I think your idea of making the homemade square socket would be the best approach. Then maybe an impact on it. With the starter out you might consider using a small angle grinder with a cutting blade to square it up a little. "If" the plug were to be hollow and break through it could still be drilled for an eeze out or even completely drilled out. I have no doubt you will find a way. :thumbsup:
Removing Plug to Install a Block Heater - Need some ideas
- Thread starter Scotty Dive
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LouNY
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Scotty your idea of making a socket sounds good.
There was a post I read somewhere were someone had filed out a hex nut and then drove it on the plug and used a normal 6 point socket after that.
Either way I would use an impact wrench going forward and back till it came loose.
Heating even with a torch is going to have minimal effect, you are working with a fairly thin piece of cast iron and unless it has already been drained an blown dry it will have water which will suck the heat away and evenly distribute it.
A snug fitting socket either on the pipe plug or a hex nut secured to the plug possibly even welded on and an impact will be the best way to get that plug to loosen and turn out.
Good luck with it.
There was a post I read somewhere were someone had filed out a hex nut and then drove it on the plug and used a normal 6 point socket after that.
Either way I would use an impact wrench going forward and back till it came loose.
Heating even with a torch is going to have minimal effect, you are working with a fairly thin piece of cast iron and unless it has already been drained an blown dry it will have water which will suck the heat away and evenly distribute it.
A snug fitting socket either on the pipe plug or a hex nut secured to the plug possibly even welded on and an impact will be the best way to get that plug to loosen and turn out.
Good luck with it.
rScotty
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The problem with heating the block in that area with a torch is that the block itself resists the expansion of any local hot spot.
I assume you mean an oxy/acetylene torch with a heating tip. Propane or Mapp gas isn't going to do enough to be worth the effort.
Instead of heating the material around the plug with any kind of torch, I think that you would gain more expansion of the block in the plug's tapered thread area by simply starting the engine and running it until the entire engine block is very hot. You might need to cover the radiator to get it as hot as you can without hurting things.
At that point it wouldn't surprise me if the plug could be unscrewed with normal force. If not, then you can still use the oxy/acet. torch to put even more heat into the local area of the block if you want.
The Yanmar plug itself is a tapered thread, so it will break loose more like a plumbing fitting than a nut and bolt. However the plug and block may well be a 55 degree BSPT thread shape often used on Japanese equipent rather than the more usual 60 degree NPT thread angle that is common for plumbing fittings in the United States. Some are, and I've also heard that some are not.
But if yours is BSPT, you don't want to put an NPT plug back into that hole in the block even though it very nearly fits (same number of threads/inch).
You can get a BSPT plug from some sports car shops, McMaster-Carr, Hoye tractor, or most any Yanmar engine shop.
rScotty
bedrock61
New member
Possibly drain the coolant before you heat the block. All that coolant is going to keep the iron from getting hot enough to help the situation. Lots of heat to burn the crud/rust loose from around the threads. I got really lucky and mine wasn't rusted...just took about 100 ft lbs on a breaker bar to loosen.
careyo63
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At my place I doubt my compressor would do it even using an Impact. I'm maxed out at 125PSI. which I had to alter it to get that high. Get the Breaker bar out. I have to do this all the time. From Arm and Hand injury's. There both still there but only one set works good which is my opposite L. on top of that. I actually have a massive adjustable one. You be amazed what little effort it takes with it. Solid steel so there is no give what so ever. Used it the other day on the neighbors car. Little girl couldn't get the lug nuts off. I couldn't either with the Lug wrench. I knew better and came prepared for any snafu... Pulled out the trusty bar and it was effortless. Jack it up or do what ever it takes to use the bar. My bet as soon as it hardly moves and your Hm. Free.......
rScotty
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I think you need the coolant to conduct the heat from the cylinders to the outer shell of the block.
LouNY
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With 90 psi air my 1/2 inch is around 1200 ft/lb of torque,
my Milwaukee M18 Cordless 1/2in. Impact Wrench is rated at 1400 ft/lb of removal torque.
With the impact action and torque available they will exceed most breaker bars.
careyo63
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1/4 Inch HF. Impact is all I Have for around the house. I have a 1/4-1/2 adapter so I never had much trouble with anything. I use 1/2 inch Deep dewell Imp. Sockets and a 1/2 Ratchet when I have to pull out the Breaker Bar. And that's only If air isn't around. Honestly I'm pretty sure my impact would get it off. And the reason I had to bring the Bar out last time was I was on the side of the road...............
ktm250rider
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After reading all these stories I must have got lucky with mine. Just did it last weekend on my 2000 JD 4510. Used a 2 foot extension on my breaker bar. I broke it free with the engine hot. Really didnt take much force at all. Not sure if it was luck or with the hot engine.
Jtullis13
Platinum Member
Maybe both
