AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Car was sitting in a puddle, a freeze plug ad rusted through. After some futzing around, I got it loose... by pushing it entirely into the block. I'm kinda holding onto it with a selection of tweezers and magnets, but I can't get it out.

Anyone have any ideas better than '**** it, that's its new home'?


I'd love to fold it up and pull it out, but I can barely reach the thing, and don't feel like pulling the motor.

Advice?

AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Meh. Thinking I'm going to leave it.

technicalninja

I'd grab the edge with a pair of needle nose vice grips and "peel" it out of the hole.
If you have the room wiggling it till it sticks out of the hole and then prying it out with a small prybar of large common screwdriver might be possible.

I would not leave it in the block...
But I'm ---- about loose stuff in any system.

It most likely will not cause immediate trouble where it is.
Especially if you have future plans to remove engine or exhaust manifold later anyways.
Installing new one will be a pain. I've used "emergency" freeze plugs (rubber with expanding nut) for short term repairs successfully.

technicalninja

Oh, interesting...
Certain non-curse words are forbidden even when they are used without rancor or incorrectly.
Wild!
Censorship smacks even me...

technicalninja

Look at AbeFM's signature line, both a serious curse and a no longer appropriate word and the software kills
----...

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Holy ****, dude! I figured you were gone forever.

Same car as before?

AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Getting the new plug in seemed to go ok. I'm not sure how far below the surface is 'right', I suspect flush isn't. I used an impact swivel on the end of some extensions to try to get it in square, which seemed to go well. The interwebs say that some mechanics push-and-leave the plugs in as a matter of course.

The temp plugs looked pretty cool, but not better. :-)

In the end, I kinda regret not drilling and taping the plug out, but honestly, one big chunk that'll never move is better than sending metal shavings through my water pump over and over. And more known noises in the block is just further justification to ignore the knock sensor.

I also thought I was gone forever. I don't drive a whole lot these days (who does?), so my maintenance-to-joy ratio is pretty diminished and an iCar keeps sounding good. But yeah, the 2000 continues to impress every time I get it out there.