Stuck rad drain plug!

Heeley · 04-09-2008, 05:43 PM

Hey guys, i have a 93 R1, and the drain plug on the rad is stuck.. looks like someone previously tried to undo it, and rounded the sucker off. What's the best way to remove it? damaged bolt / screw removal tool? I wanted to do a coolant flush since the car's new to me.

Matt

BLKTOPTRVL · 04-09-2008, 06:29 PM

Drill through the plastic plug, then get a "bolt/screw out" from sears.

KaiFD3S · 04-09-2008, 06:52 PM

What he said^^or if you are still using the stock one it would be a good time to upgrade to an aluminum one.

a7xh7 · 04-09-2008, 06:53 PM

cant get one of those grip pliers on it?

Signal 2 · 04-09-2008, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaiFD3S

....if you are still using the stock one it would be a good time to upgrade to an aluminum one.

+1. I wouldn't even mess with it. The OEM radiator was pretty efficient for what it was. But 15 years on those plastic end-tanks is a little scary. Catastrophic coolant loss will run you alot more than the cost of an aftermarket all-aluminum radiator. Lots of choices.

David Jerome · 04-09-2008, 09:23 PM

Thin flathead screw driver and a hammer will fix it. Make sure the screw driver is centered and not big enough to crack thru the plug and into the threads on the radiator. They sell replacements at your local autoparts store that will fit the stock radiator. It should be pretty easy to get out, dont feel bad that yours is stripped because they all do that over time.

Heeley · 04-10-2008, 11:46 PM

thanks guys. Looks like the rad plug is the least of my worries at this point. The engine just shit the bed. Looks like o-ring failure.

staticpat · 04-11-2008, 08:16 AM

I spent a whole day trying this once with little success even with ez-outs and whatnot. The fastest thing to do is heat up a flathead screwdriver with a torch. Stick it deep into the plastic and let the plastic harden. Voila, you just made a flathead screw that will easily come out. Sorry that it doesn't look like this will be much help now :<.

David Jerome · 04-11-2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heeley

thanks guys. Looks like the rad plug is the least of my worries at this point. The engine just shit the bed. Looks like o-ring failure.

I know where you can find the best priced rebuilt shortblocks

Heeley · 04-13-2008, 12:53 AM

thanx... i'm sure shipping would be a bitch to Canada though. I bought the car from a dealership in Texas. Fuckers put on a low pressure rad cap, and grounded out the low coolant sensor. I assume they threw in some stock leak to minimize the leakdown as well. I put the proper cap on, and when it built pressure, it promptly started spitting coolant out the tailpipe, and frothing the coolant / barfing it out of the overflow tank. I'm not impressed.

Debating whether or not litigation is in order. I should have seen an imminent rebuild coming though with 66k miles on the original engine. Wishful thinking had the rebuild happening next year, not right away.

David Jerome · 04-13-2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heeley

thanx... i'm sure shipping would be a bitch to Canada though. I bought the car from a dealership in Texas. Fuckers put on a low pressure rad cap, and grounded out the low coolant sensor. I assume they threw in some stock leak to minimize the leakdown as well. I put the proper cap on, and when it built pressure, it promptly started spitting coolant out the tailpipe, and frothing the coolant / barfing it out of the overflow tank. I'm not impressed.

Debating whether or not litigation is in order. I should have seen an imminent rebuild coming though with 66k miles on the original engine. Wishful thinking had the rebuild happening next year, not right away.

Shipping is actually very reasonable, your border fees or import tax or whatever might be expensive though. I have sold engines to guys in Norway and one shipping to Iceland in a couple days. Let me know if you need anything.

04-09-2008, 05:43 PM	#1
Heeley Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Snowbelt, Ontario! Posts: 57 Rep Power: 18	Stuck rad drain plug! Hey guys, i have a 93 R1, and the drain plug on the rad is stuck.. looks like someone previously tried to undo it, and rounded the sucker off. What's the best way to remove it? damaged bolt / screw removal tool? I wanted to do a coolant flush since the car's new to me. Matt

04-09-2008, 06:29 PM	#2
BLKTOPTRVL Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 192 Rep Power: 18	Drill through the plastic plug, then get a "bolt/screw out" from sears. __________________ ...shoot a mother-humpin moose, eight days of the week... Last edited by BLKTOPTRVL; 04-09-2008 at 06:31 PM.

04-09-2008, 06:53 PM	#4
a7xh7 Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 88 Rep Power: 0	cant get one of those grip pliers on it? __________________ "sevens_ix"

04-09-2008, 09:23 PM	#6
David Jerome RCC Contributor Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 713 Rep Power: 18	Thin flathead screw driver and a hammer will fix it. Make sure the screw driver is centered and not big enough to crack thru the plug and into the threads on the radiator. They sell replacements at your local autoparts store that will fit the stock radiator. It should be pretty easy to get out, dont feel bad that yours is stripped because they all do that over time. __________________ David Jerome Broker for Speed For Sale LLC (David@SpeedForSale.com) (Pre-owned RX7/sports car sales & new parts sales/installs/tuning) PM me about low priced, high quality port work

04-09-2008, 06:52 PM	#3
KaiFD3S Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 437 Rep Power: 18	What he said^^or if you are still using the stock one it would be a good time to upgrade to an aluminum one.

04-10-2008, 11:46 PM	#7
Heeley Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Snowbelt, Ontario! Posts: 57 Rep Power: 18	thanks guys. Looks like the rad plug is the least of my worries at this point. The engine just shit the bed. Looks like o-ring failure.

04-11-2008, 08:16 AM	#8
staticpat Rally Fanboy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New York Posts: 147 Rep Power: 18	I spent a whole day trying this once with little success even with ez-outs and whatnot. The fastest thing to do is heat up a flathead screwdriver with a torch. Stick it deep into the plastic and let the plastic harden. Voila, you just made a flathead screw that will easily come out. Sorry that it doesn't look like this will be much help now :<.

04-13-2008, 12:53 AM	#10
Heeley Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Snowbelt, Ontario! Posts: 57 Rep Power: 18	thanx... i'm sure shipping would be a bitch to Canada though. I bought the car from a dealership in Texas. Fuckers put on a low pressure rad cap, and grounded out the low coolant sensor. I assume they threw in some stock leak to minimize the leakdown as well. I put the proper cap on, and when it built pressure, it promptly started spitting coolant out the tailpipe, and frothing the coolant / barfing it out of the overflow tank. I'm not impressed. Debating whether or not litigation is in order. I should have seen an imminent rebuild coming though with 66k miles on the original engine. Wishful thinking had the rebuild happening next year, not right away.