[lust4speed]

Is the engine still in the car? If so, have a good sized fire extinguisher nearby.

Is there a thermostatic vacuum valve that screws in the head and not the intake manifold?

[zeebo]

Originally Posted by michael j

As said before heat the plug up then take a candle of some kind and touch it to
the heated plug. The heat will draw down wax and lubricate the threads, works better
I think than blaster etc. Just my thought. Mike

X2! excellent! i also use beeswax..works great!! kroil is also a handy chemical.

[Blk 76]

The engine is out of the car and there is no water in the block does this mater when heating with a torch? I forgot to mention this and want to make sure that it does not damage anything. There is a vacuum switch that needs to screw into where this plug is.

[AG]

Easiest way with no special tools is to start with a small drill and work your way up almost till you hit the threads. Tap on the edge with a small punch and it comes right out, it's just a ring at that point.

[Sirrotica]

If there was water in the engine you would never get the plug hot, no water is how it's done.

[Blk 76]

I haven't had time to try getting that pipe plug out yet. I looked at a couple of auto parts stores for the pipe plug socket but they did not have one and they sent me to Ace Hardware and they did not have one either. I could maybe get one from a tool truck if I could find one but I will probably just do as suggested and cut down an extension.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Blk 76

I looked at a couple of auto parts stores for the pipe plug socket but they did not have one and they sent me to Ace Hardware and they did not have one either. I could maybe get one from a tool truck if I could find one but I will probably just do as suggested and cut down an extension.

Harbor Freight sells a pipe plug socket set for like $30. Not the greatest quality but it gets the job done. And heat is your friend here.

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Blk 76

I haven't had time to try getting that pipe plug out yet. I looked at a couple of auto parts stores for the pipe plug socket but they did not have one and they sent me to Ace Hardware and they did not have one either. I could maybe get one from a tool truck if I could find one but I will probably just do as suggested and cut down an extension.

Isn't it a 3/8" square drive. If so, just use a 3/8" extension or ratchet.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by gtofreek

Isn't it a 3/8" square drive. If so, just use a 3/8" extension or ratchet.

The extension or ratchet will be drilled for a spring and ball socket retainer. This makes for a weak spot in the tool at exactly the right depth to twist off in the plug. 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2--doesn't matter. You'll tear the end off the extension.

Saw this happen a dozen times. Folks would not believe me, and sure enough...they'd have to twist off one of their extensions before they'd buy the proper tool.

A chunk of 3/8 (or whatever size fits the plug) key stock might work. Snap-On square plug remover sockets work pretty well in each size EXCEPT 3/16 which is terrible.

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

The extension or ratchet will be drilled for a spring and ball socket retainer. This makes for a weak spot in the tool at exactly the right depth to twist off in the plug. 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2--doesn't matter. You'll tear the end off the extension.

Saw this happen a dozen times. Folks would not believe me, and sure enough...they'd have to twist off one of their extensions before they'd buy the proper tool.

A chunk of 3/8 (or whatever size fits the plug) key stock might work. Snap-On square plug remover sockets work pretty well in each size EXCEPT 3/16 which is terrible.

That makes sense. I never broke one because I've always had the square sockets to use.

[Blk 76]

I have tried to heat the pipe plug with the Mapp Gas torch and made a tool from a 1/2" extension, used wax and PB Blaster and repeated for several days and so far no luck, I know some people say it can take weeks or months of applying something like PB Blaster but I can not wait that long so I will probably have to drill it out. Any good advice on drilling it out? I have used drills and taps on other things but I really need to do this correctly the first time. Will drilling a hole thru the center help relieve enough pressure on the threads to unscrew it?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

In MY garage, that pipe plug would get heated cherry-red, allowed to cool, whereupon it would probably unthread easily.

Originally Posted by Blk 76

I have tried to heat the pipe plug with the Mapp Gas torch

What color did you register on the plug with MAPP gas?

Originally Posted by Schurkey

You can dump the head in a bucket of penetrating oil, if the threads are sealing air-tight, the oil can't get in there to do any good.

Originally Posted by Blk 76

used wax and PB Blaster and repeated for several days and so far no luck, I know some people say it can take weeks or months of applying something like PB Blaster but I can not wait that long

The whole point of pipe thread is that it provides a gas-tight, liquid-tight metal-to-metal contact. You can screw with wax and penetrating oil all day and twice on weekends, IT CANNOT GET BETWEEN THE THREADS TO DO ANY GOOD unless the plug is purposely distorted by (enough) heat.

Find someone with an oxy-acetylene torch. It will be WAY easier than drilling the plug. If you think you have problems now, just wait 'til you have a shattered EZ-Out stuck in the middle of the plug--or driven into the casting behind the plug.

[Blk 76]

I was only able to get it to a dull red and I am not a big fan of the easy outs. The head is on the engine and its out of the car.

[Ben M.]

Take the head off the engine and give it to a machine shop and have them remove it?

[Blk 76]

Right now I would rather drill it out than pull the head and take it to a machine shop.

[BVR421]

This has worked for me a few times, likewise using this technique for a stripped off bolt head on something.
A little arc/mig/tig welder will do the same heat job as a torch. So in effect its the same deal as Shurkey described. Does the same job as a torch many of us dont have.

Weld a short 3/8 bolt onto the plug, grind the bolt threads to a point if needed to allow for a weld bead, the plug and bolt will puddle cherry red in a second. Weld the bolt on like its going to be a permanent thing. Dont just tack around, get it HOT.
plug expands, then cools and contracts, that breaks the rust/corrosion bond on the threads. It should be nearly finger tight then, use the new bolt to gently back the plug out.

Might be easier to put the vacuum module in the water cross of the intake manifold. Isnt that where the factory had them anyway?

[mnfatcat]

I have removed many stripped pipe plugs. Absolute quickest easiest is to weld a nut to the plug with a stick welder, smallest dia 6011 rod you have. Use a lot of heat, and a new rod so that you get to the plug before striking the arc on the inside of the nut, burn it good, fill the inside of the nut. Have a wrench ready and after it loses color, but before it loses all the heat, simply turn it out.

The big advantages to this are obvious, the heat and the nice 6 point nut to grab onto.

[Skip Fix]

My 6x-4 heads on the kid's 81 had one stuck. Drill and die grinder, then a edged file and collapsed it in with a small punch and hammer took about 10 minutes.

[Catbird67]

I drill them with a 3/8" drill then grind a slot towards one side then collapse them with a cold chisel , I also have made tools out of steel square stock and ground them to fit then harden them with a torch so they bite into the plug and weld a cheap impact socket to it to use with a hammer style impact tool .

[Blk 76]

I got the pipe plug out but I had to drill it.