| Author |
Message |
    
Ben Tuppen
Member
Username: bentuppen
Post Number: 27
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 05:25 am: | 
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Hello,
The water jacket drain plug on my R3M is loose, because the iron block into which the brass plug fits has got corroded over the years. Does anyone have any tips on how to rebuild this? Should I re-thread (something I've never tried before) and find a bigger plug? Are there some magic 'chemical metal' products that will help me restore enough strength to the iron that the plug will hold good and tight for next season?
Any ideas and tips on how to do them much appreciated (as ever!)
Ben |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 237
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 05:51 am: |
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Ben ,a couple of ways to fix this are as follows.There a what they call Helli Coils .These are a thread restoring insert and work well .The problem is that they require specialist fitting . They come in kit form ,with various sizes and the special tool required to fit them . I gather you are not experienced enough to do this your self and the second method also requires some workshop experience . This being to drill and tap the existing damaged threaded drain hole .In your case I would suggest in your case as the existing size is 1/8th BSP ,you would go to the next size 1/4 BSP. Again as I said some workshop experince is required as well as having the tools etc .You are dealing with Cast Iron here and it is a brittle material . I would suggest unless you have a friend who is experienced enough to do the job take it to a machine shop and have it done . |
Bruce Hall
Senior Member
Username: bruce
Post Number: 162
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 09:02 pm: |
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You might try a plumbing supply store and purchase some viscous soft set pipe dope to apply to the plug which allowed to dry, may fill the voids. |
J.B. Castagnos
Senior Member
Username: jb_castagnos
Post Number: 326
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 03:41 pm: |
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If you know someone with a lathe that has a taper attchment, you can have them make an oversize fitting, pipe taper should tighen in the larger hole. I had to do this on my Fisherman, oversize on one end, standard on the other. |
Ben Tuppen
Member
Username: bentuppen
Post Number: 28
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 05:07 pm: |
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thanks very much for the tips guys. I think I'll try some of this soft pipe dope and see if that looks secure to get me started, then perhaps go speak to a friendly machinist...
Ben |
Andrew Smith
New member
Username: andy_smith
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 01:39 am: |
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As the pressure is negligible I simply used a hardwood plug. Simple and effective. I'm not looking for a concourse engine, just one that will continue to propel my boat. |
Ben Tuppen
Member
Username: bentuppen
Post Number: 29
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 04:18 pm: |
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thanks for the tip Andrew. That's not a bad place to start, and at least if it does pop out you can just squeeze the thing back in again. I guess I'll start with that and if my wood shaping skills aren't up to much I'll get in touch with a machine shop! |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 249
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 05:33 pm: |
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Ben ,can I suggest you do the following as a '' Make Do'' solution.
Sit down with your Wife/Girl Friend/ Mistress or whatever.Open a bottle of good Australian Wine. I would recommend Ferngrove 2007 Shiraz Voignier.This from the Great Southern Region of West Australia. Enjoy the contents ,save the stopper and use it for your plug. I am sure this will solve your problem and not call into play your wood working skills.
I might add that this Saturday I will be in the Frankland area visiting a farm ,I might just drop in to Ferngrove and restock .
Hey dont buy any of that TESCO crap or that Frog stuff that they send over to you.
Enjoy! |
Mark Deverell
Member
Username: weysail
Post Number: 13
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 06:09 pm: |
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and there was me opening a Bordeaux Villages 2006 and dialling for a local marine engineer to put a new thread in mine! I could have drunk the wine, given half away to the wife and discovered that the cork didn't fit, which it doesn't, oh dear. Just as well I didn't offer the wife any......
Mark |
Malcolm Goram
Visitor
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 - 07:50 pm: |
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Greetings! I have just had a similar problem - not with the wine, you understand, but with the crankcase drain plug. How about a couple of turns of PTFE tape round the threads? It worked for me. I am still considering what to do long term. |
