Damaged fill/level/drain plugs

equeen · Sep 15, 2012

Photo is of a mangled fill plug for final drive. Level plug for trans on Farmall 100 similarly damaged.

What is the best way to remove these damaged plugs?

Thanks.

EDW · Sep 15, 2012

If the remaining part of the plug is threaded I would consider drilling a hole into the center of the plug and use an "Easy-Out" to unscrew the plug. However, other folks on this site will certainly have some better suggestions. Good luck.

CenTex Farmall · Sep 15, 2012

I've solved this before by driving a snug fitting chisel diagonally, that is, corner to corner and then turning it with a Crescent wrench.

JimB2 · Sep 15, 2012

If you have a welder, weld a big nut on it and use a socket and breaker bar. Heat from weld will also loosen plug.
JimB

rustyfarmall · Sep 16, 2012

(quoted from post at 19:09:40 09/15/12) If you have a welder, weld a big nut on it and use a socket and breaker bar. Heat from weld will also loosen plug.
JimB

I vote for welding a big nut to it also. Yes, the heat may damage that shiny red paint, but that job should have been done before it was painted.

Red Mercury · Sep 16, 2012

Easy-outs make an excellent Christmas gift for someone you don't like. Rarely do they work if the broken bolt or plug is at all seized in the threads. Often with bolts they will make the problem worse by expanding the bolt in the threaded hole. Or the easy-out will break off in the hole...then what?

The other ideas are worth a try and have been successful. Since it is a fill/level plug it likely is not rusted because it would have oil on the other side. Depending how bad the dammage to the plug is I have been able to put the end of a wrecking bar (claw bar) cross ways in the square of the plug and turn it with a big crescent wrench. Heating the casting around the plug at the same time with an oxy-acetylene torch would help as well but will mess up the nice paint job. I only heat something like that as a last resort because of the risk of damaging something else with the heat.

John G. Hasler · Sep 16, 2012

> Since it is a fill/level plug it likely is not
> rusted because it would have oil on the other
> side.

And therefor an easy-out is worth trying. I"ve had good luck with them. You could also just drill it out and re-tap for a larger plug.

Mark Peters · Sep 16, 2012

I vote for welding a nut on the plug , or if you have access to square steel stock of whatever size that the plug takes (1/2" ?),stick a couple inch long piece in there and weld that in. That being said, if you want to try the easy out method, if you have left hand drill bits, use them and sometimes you get lucky and they`ll catch and back the screw or plug out so you don`t even need to use a easy out.

equeen · Sep 16, 2012

Yep, dummy me didn't pay any attention to the fill/level plug until....after....cleaning and painting. Then .....after....replacing the cleaned and painted oil pan and everything else, decided it was time to lubricate all zerks and refill final drive oil pans, etc.

Anyway, thanks to all for responses. I shall eventually clean the paint from the plug, have a bolt or nut welded onto/in it, remove and replace it; then touch-up the area.

Red Mercury · Sep 16, 2012

An easy out has very very rarely worked for me. They will work with something that is not badly stuck, but with this old rusty machinery how often is that the case? Honestly, I threw mine in the junk years ago. I have had a lot better luck with an oxy-acetylene outfit or a good tap & die set. It's always good to hear other people's ideas just the same. What kind of easy-outs do you use? Maybe there is something better than the old tapered square ones or spiraled ones I used to have.

rhtx55 · Sep 17, 2012

Since it is a tapered pipe plug, drill a small pilot hole in the center ( 1/8 in bit) then enlarge to a 3/8 in, then try using the LARGE square easy out and a wrench that just fits, a crescent wrench isn't the answer here.
Before you put in the easy out, use a 3/8 in chisel and make a cut at the top rh corner then try to tap it couterclock wise to loosen the plug. If the chisel starts to chip out the corner STOP. Tap the plug flat face with a ball peen hammer three times, then the easy out should bring it out in 1 piece.
If after all this the plug refuses to move, it's time for some heat.

Damaged fill/level/drain plugs

equeen

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EDW

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CenTex Farmall

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JimB2

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rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

Red Mercury

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John G. Hasler

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Mark Peters

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equeen

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Red Mercury

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rhtx55

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