[Terry Gartner]

Evening Boys,

Put my freshly rebuilt motor in. Fired it up and running fine. As luck would have it, one if the freeze plugs developed a leak. On the block in front of the transmission of course. Out comes the tranny and pounding on the plug commenced. It pitched as hoped and as it was about to be grabbed fell in the block. I can seem to find it, feel it or touch it. I’ve run a wire inside to try and feel it and I get nothing. Of course it’s brass so no magnets. Anyone have any ideas about how to get it out? Or can I get away with just leaving it in. It’s one of the large ones.

Thanks

[Pete D]

I don't know if it will cause a problem, but if you just have to remove it try one of those inspection cameras to locate it. $69.99 at Harbor freight.

Item #61839

[Mister Pontiac]

If you can't get it out, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I don't think it will hurt a thing...

Hope that helps.

[brad900]

Try a small inspection mirror & mechanical fingers

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by brad900

Try a small inspection mirror & mechanical fingers

And/or a properly bent coat hanger. I've torn apart several engines that had all the previous plugs still inside the engine from previous build...

[b-man]

Leave it and get on with the job.

It won't travel and the coolant will flow around it, it won't hurt a thing.

[steve25]

I guarantee you it will find a way to restrict some passage on that side of the motor at some point!

[70 bird]

Pound a new one in and move on.

[Schurkey]

Find the Amazon web page to buy a brass magnet.

Or use dynamite.


















I saw that often. The plug falls to the bottom of the water jacket and causes no problems even if having it there isn't optimum. If it won't come out fairly easily...forget it. Seal the engine, move on. It's not elegant, but it'll be functional.

[yahooskidoo]

If its resting on the side of the cylinder would it not cause a hot spot there?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by yahooskidoo

If its resting on the side of the cylinder would it not cause a hot spot there?

Maybe. It'll be low in the block, and apparently on the back side of the block. Overall, not enough of a concern to justify major labor to extract. It's where a short-fill of grout would be if you'd filled the block--except it won't extend the full length of the water jacket, and it's only an inch-and-a-half high.

I've seen blocks with sludge in the water jacket nearly that tall.

If this were interfering with coolant flow high in the block, or in the cylinder head...that'd be a different story.

[Mill67]

If you want a good cheap inspection camera for your phone, I use one of these on my smartphone/tablet, $10.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-2M-5M-7m...GS5TvfTIaG-1Zw

[77 TRASHCAN]

I worked at an independent auto parts store from 85-98. Had an oddball zone come to town. We inquired with them about a brass magnet.....LOL

[dataway]

If you can locate it with a scope ... then glue a small magnet on the end of a flexible rod of some kind, then attach a small disk of steel to the magnet, put some epoxy on the end of the piece of steel, touch the epoxy to the brass plug ... let it dry. Then try to pull it out.

If the magnet lets go of the steel disk, then you can still try again with whatever magnet retriever you want now that the steel disk is glued to the brass plug.

Of course with engine in the car this would be like heart surgery in bouncy house.

[lust4speed]

Rebuilt a friends engine that had been done by a local shop in our small town about 12 years and 12,000 miles ago. The shop put in steel plugs so I removed them. At that point I also found all 8 plugs (including the two in back) that the shop had just driven in and left. No problems with that many, so one will be a piece of cake if you can't find it.

[steve25]

Are you Fing kiddin , they left all the plugs in the block!
I don't know , even with no issues seemingly taken place with the motor there would be revenge rolling around in my mind!!