Air pump removal

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matt17 said:
to plug the emission holes on the back of the heads i used 1/2 inch freeze plugs with a lil' loc-tite!worked out really nice! P.S. you might haif to clean the carbon out a lil' if it is built up,just dont wholler the cast iron out!

The actual size the plugs is a 5/8-11, or 5/8 NC depending on how it's labeled. I tried the original style plugs but couldn't even get them started (no leverage with the heads on the car), so I went and got some bolts from the hardware store, cut them down to 1/2" long and threaded them in with sealer on them. I was able to get a ratchet/wrench on them so it worked well. I haven't started the car yet, but they look like they should work just fine to me.

Side note -- anyone else done similar (cutting the bolts down)? I don't know how much pressure is there, so hopefully 1/2" is enough. Or maybe someone can tell me how much pressure is there? I know i used to cap off the metal tube with a rubber heater hose cap and a worm clamp, so I'm not thinking it's too much. :shrug:
 
It's connects to the exhaust ports - same amount of pressure in the header. So to the original poster - be sure you get it sealed, or it's an exhaust leak. I'd want something that threads in, not something that presses into a threaded hole.
 
Michael Yount said:
It's connects to the exhaust ports - same amount of pressure in the header. So to the original poster - be sure you get it sealed, or it's an exhaust leak. I'd want something that threads in, not something that presses into a threaded hole.

So does your 'professional' opinion think a bolt that has a 1/2" of threads with thread sealer on it will be ok, or should I rethink my plan. I still have the tranny out (until tomorrow) so now would be the ideal time to change it if so.

I'm thinking it will be ok based on my past experience (with only needing a rubber cap and worm clamp), but it would be nice to have a little backup.
 
89MustangGX said:
So does your 'professional' opinion think a bolt that has a 1/2" of threads with thread sealer on it will be ok, or should I rethink my plan. I still have the tranny out (until tomorrow) so now would be the ideal time to change it if so.

I'm thinking it will be ok based on my past experience (with only needing a rubber cap and worm clamp), but it would be nice to have a little backup.
I think that should be fine. I second the idea. :nice:
 
89sleeper said:
I think that should be fine. I second the idea. :nice:

Thanks -- I have a feeling I'll know right away.

The holes were almost completely filled with carbon (I don't know how anything was getting through), so I tried to clean as much up as possible, and I obviously got the bolts threaded in. Maybe the carbon that's left will work like extra sealer? :D

I'm really hoping it works, as I'm basically out of ideas if it doesn't. :shrug:
 
Michael Yount said:
The stock Ford threaded insert isn't much longer than that. Don't know why it wouldn't be fine as long as you seal the threads.

Thanks for the backup, both of you. :nice:

I also figured it probably helped that I was able to get the bolts tighter than anyone ever could using those little inserts with just the notches cut in them for tightening with a washer or something similarily inconvienient.
 
I couldn't get the tfs plugs that I ordered from summit in there either because of all the carbon build-up. A tap would take care of it, but I'm thinking there really wasn't enough room to get one in there and use it, or else I would have. I run a cnc milling center for a living, so a tap is not hard to get for me. I just ended up doing the cut and flip deal with the original parts. As far as turning in those plugs, I was just going to put a bolt in them until it bottomed out and use the head of the bolt to turn them in. The inside thread is metric, but I have a lot of leftover metric bolts from my stang after all these years of modding.