiting the new brass Welch plugs arrival (ordered four needing two), and will Permatex number two those suckers in with the help of a hammer.

There was a liberal amount of black RTV either side of the thick paper gasket. RTV on every mated surface. EVERYWHERE...but not where it could cause a problem. Its easy to see why this sump didn't have ANY oil leaks.

Tomorrow is cleaning the mating surface of the block ready to receive the pan, Will use four sump bolts sans heads (i have spare) for locating.

Wish me luck on seating these Welch plugs without too much drama.

02-15-2024, 11:27 PM	#1
Dameon Hubbard Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 48	Dropping the pan - 37 coupe V8-60 - Welch plugs Ah yes. I just replaced the motor (after the last was blowing the blues, pulled and found to have a severely cracked block too!) and after 100 beautiful miles i see my brand new radiator fluid dripping out on the garage floor. A closer inspection showed the drip coming from (yip you guessed it) the welch plug.....yay! So. i did what any "normal" human being would do and poked it. Result? A gusher. So I have new brass domed 1 1/8" welch plugs in the post. Now....dropping the pan..... Remove exhaust cross over pipe, pull the starter motor, disconnect radiator, drain the oil. I have new gaskets. Any tricks? I read in a similar post use a couple of locator pins (ex pan bolts sans head).

02-16-2024, 12:47 AM	#5
Dameon Hubbard Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 48	Re: Dropping the pan - 37 coupe V8-60 - Welch plugs Soooo, the bonus of having a pulled down spare engine, it looks like I am definitely going to have to lift the motor two inches at the front, so that the dropped pan misses the oil pump and drive when dodging the front axle (steering rods will be dropped too). I wonder if i can lift the engine that high with the engine stabiliser bars still attached (i'm doubting it).

02-17-2024, 11:17 AM	#7
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,751	Re: Dropping the pan - 37 coupe V8-60 - Welch plugs The old are easy to remove through a hole poked or drilled through their center, then pry them out. Clean and dry all the holes and the small seats in the holes. Use some Permatex around the perimeter of the new plugs install in the hole, with the convex surface down until they seat then using a fairly large flat punch and hammer hit the convex center until plugs are firmly in place and center of plug is flat.

02-20-2024, 10:34 AM	#9
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,751	Re: Dropping the pan - 37 coupe V8-60 - Welch plugs When you get the plugs out also remove as much foundry sand as possible.

02-21-2024, 01:57 AM	#10
Dameon Hubbard Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 48	Re: Dropping the pan - 37 coupe V8-60 - Welch plugs Well, in order, removed the front section of exhaust, starter and dropped one end of the tie rod and the drag link. Then disconnected the two bottom radiator hoses (all radiator fluid had drained earlier out the buggered Welch plug) and undid the front (pulley end) pan bolts that would be difficult to undo when I lifted the front of the engine two inches. I then drained the oil from the pan and removed the front engine mounts. Then I jacked the engine and popped to timber blocks where the engine mount bolts previously were. Moved the trolley jack back to the gearbox to support it. Proceeded to undo the rest of the twenty pan support bolts and the 4 from the gearbox. A little wiggle and hey presto, slowly down it dropped (oh, i had also removed the oil dip stick). Removed the buggered and not so buggered Welch plugs and let a little radiator fluid rain down on me, then cleaned out as much crud as I could from the block, through the cast holes (Welch plug holes) with a bent coat hanger. There was a lot of rusty crud....maybe a cup? Removed the radiator hoses at the heads and flushed till clear. Cleaned the pan which wasn't too bad and got the new seals ready. It needs to be noted most this was done under the car in the garage....no pit. Probs around five hours under there. Awaiting the new brass Welch plugs arrival (ordered four needing two), and will Permatex number two those suckers in with the help of a hammer. There was a liberal amount of black RTV either side of the thick paper gasket. RTV on every mated surface. EVERYWHERE...but not where it could cause a problem. Its easy to see why this sump didn't have ANY oil leaks. Tomorrow is cleaning the mating surface of the block ready to receive the pan, Will use four sump bolts sans heads (i have spare) for locating. Wish me luck on seating these Welch plugs without too much drama.