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View Full Version : What a day!!!!



Cuda
01-31-2002, 08:14 PM
I recieved my FWC system yesterday evening. Took the boat over to my dad's (who owns every tool known to man) to do the install. According to the manufactorer, it is a two hour job. Well, we put in 8 full hours today, and we aren't even half way there. mad.gif It wouldn't be a very tough job, except for having to remove the plugs from the exhaust manifolds. It took us 5 hours to get ONE removed. They are in the manifolds with a half in square hole for removal. Looks easy enough. Put a half inch breaker bar in the hole and couldn't budge it. Put a pipe on it, no go. Get out the acetalene torch, heat it up and try it, no good. Heat it up, pound it with a punch.....no go. Heat,pound, twist....manage to round out the hole. mad.gif We drilled small holes all the way across the plug, stuck a chisel in it and tried to turn it with a 36" pipe wrench. Broke the chisel, and of course the piece fell in the manifold mad.gif mad.gif Finally, drilled and dremeled the plug all the way across including thru the threads of the boss, and managed to chisel the two pieces out. Then went to look for the fitting that was "included" in the kit...not there. Try finding a 3/4 pipe to 1" hose 90! No one has one so far. mad.gif At least I can look on the bright side.....still have to do the same thing on the other manifold, and the plug on that side is screwed in farther. These aren't rusty manifolds, only 20 hours of freshwater use on them.

I am tired, aching, and SUNBURNED!

Gonna hit it again in the morning, anybody have any suggestions for an easier way to remove these plugs?

Hotspare
01-31-2002, 10:22 PM
What I've had luck with over the years is a penetrant called, Kroil. I See it used mainly on aircraft, but works great in other applications as well. I know it can be had at aircraft stores, not expensive either........ Wear gloves though, it will penetrate the skin...My suggestion though, would be to start by spraying the kroil liberaly around the shoulder of the plug's, and.. let it soak a bit, then spray it again..... If possible, let it sit over night, but if your like me and can't sleep till it's done. I'd use a 1/2 drive impact wrench on it... Start by setting it pretty low, and work your way up, this will also help the penetrant soak in better... If you still have to heat it up a little, only heat the casting around the plug, so the plug does'nt expand to much..... This should open the door for the breaker bar and cheater, if it isn't out by then..... Yea, the approximate times they give,are always figured under idea conditions, like new PARTS and STUFF mad.gif ...... They also make some pretty good copper and nickle base antisieze compounds that will help with removals later on down the line if required..... So hang in there, It's all good............ Hey, I've also got a remedy for that nagging sunburn...... Later on......... smile.gif

BigGrizzly
02-01-2002, 01:05 AM
The experience will be worth it and it will save you more time than you have in it in the end. Waiting paitently for my heat exchanger to come back from the loan so i can put it in the
Criterion.

Randy.