Frost plug heater troubles

   / Frost plug heater troubles #21  
If you show me a threaded freeze plug hole, I'll buy you a happy meal. How could it freeze and pop out if it's threaded?
My NH TD95D has a threaded hole for its block heater.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #22  
Roustabout is correct threaded hole into water jacket is not a frost plug. My Branson also has thread in block in heater.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #24  
Originally those holes are used to get the sand out of the block after it is cast, so they are machined and are usually called core plugs. But often before anti freeze became common usage If not drained the block would freeze and if lucky the plug pushed out and saved the block, so they picked up the name freeze plugs.
As for block heaters there are some that fit these machined holes and some that screw in. Perkins uses both types depending on the engine.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #25  
That almost looks like a press fit but I have never seen a press fit block heater. Do you have a replacement heater to look at for reference on how it installs?
Any Block Heaters I have seen are Press fit, normally replacing Welch Plugs.
Get some Penetrating oil and heat/cool around the edge. It will likely come out in pieces. My engine overheated and cracked when one of mine blew out on a 4.3, engine. Mine had a cross piece attached to the centre bolt much like a plug for Water Heater. You might want to loosen/break off that bolt. Tap all the way around it and try to get one side loose. Pry it out with whatever is available.
Good Luck.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #26  
Hi,
I'm interested to know how you determined that the toggle (wings) fell into the water jacket?

Anyway....

"Hopefully it's not threaded in"...

Well, if it is and you don't know for sure which it is here's how I would proceed:

Heat the plug and carefully apply penetrant while it's hot observing fire safety. Do that more than once.

When you feel like going for it, after it's completely cool, use a sharp punch to engage the plug near it's outer edge in 2 or more locations directly across from one another if possible. Begin with minimal force, tapping the punch to try turning in a counter clockwise direction.

This will take some patience and judgment for sure.

If it doesn't budge, heat it again and apply penetrant. Always allow to completely cool before trying to rotate. It's the cool down that typically breaks the corrosion bond and allows the penetrant (pb blaster or aero kroil) to creep in.

Judiciously apply more force to the tapping of the punch to try to get some movement because, whether it's threaded, clamped or expanded in, it should eventually work loose to some degree doing this.

The last thing you want is to apply force and end up with a chunk of block casting in your hand.

Good luck.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #27  
That almost looks like a press fit but I have never seen a press fit block heater. Do you have a replacement heater to look at for reference on how it installs?
I agree with you about it looking like a press fit. The small nut in the center is certainly not made to install or remove. If it is threaded from observing a new one it can give you idea how to uninstall/ install. One possible way to remove if it is threaded is to drill two holes opposite each other 1/2” if possible. Tap and make handle with bolts to fit through. After using something like PT Blaster and heat for several days then bolt on handle and turn counter clockwise while hitting with a hammer.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #28  
Perhaps you could try a piece of pop can and some caulk
to cover the plug and add the liquid wrench or what ever so
it will not just run off????

willy
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #29  
View attachment 818109
Git it out with a drill and seal puller.
Thank you for coming back to close the loop... So many new posters just ghost the forum after getting advice / help. You will help someone in the future with the same problem.
 
   / Frost plug heater troubles #30  
1. Freeze plug IS a misnomer. They ARE for removing casting sand, nothing else. The fact that they do sometimes pop out when the block freezes is just a coincidence. In many cases, the block also cracks.

2. The strap with the threaded hole will have a bolt from the outside threaded into it. When you tighten the bolt it compresses a block of rubber between the 2 sides and causes it to enlarge in diameter and basically jam itself in the hole through expansion. Replacements are available at any online tractor parts place, or TSC, etc.

3. Yes, they do make threaded block heaters for threaded holes. I have a Ford 3000 diesel, with just such a hole and block heater. This type is the best IMO and will have a hex protrusion on the outside that a standard SAE socket will fit on. When I overhauled mine in 1982, I installed one. The threaded hole had a steel plug in it from the factory with a 1" Allen head socket. I had to make a tool to remove it because I couldn't find a hex wrench that large anywhere. Thankfully I sealed threads with either teflon pipe seal or maybe it was anti-seize compound. But, when it finally burned the element in two, 30-some years later, I simply unscrewed it and screwed a new one in it's place.

Glad you got it out. Good luck with the replacement.
 
 
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