Inexpensive HMMWV Fuel Tank Drain Plug Replacement

[elipter]

Thanks for the help work great

I wanted to share with those considering replacing their stock fuel tank drain plug that I found an excellent alternative at Advance Auto to replace my near non-functional plug. I drained the very old fuel in my new-to-me Humvee this weekend and noticed that my old drain plug could just be plucked out with fingertips, the screw locking mechanism was overtightened and the end of the rubber was broken off. I suspect those rubber bits are gone but not forgotten, they're likely inside the tank.

In searching for a replacement plug I found the stock 3/4" dia. HMMWV fuel drain plug available from a couple of sources but they were costly and I'd have to deal with shipping. I noticed some posts that suggest marine plugs, and so went to West Marine to see what marine drain plugs they had. The only options available were the kind with a bail lever, something I fully expect would get caught on sticks or whatnot and let my drain plug get pulled out.

Searching online I realized Advance Auto had something I might use, so I trotted over to check it out. Adv Auto part number 02608 is listed as a generic rubber expansion plug on the shelf next to freeze plugs etc. and it seems to work just fine as a fuel plug too.

On top of that, it was less than $5. Installed it doesn't stick down very far, I only had to tighten the nut 3-4 turns to snug it up nicely, so it doesn't hang down much at all.

Bulldogger

View attachment 620999

Lost the drain plug yesterday, read the post a work great, 3.99 solution.

 

[elipter]

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

I get those in the shop all the time...they are not rated for fuel and will eventually leak as the rubber breaks down.
the correct plug is like $18.00

 

[dilvoy]

I get those in the shop all the time...they are not rated for fuel and will eventually leak as the rubber breaks down.
the correct plug is like $18.00

The fuel tank and it's components have a spec that they need to meet for safety reasons so running a non spec drain plug is like using grade 5 hardware on ball joints where grade 8 is specified. "Looks the same and fits so it must be OK." Scary!

 

[Wire Fox]

I've got the info I needed from this thread. If I ever have one fail on me on the go or in another time crunch, I can drop in an off-the-shelf plug not rated for fuel and run it for upwards of a year before replacing it with the right plug... but you should replace it with the right plug just as soon as you're able to run the tank near-empty and drain the rest.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk

 

[Bulldogger]

Lost the drain plug yesterday, read the post a work great, 3.99 solution.

Glad to help! Mine is holding up fine. I have no worries about it. Even if I have to destroy it to get it out, for some reason, I can go three blocks to Advance Auto and get a new one 12 hours a day.

BDGR

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Actually I was wrong....HPG has the correct plug for $10.00

 

[BLK HMMWV]

I tried the cheap plug trick a couple of years back. It lasted about a year and a half.
My truck was parked in my buddies garage while I was fabing some stuff on it .
As a courtesy I had left a large piece of cardboard under it to catch any random drips from any of the number of places things drip just in case.
Trans, oil pan, steering box the normal suspects.
Had about 3/4 tank in it when I parked it.
First thing I noticed was the cardboard looked funny. also there was a little rubber thing in the center of it.
Closer inspection revealed it was the drain plug. and then noticed the outline of the river of diesel that must have flowed out of his shop and down his driveway.
At first we blamed it on his soon to be son-in-law and his marine buddies trying to snag a little diesel for the trip back to Pendleton.
but we could tell the fuel had eventually just gotten to the plug.
Ordered the correct plug from Hummer Parts Guy the next day.

For the price of 3 gallons of diesel it's not worth the hassle to use anything else.

 

[elipter]

I order the right one already, but will be here in 4 days, this solution solve the problem in one hour, and when the right one show, I will change the plug. But great super emergency solution. Thanks

 

[elipter]

I used the Humvee as my primary vehicle, I drive every day and solve fast is a plus, I start a thread where we can share pictures and ideas , in that way we can help each other to improve the vehicle, Photo / Pictures of M998 after upgrade, Shared Ideas

 

[Action]

Or just order an extra oem plug for a spare and keep in your tool box.

 

[kofficer]

About to replace mine debating on trying this or getting the correct part. Any issues with this over the counter part?

 

[Bulldogger]

Mine is still holding but I can tell it is very corroded. I’m going to buy the correct part and get it replaced.
It is certainly a good temporary fix.

 

[gymgui]

I wanted to share with those considering replacing their stock fuel tank drain plug that I found an excellent alternative at Advance Auto to replace my near non-functional plug. I drained the very old fuel in my new-to-me Humvee this weekend and noticed that my old drain plug could just be plucked out with fingertips, the screw locking mechanism was overtightened and the end of the rubber was broken off. I suspect those rubber bits are gone but not forgotten, they're likely inside the tank.

In searching for a replacement plug I found the stock 3/4" dia. HMMWV fuel drain plug available from a couple of sources but they were costly and I'd have to deal with shipping. I noticed some posts that suggest marine plugs, and so went to West Marine to see what marine drain plugs they had. The only options available were the kind with a bail lever, something I fully expect would get caught on sticks or whatnot and let my drain plug get pulled out.

Searching online I realized Advance Auto had something I might use, so I trotted over to check it out. Adv Auto part number 02608 is listed as a generic rubber expansion plug on the shelf next to freeze plugs etc. and it seems to work just fine as a fuel plug too.

On top of that, it was less than $5. Installed it doesn't stick down very far, I only had to tighten the nut 3-4 turns to snug it up nicely, so it doesn't hang down much at all.

Bulldogger

View attachment 620999

Used the same plug in my tank when mine blew out... no problem for the 3 months until I felt like putting the OEM one in

 

[hmmwv-newbie]

I just had to do this yesterday, the correct one is on order but I didn't want to wait to drain the tank so I went and got the Dorman from the auto parts store. Unfortunately when trying to pull it out the head broke off so now I have the other half of the plug just floating around in my tank now... sigh

 

[Mogman]

About to replace mine debating on trying this or getting the correct part. Any issues with this over the counter part?

Did you read the thread? RWH has allot of experience and if he says it's a no-go you can believe it,
And to address the "spare" issue, why would one want to carry an inferior plug that would need to be changed soon, for most dealers two of the OEM plugs will ship for the same money.

 

[swbradley1]

It was nice to see this thread pop up again. I read every post and realized that if I ever get this type of truck to check and replace the fuel drain plug with a new OEM and while I'm doing it order two so I can carry one just in case. I could possibly go to a parts place and get the part number and manufacturer of the NON-OEM part and write it down to carry it with me for an emergency but that's it.

If anything this thread has reminded me that OEM is OEM for a reason and a substitute part is not the same and why would you want to risk a failure when you are a long way from.

 

[hmmwv-newbie]

Yeah mine was already dripping after 2 days

Edit: also the price of the dorman plug has gone up, mine was over $8 so you're better off spending $21 (after shipping) for the original from someone like federal military parts.