Trouble removing freeze plug (pic included). Please help!

[wisconsinz]

Hey yall.

Trying to remove the freeze plug on my M1009 so I can install a Kats heater, but it wont budge. Already accidentally punctured the inner circle (nothing's fallen inside, just bent), so I've been trying to pound at the lip or outer ring of the plug with a punch and hammer, but still nothing. Even tried heating it up with a blow torch first. Considering trying to cut that split that outer ring with a dremmel tool, but A) I'm nervous about damaging the housing and B) Its probably not even worth it cuz i feel like its just fused together.

On the pic you can see how my punch is almost starting to damage the edge of the housing hole. Very frustrated. Please help! thank you!!

 

[Iceman3005]

can you get a socket with an extension in there, get it to move(don't punch it into block) then use the punch on one side to cause it to swivel after you get it to move with socket/extension.

 

[wisconsinz]

what do you mean socket with an extension? I read that somewhere else while searching this subject but didn't understand. A socket the width of the hole?

 

[jwaller]

put a socket thats just big enough to fit inside the opening in the block and hit it hard.

you can also try heating the block with something, dremel or carbide cutter will get it out but you must be very careful not to nick the block.

the heater should have an oring which is more forgiving than the plug but I would be very careful.

 

[tstone]

I'v done several of these and I'v never seen one stuck like yours! To prevent loosing the plug inside the water jacket, drive a self tapping screw into a remaining piece of the plug and fasten a piece of nylon line (masons line) to the plug so you can retreive it if it does fall in. Cut off a piece of hack saw blade short enough that you can get it into the work area and by hand cut the plug down to the block casting whthout grooving the cast iron. As soon as you make the cut, take your punch and tap out the plug as close to the cut as you can get. Good luck!

 

[wisconsinz]

no hack saw on hand. would a dremmel work? or is that too risky?

 

[kipman]

It would work, depends on your skill with a dremmel tool.

 

[doghead]

How you going to cut perpendicular to the face, with a dremel?

An oxy/acetylene cutting torch will do the job. Don't use the oxy lever, just heat the freeze plug until it melts/burns out in one small spot. You'll need to be skilled.

 

[wisconsinz]

GOT IT!! used the dremmel and only cut halfway thru (at an angle) and then tapped it just to check and it started to budge. Wrapped a couple zip ties around it so i wouldn't loose it and pulled it out with a pliers.

HOWEVER... i torqued the heater plug too much and snapped the bolt. Fished everything out, but now i gotta go get a new plug. I WAS SO CLOSE. dang.

Thanks for the help guys.

ps. how tight should this thing be? (I dont have any way of measuring torque)

 

[acmunro]

Glad you got the freeze plug out. I usually just snug the heater screw up. It's a pretty small screw. If it leaks tighten it up a little more.

 

[zway]

I used my scope mounting torque wrench for mine. If you can find someone with a scope mounting kit, that worked perfect. Mine had a recommended torque value of 20-25 in lbs. That's not much more than snug.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

I was just reading and I'm glad to hear you got it out. I was gonna tell you to get yourself a good sharp cold chisel and split the lip of the plug, knock the split end in and grab the other side with a pair of vice grips, give a little twist and jerk it out! Since you've gone this far, jerk the rest of the freeze plugs out and replace them with new brass ones so they don't become a problem later. Once you've got them replaced, and you go to fill up your cooling system, leave a little room in the radiator, warm it up and pour a bottle of Barz Leaks sealer in it as GM does this with new vehicles to coat and protect the cooling system, as well as seal any potential leaks that may occur later. It's a good cheap little insurance policy against the possibility of a cooling system leak stranding you far from home, as tha't where most mechanical failures happen. An ounce of prevention and all.

 

[corelokt]

I had to replace the bolt in my heater. Sounds as if yours was like mine, undersize for the threads it was mated in. If the threads in the "spreader" are alright, I found an allen head bolt that was a better fit and worked fine. Read my post in the "what have you done to your cucv" topic. You got lucky!

 

[wisconsinz]

thanks guys. i'll let you know how she starts in the morning!

 

[jwaller]

maybe 10ft lbs. the screw is not what seals it in the block. the oring does that. the screw simply spreads the butterfly on the back to keep it snug to the block.

 

[wisconsinz]

started like a friggin champ!!

 

[DonK]

Worth the aggravation wasn't it?

 

[wisconsinz]

yeah, now i can keep putting off the real problem behind its lousy starts ..at least til its warmer

 

[Blue2actual]

GOT IT!! used the dremmel and only cut halfway thru (at an angle) and then tapped it just to check and it started to budge. Wrapped a couple zip ties around it so i wouldn't loose it and pulled it out with a pliers.

HOWEVER... i torqued the heater plug too much and snapped the bolt. Fished everything out, but now i gotta go get a new plug. I WAS SO CLOSE. dang.

Thanks for the help guys.

ps. how tight should this thing be? (I dont have any way of measuring torque)

when torque specs are in doubt, use German engineering... Guten Tight.

 

[Stonepicker1]

Wife went and started the M1009 today thats when I saw a drip of water fall onto the driveway. Looked under the truck and now I have two freeze plugs leaking on the pass side of the engine. Looks like they have a rust hole in both plugs. Going to the parts store to get some new plugs. more to follow.