Manifold Drain Plug Broken

[Nvrgvup]

Took some time off from working on the trailer to go out on the water tonight with my boys.

When we got back I was looking over the engine getting my plan together for winterizing it since this is my first year with this boat.

I noticed one of the pipe plugs in the rear of the manifold was broken and the other ones torx was pretty mangled. Not leaking. Oh crap.

So do I need to get these out to properly winterize the engine or can I get antifreeze in there so it's not a problem? Or can I tip the boat forward enough to drain from the front?

Thanks!!!

[JDK]

What engine?
You need to get those plugs out.

[Nvrgvup]

351 in a 83' S&S

Here are a pic of the suspect plugs.

Port side is the problem, starboard should be OK.

I think there may be hope. The plug is not completely broken off. Hopefully I can get enough grip on it to get it out. Going to start dousing it with PB Blaster for the next few days.

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Once you have it saturated with penetrating oil (don't forget to tap it lightly with a ball peen hammer to assist getting the oil into the threads), I would try to remove with an impact turned waaaaaaaaaaay down and let it lightly work it loose.

[JLeuck64]

Oxy-Acetylene torch and a squirt bottle full of water.

Heat up the plug with the OA torch until it glows orange.
Squirt with water until it stops steaming.
Repeat two more times and you will be able to remove that plug with hand tools, I promise!

[Nvrgvup]

Thanks!!

I wish you guys were around here to help look over my shoulder for this one...or at least crack some jokes after I burn my eyebrows off.

Cheers

[Cloaked]

It looks salvagable. Vise Grips maybe? Just looking at it, as the head appears to be bad enough to not hold a drive on an impact.

Glowing orange is hot for cast. That's an each to their own kinda' thing.

Candle wax will also penetrate the threads and loosen.

You'll get it. When you place a new one back in, you can use a 1/2" socket drive to tighten it up. Something that I have learned over the years of winterizing, when putting in the new plug, put the plug back in barely snug tight. No extra turns. It may even seem like it's not threading, cross-threading, or just not wanting to go in very far. When you water the engine, the plug may / will leak a bit and that is OK. While running with cooling water, tighten it only to the point to where the leak stops. Stop there. No extra turn or snugging. Leave it alone. And while you're putting the new plug in, use an anti-sieze compound on the threads. It will come out much easier the next time.

I have even used the white plumber's thread tape in the past. It doesn't hurt anything.

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Great advice Cloaked.

[Nvrgvup]

Went with all good intentions that I could get the plugs out. No chance. The part of the plug that was left to grab hold of just broke off. The other one the hex was rounded out.

Called a couple of the local marinas and told them that I couldn't get the rear plugs out of the manifolds. They both said:

"Yea...why do you want to take them out? When we winterize we just circulate antifreeze through the engine. 99% of the time those plugs get frozen in there unless the boat is only a couple years old. We don't even try to remove them...no need to."

So my plan is for $99 to have the local marina do the winterization. Before I take it in I am probably going drain the block and pull the front manifold hoses and tip the boat forward to drain the manifolds from the front. Thinking I can flush them a couple times and suck the any remaining water out from the front with a tube hooked to my shop vac. Should be good enough for who it for.

[Cloaked]

Originally Posted by Nvrgvup

Went with all good intentions that I could get the plugs out. No chance. The part of the plug that was left to grab hold of just broke off. The other one the hex was rounded out.

Called a couple of the local marinas and told them that I couldn't get the rear plugs out of the manifolds. They both said:

"Yea...why do you want to take them out? When we winterize we just circulate antifreeze through the engine. 99% of the time those plugs get frozen in there unless the boat is only a couple years old. We don't even try to remove them...no need to."

So my plan is for $99 to have the local marina do the winterization. Before I take it in I am probably going drain the block and pull the front manifold hoses and tip the boat forward to drain the manifolds from the front. Thinking I can flush them a couple times and suck the any remaining water out from the front with a tube hooked to my shop vac. Should be good enough for who it for.

Well the boat guy is partially right and a lot wrong, but it's not my biz.....

Sorry the plug broke off. You still need to get it out at some point in time, but for now.......

Save yourself the $99.00 (damnn that is high to add fluid). Leave all plugs in. Add a 50/50 solution through the raw water intake until you get a pink (RV antifreeze) color coming out the exhaust. Done deal. I have done it many times and no problems with climate in TN. Your drain process will still allow the possibility of water remaining in a low spot in the manifold. Water will freeze and expand.....bla bla... just sayin'.

It's really easy to add antifreeze. Add into the top opening of the tramsmission cooler. A funnel and about 2 - 2.5 gallons of mixed solution will do the trick. Crank the engine and while it is at idle just add the antifreeze and keep a look for the pink to comes through the exhaust. There may be a better way but so far, so good for the last many winters for me. An exception to this is that I will (and have several times) drain the engine and leave it without antifreeze if I know I am going to work on it during the winter sometime. Thus no need to keep adding fluid after a cold start in the driveway. But if it's going to remain dormant through the winter, no reason to be hesitant of adding antifreeze and checking on it in the next season.

$99.00 is highway robbery....


In the spring (or now, before you winterize) you can find a machine shop (or do it yourself) to drill the plug and extract it. Just be careful with the manifold. It is sensitive to impact and stress sources.

What I have shown here is the water hose in the top of the cooler.


.