Stripped / Rusted drain plug hole

We have success!!! The tap definitely made the drain hole bigger but it worked. My brass plug is snug and my block has been protected with antifreeze. If it happens any more I might have to move up to the next size (I think 3/8").

Thank you all so much for the help.

Kevin

63 Skier wrote: KENO wrote: I use the minus 100 degree stuff because I like the color and I get it from a plumber friend. And I make sure the female openings are well lubed up before inserting the male plug I've had a few people question my excessive use of never-seize ..... but it makes a huge difference in these little pipe thread plugs. I didn't see -100 in a couple of stores I tried, including tractor supply, where do people who don't know Ken's friend get it?

Most any plumbing supply outfit will have some.

Sold as boiler anti freeze

One brand would be Hercules Cryo Tek minus 100.

A 5 gallon container isn't terrible pricewise especially if you have an account with the place

West Marine sells the minus 100 RV stuff too

Here's a West Marine link to info on different antifreeze ratings that they sell

link

I didn’t say avg temps matter, just that NYC is a different climate from here since they’re a ways south, on the shore, at sea level... we get different weather here in the hills that seems to be within a few degrees of southern Maine when I occasionally check.

If a few nightly excursions to -35 are enough to worry you with -50 AF, I would have to assume you start draining your blocks when overnight lows approach 45 degrees? (15 degrees of margin)

I normally don’t winterize until I see sustained (24-48hrs) below freezing. We don’t see many days in a row here below -50.

Next time you're drinking a beer, admiring that beautiful boat on your coozi, read the writing and that's where you can get some -100.

Average temps don't matter. It's those lows in a cold snap like last winter where -35 was happening frequently for a couple weeks.

You guys are using the wrong formula.   In California, I roll the boat into the garage and close the door. Insulated basement garage never drops below 60 in cold of Winter.
By Cold, a real cold snap in Northern California gets way down to +28 or so.

I know, we are also stuck with all the High Taxes and other California Negatives but, Hey, there are reasons we put up with that. Our Weather is the main reason.

On a serious note, as you guys are talking about drilling and tapping in engine blocks always investigate the space available. I was in an engine shop and they showed me a good block that had a perfect hole drilled right through a cylinder wall.   In an engine you need to think about what is behind the hole you are fixing. A good sharp bit will drill right through cast iron quickly. Maybe add a tape line on your drill bit marking your stop depth to avoid a costly mistake.

I hate it when we have sustained -50deg temps here in New England and all my blocks freeze up from using inferior AF.

ELIZABETH! I’m Comin!
[/QUOTE]

KENO wrote: So what made the old dog {that's you Pete} change his ways and start to use some antifreeze? From a 2012 thread 8122pbrainard wrote: . The anti is, as Gary says, just cheap insurance. )

Ken,
I'd say I've been using anti in my boats for well over 30 years. As mentioned, it's cheap insurance plus I guess I just went along with the tread that everyone seemed to be doing. The neighbors I did a couple weeks ago didn't get any anti but it's a Chris/Hercules K and like you mentioned is an older marine that drains very well with it's plug all the way aft and low.

So, speaking of old dogs, what does the other CCfan old dog do.

I too have popped a freeze plug with a drain only... I cycle a little AF through each drain before reinstalling the plugs. Starboard drain on Windsors is pretty far forward (high) and doesn’t get all the water. Big proponent of probing here also. I usually fill (at least a gallon) on my final winterization of the season. Usually just drain on the early season winterizations.

Pete, Fords and Chevys. I been using that method since I popped a freeze plug on a PCM 240 about 20 years ago. That engine had been drained and filled with -50 anti freeze. Obviously, some water got stuck in the engine, and yes I always poke for scale. I always purge now and most always water proceeds the antifreeze. My 2003 Indmar manual instructs to just drain, so some do still advocate for that method.

I always put the plugs back in and pour 1/2 half gallon of anti freeze into engine, then pull the plugs again. Water always proceeds the antifreeze draining out, so if you just pull the plugs, some water remains in the engine.

Faceplant wrote: Riley wrote: Hollywood wrote: Let's not forget you don't need to plug that hole for winter... No, but if you do that, pour some antifreeze through the engine to flush the water out. I thought that when you did the " drain only method " you didn't need to add any anti freeze at all ?

Jeff,
Correct. If you drain only, no antifreeze is needed.

KRoundy wrote: Purchased a 1/4-18 tap at NAPA on my lunch break. Will report again soon. I’m hopeful that it will be really dry so I can get a good look. .

Kevin,
One thing you should be aware of when running the tap in deep is how deep the water cavity is behind the hole. If there's not enough room, then the tap can bottom out before you get some decent threads cut. There are taps that are called "bottoming" or "short projection" where the taper is larger in diameter at the bottom of the tap. Think about trying to tap a pipe cap. In a pinch, I've cut taps shorter to get the same results. Check how deep the hole in the block is.

Purchased a 1/4-18 tap at NAPA on my lunch break. Will report again soon. I’m hopeful that it will be really dry so I can get a good look. Going to look at McMaster quick drains right now...

TRBenj wrote: I’ve only lost the threads on one engine that I had maintained for a long period of time, and it occurred in the spring following the single winter where I drained only and left the plugs out. Maybe it was a long time coming but that sure seemed to speed the process. Plugs get reinserted now.

Same here. Forgot they were out. Lucky enough thread deep in the hole cleaned up with a tap worked.