Need suggestion on how to remove this plug for.

[Chuck S.]

Awww...Com'n, Dickie!...

Break a tool steel 3/4" pipe tap off in cast iron??!! Without discretion, I suppose it's possible, but it would take a couple or three old geezers like us hanging on the end of about 8' of pipe to have enough grunt. In my experience, the effort needed to clean metal remnants out of threads is far less than that required to cut the threads in the first place.

Anyway, who has a need for tapered taps to cut female pipe threads? Threading dies I can understand; particularly those that fit those machine pipe threaders. Anyone that's ever run much galvanized or black iron pipe thanks the Good Lord for the guy that came up with that machine.

[Chuck R.]

Re: Did you get the plug out yet ? *NM*

[Dick W.]

Re: Awww...Com'n, Dickie!...

Chuckster, both the male tap and the female die are tapered. As brittle as tap pins are breaking one is not as hard as you think. Been there, done that, got the Tee Shirt.

[george culolias]

Not yet. I have a big hole in it!

I just went and bought an awl and a few picks. Unfortunatly they didn't have the right tap. I sprayed it and melted wax in it earlier this AM...I'm heading down there now to work on it. Wish me luck!

[Chuck S.]

Re: Awww...Com'n, Dickie!...

"...Chuckster, both the male tap and the female die are tapered..."

I KNOW THAT!!! (It must have been my pansy engineer loafers. ) But, all the stuff the average homeowner/business owner screws pipe into is ALREADY threaded with female pipe threads. I challenge you...name ONE THING that the user needs to thread (tap) with female threads. Machine shop goods are excluded; machine shops are presumed to have commercial suppliers and don't have to get their taps at the local hardware store.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Not yet. I have a big hole in it!

Nothing to do now but keep making the hole bigger until you are approaching the OD of the plug.

Assuming it's a 3/4" pipe plug, STOP drilling about 1/8" (0.125") from the plug OD at the thinnest area...3/4" NPT minimum thread diameter is 0.925" (1.05" pipe diameter - 0.925" = 0.125"), 1/2" NPT minimum thread diameter is 0.715" (0.840" pipe dimeter - 0.715" = 0.125").

Once you get within 1/8" of the plug OD, you will be removing female threads in the head if you drill larger. If any portion of the plug remains extended from the front of the head after you've drilled to the max, pound the everlivin' hell out of it with a punch to collapse it inward, and then twist it counter-clockwise in on itself. If nothing remains outside, then it's pick and tap time...just be sure to get the tap started IN THE THREAD, and don't force it with excessive force. Call Dickie if you break off the tap.

[george culolias]

YES!!!! Now can I reuse the head gasket?

Got the stupid thing out and didn't screw up the threads! When I drilled it with the correct drill for the tap it spun...The engine was never fired but the head was torqued down. It's a felpro gasket can I reuse it? It still looks like new. THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE SUPPORT AND HELP!

[Chuck S.]

More...

Because of the thickness of the tapered thread shell remaining, you may have to hacksaw the shell if you are able to pound it away from the female threads in the head in one area. Once you hacksaw the shell, it loses its circumferential strength, and it should be easier to turn the shell in on itself...This ordeal should be over very quickly after that.

Yeah, I know...Just hold the hacksaw blade sans handle in a gloved hand and do the thing. Sometimes you have to improvise and "jerryrig".

[Chuck S.]

Re: YES!!!! Now can I reuse the head gasket?

REUSE IT!!?? Pretty cheeky!

Congrats!