Inquiring minds want to know the serial number.
D'OH! Bonehead coolant leak, what to do
- Thread starter madpogue
- Start date
Inquiring minds want to know the serial number.
madpogue
Full Access Member
Oh alright; I was weighing whether to drill out that other rivet. Guess the vote is in.....
When I explained to my wife the pickle I'd got myself in, she had the thought, couldn't they have just made a number tag like a diff tag, and pinned it down with, say, one of the intake manifold bolts? What a PITA.
When I explained to my wife the pickle I'd got myself in, she had the thought, couldn't they have just made a number tag like a diff tag, and pinned it down with, say, one of the intake manifold bolts? What a PITA.
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
Cast iron is soft and easy to drill. It actually chips off pieces instead of sending off long curls of metal. My bet is this number tag was drilled with a bit that had a stop on it just so the "new guy" did not drill into the water jackets. Really just a guess. Only way to know for sure is remove the other rivit and check the jole. See if it goes thru. A very sharp flat blade screwdriver sharpened up will pull that rivit. Or make up some end nippers that are flat ground so the edge slips under the rivet head. Once a rivet starts coming out it gets easier the more it comes out.
madpogue
Full Access Member
Gettin' there. Had to hurry out of work to get to Ace, got the tap, drill and cap screw. I was able to get the other rivet head ground off and got the plate off without removing the rivet, so it's staying put. Drill/tap went alright. I first tried just 4-5 turns, but of course, it's not pipe thread, so it started pushing coolant out when I revved it up. So I tapped all the way through, and bottomed the screw with a stainless flat washer onto the top of the block. I'm going to see if the Gasoila sets up any, and then try starting it again. I'm just wondering if I should use something else to seal it at the surface. Maybe even a crush washer or brass or something. Any other suggesteions? I suppose the cherry on top would be a cap screw with a tapered shoulder, and then taper cut the top of the hole, for a "tapered seat" seal. I suppose I always have the option of bombing it out to an NPT.
Edit - oh yeah, thanks to its proximity to the IP, there was no way to use a regular tap t-handle. So I did what will probably make most machinists cringe - used a needle-nose vise-grip as a turning handle
. Hey, it was the ONLY thing I could think of that would fit. And it did give me good "feedback" on how the cutting was going. I used bar&chain oil as cutting oil, to give the chips something to stick to it. Sometimes I'd get a full turn at a time, other times I'd feel it load up at just 1/8 turn. I've only had to tap threads a few times ever; it's def. one of those "zen patience" exercises, esp. in somewhat unknown territory as this.
Aaaaaand, the magic hidden number is..... A2U799736 - way up there, gotta be one of the last ones built. Well beyond the block heater issue threshold. At first I didn't see the 6 on the end, and thought oh crap, just five digits after the U. Closer look at the pic indicated something there, went back out, cleaned it up some more, WHEW! At least they didn't drill/rivet right through the original digits. So here's where it's at now:
Edit - oh yeah, thanks to its proximity to the IP, there was no way to use a regular tap t-handle. So I did what will probably make most machinists cringe - used a needle-nose vise-grip as a turning handle
. Hey, it was the ONLY thing I could think of that would fit. And it did give me good "feedback" on how the cutting was going. I used bar&chain oil as cutting oil, to give the chips something to stick to it. Sometimes I'd get a full turn at a time, other times I'd feel it load up at just 1/8 turn. I've only had to tap threads a few times ever; it's def. one of those "zen patience" exercises, esp. in somewhat unknown territory as this.Aaaaaand, the magic hidden number is..... A2U799736 - way up there, gotta be one of the last ones built. Well beyond the block heater issue threshold. At first I didn't see the 6 on the end, and thought oh crap, just five digits after the U. Closer look at the pic indicated something there, went back out, cleaned it up some more, WHEW! At least they didn't drill/rivet right through the original digits. So here's where it's at now:
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what i fond works well is a small socket on an extention.
yea the vicegrip method made me crindge, but whatever gets it to work.
the way i tap is 3/4 turn then back 1.4 turns, until it goes freely.
this allows chips to find there way into the flutes.
cutting oil is a good idea.
may wanna do the other side before it becomes an issue down the road.
is that the cutting fluid with the cap screw installed?
if so, pull it out, clean it and apply some RTV.
a copper washer may work, but only if the sealing surface is smooth.
yea the vicegrip method made me crindge, but whatever gets it to work.
the way i tap is 3/4 turn then back 1.4 turns, until it goes freely.
this allows chips to find there way into the flutes.
cutting oil is a good idea.
may wanna do the other side before it becomes an issue down the road.
is that the cutting fluid with the cap screw installed?
if so, pull it out, clean it and apply some RTV.
a copper washer may work, but only if the sealing surface is smooth.
madpogue
Full Access Member
No, that white stuff is the Gasoila thread sealer. I'm hoping it sets up as a sealant for the washer. If not, I'll get a copper washer and some RTV.
As I was cutting, whenever I felt it load up / bind, I backed it out all the way to get the flutes out, then re-oiled the tap. Still it would sometimes bind after only 1/8 to 1/4 turn. I was REAL cautious; last thing I wanted was a tap broken off in there.
As I was cutting, whenever I felt it load up / bind, I backed it out all the way to get the flutes out, then re-oiled the tap. Still it would sometimes bind after only 1/8 to 1/4 turn. I was REAL cautious; last thing I wanted was a tap broken off in there.
ironworker40
NYC Ironworker
Like IDIOIT said I use a square socket with the proper length extension and a short handled ratchet. Another trick is if you don't have the proper square socket find a hex nut that fits tight on the square of the tap and drive it on the square of the tap, then you can use a hex socket on the hex nut to turn the tap.
I would have taped it to npt and you would not have a leak problem as long as the area is thick enough to get good threads. How thick is the block there?
I would have taped it to npt and you would not have a leak problem as long as the area is thick enough to get good threads. How thick is the block there?
not very thick.
do what you gotta do to get the damn thing to seal...
just be very carefull............
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...-truck-is-plagued&highlight=welding+cast+iron
do what you gotta do to get the damn thing to seal...
just be very carefull............
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...-truck-is-plagued&highlight=welding+cast+iron
madpogue
Full Access Member
Yuh, I counted 7 thread turns in the hole, before I closed it up. So that's a little over 1/4". Duh, I don't know why I didn't think of a square or 8-point socket on that tap.
Well, she's holding. I might go back and re-do it with a copper washer and/or RTV, but I revved 'er up to about (guessing, no tach) 1500 for a minute or so. Stayed dry. What a relief. Thanks all for the assistance (and for not ripping me a new one....).
Well, she's holding. I might go back and re-do it with a copper washer and/or RTV, but I revved 'er up to about (guessing, no tach) 1500 for a minute or so. Stayed dry. What a relief. Thanks all for the assistance (and for not ripping me a new one....).
maybe even JB weld.
youre not all to blame for this one, drilling and riveting a plate there is one of the dumbest things ive seen someone do...
too bad you didnt do it, id love to give you **** for that one...
youre not all to blame for this one, drilling and riveting a plate there is one of the dumbest things ive seen someone do...
too bad you didnt do it, id love to give you **** for that one...
Glad it's fixed...still woulda used pipe tap meself...
madpogue
Full Access Member
Well that's the card up my sleeve. I'm keeping an eagle eye on it in the meanwhile.
