Ok, so I was taking out the bottom engine plugs to drain the water out for winter and broke one off. These plugs are hollow with a smaller solid bolt on top of the hollow one that is screwed into the block. Anyway, the plug broke off at the top of the drain hole. Probably a 1/4 inch piece is in the drain hole. Anybody have any idea if this can be fixed with out a huge amount of work? like taking the engine out? Feelin like an idiot....any advise out there?
The engine is the typical 4.3 inboard/outboard mercruiser. Thanks for any advise you can give.
welcome aboard,
just thinking here ,
but i would try to use an easy out(large one i am assuming) available at most hardware or auto parts stores
that should work for you if it broke off and have some pieces sticking out.
and while your out fetching parts you might as well take the other drain plug (to get a match) stop by a marina and match it up.
be careful not to scrape the threads in the block while using the easy out. remember s l o w l y should do it
i hope this helps, but i will also see what kind of info i can gather.
good luck,
and let us know how you make out
Great! Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunatly, there is not a peice sticking out of the hole. It broke off right at the top of the hole, so there is nothing to grab onto. The broken off peice that is still in the hole is almost flush with the top of the hole. Like I said, it is a hollow bolt. Is there any kind of product that you know of that I could stick into the bolt hole that would expand somehow and allow me to slowly work the broken peice out?
I am not familar with the easy out, but will check it out and see if it works.
Wow, can't believe I did this. Thank you very much for your help. Much appreciated.
you can get away for a few bucks at the loacal parts store
at the store get a few sizes(you will use them later, at some point)
shoot a pic of the broken piece and pm it to me or post here!
its not a huge issue, but a little delicate,
we will get you through it.
let us know how it goes
or if you have further questions
Damn guys! I really appreciate the help. Making me feel a whole lot better about this issue. I'll get the easy out and see what happens and let you know. Thanks again.
The brass is soft enough, I would think and easy out would work great. When you reinstall use plumbers pipe thread tape, should help for future. It works well for me.
I agree that an "easy out" extractor is the first choice, but due to the soft nature of the brass or bronze plug, it may crush it rather than remove it. If there is even the smallest lip of the plug above the block you can catch it with a sharp center punch or chisel and collapse the plug or distort it enough that it breaks free of the block and then back to the easy out. Worst case, drill it out carefully with progressively larger bits until you can get a tap in there to remove the final metal from the threads, or drill large enough to re-tap and use a heli-coil thread insert or just a larger plug.
Of course none of this is particularly easy/practical when you're on your head in the bilge. It's never easy.
I did something really dumb...please help
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