Tow Eye Plug
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Tow Eye Plug
Not a new story here. I have been fighting with my aluminum plug for the last few months. Seems that a possible combination of PB Blaster soaking for 2 months and painfully cold whether may have been enough to loosen the plug. So, yesterday I was able to get mine out. The actual plug was not as I had imagined it to look and since I could not find any pictures of the piece I figured that I would post mine. If I had know what was lurking behind that cap, I might have approached the job a bit differently.
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From: Australia
Well done, havent seen an almost intact one before. Now get on Alan's list to use my tap to clean up the threads, and get a late model rubber bung to keep things clean for when you do need to use it !
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
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From: St Louis, MO
+1 on never having seen an intact one.
It is amazing that PB blaster was effective. Mine seemed to have become one with the frame.
Just a few comments: I wonder if drilling a hole through the cap and introducing PB blaster/Acetone-ATF/etc into the cavity behind the head and in front of the threads would be a good strategy for allowing the penetrant to do its thing. Lastly, using a 1/2 drive wrench is probably the fast track to snapping the hex bit off.
It is amazing that PB blaster was effective. Mine seemed to have become one with the frame.
Just a few comments: I wonder if drilling a hole through the cap and introducing PB blaster/Acetone-ATF/etc into the cavity behind the head and in front of the threads would be a good strategy for allowing the penetrant to do its thing. Lastly, using a 1/2 drive wrench is probably the fast track to snapping the hex bit off.
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Finally put some effort in to removing mine and I am amazed that it came out. Sweet. Tried before and didn't put much force on it and I suppose that is what it needed.
Tried to do two others that are here and they were not going to budge.
Tried to do two others that are here and they were not going to budge.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2011
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One of the motivations for getting the plug out in one piece was to avoid the need to reform threads. There was a fair amount of debris in the threads but no major deformation. Just so that I didn't end up with a nasty surprise one day, I did test the threads by installing the tow eye. I was able to get full engagement without much effort at all. So, I have spray the threads with Corrosion X and will have the new plastic insert on my next order of parts. No big hurry as the car's winter slumber has another 2-3 months before the salt is washed off of the roads.
I really think that one of the factors was the temperature, as aluminum will expand and contract more than steel. May have been just enough to loosen the 2 parts up. So, kudos to Canada for sending down that blast of cold air! But I am good now so you guys can take it back any time..
Incidentally, here is my magic removal tool when all was said and done. Unfortunately, the screw driver was a sacrifice, but I'll consider it a fair trade for getting the plug out in 1 piece.
I really think that one of the factors was the temperature, as aluminum will expand and contract more than steel. May have been just enough to loosen the 2 parts up. So, kudos to Canada for sending down that blast of cold air! But I am good now so you guys can take it back any time..
Incidentally, here is my magic removal tool when all was said and done. Unfortunately, the screw driver was a sacrifice, but I'll consider it a fair trade for getting the plug out in 1 piece.
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I've been coating mine externally with PB Blaster for a few weeks now and unfortunately just snapped the 6mm hex bit in the plug. Trying to determine what is the best next step here: to try to drill out the bit tip to keep the plug intact and continue trying to get it off, or try to drill out the entire plug. Or is there a better option?