I need to pull the threaded plugs that block the coolant passages at the front of my cylinder heads, but not having much success. The plugs have a 1/4" square hole, and must have a real strong thread sealer from the factory. I already snapped the drive end of a Craftsman 1/4" drive ratchet, and neither budged. Already tried a little heat from a torch to release any threadlocking compound, no dice.

Any ideas of how to get these out? I have a spare old damaged head - I practiced drilling the plug on it out, and had to bore it out all the way to the threads - i.e. even with material removed it never even backed out at all...

help!

 

Heat up the area with a torch as before and then light a candle and drip it around the threads of the plug. Then try it with a 1/4 drive breaker bar. I know this sounds strange but there was a write up in one of last years CHP magazine about the wax trick.

Let us know what happens
Dave

 

Use at leat a 3/8 drive bar. Get a 3/8 to 1/4 inch drive impact adapter, and use that to remove the plug, is 10 times stronger then a lowly 1/4inch craftsman