You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 9:37 PM #1

Kneale Brownson
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You Guys Know Everything....

kneale brownson

...so is the circular item the feeze plug I need to remove to install a block heater in the Ford diesel engine in my New Holland 555E backhoe/loader so I can start it in the dead of winter?

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I’m a fairly spry 82-year-old who had been a reader/participant at WoodCentral since the demise of Badger Pond. I started visiting BP to learn something about finish for a project I’d completed and became hooked on internet forums as a way of increasing my knowledge about all sorts of topics. I have been a moderator for a couple other forums on subjects I enjoy. My interest in woodworking began in the early 1970’s when my wife and I had contractors add to our house near Traverse City, MI, and I ended up doing the trim work to reduce mounting costs. I had no tools. I bought a P-C skilsaw, hammer, screwdrivers and one of those wooden miter boxes with a backsaw. I made trim for windows and doors from one-by lumber and started my woodworking career. At the same time, I started a 50-year career as a ski instructor. I got onto the night shift at a mental hospital so I could ski days, and spent my 30s and 40s with that schedule. I eventually replaced the PC-upside-down-in-a-board with a real table saw and began the purchase of enough equipment to fill a jam-packed 40-foot shipping container we used after we sold our property in Michigan. The ski instructing had taken us to Colorado and we were spending too much on maintaining utilities for two homes. A couple years ago, the dozen years spent at 10,000 feet of elevation was making my body produce too many red blood cells, so we had to leave my “forever” home in the mountains and we moved back to Michigan. Now I have to find myself a shop space for all those tools in the container.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 9:46 PM #2

Lee Schierer
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

Lee Schierer in McKean, PA

It is definitely a freeze plug.

Lee

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 9:51 PM #3

Tom Dunlap
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

Tom Dunlap

WHen I put in frost plug heaters there was a sheet with diagrams to show which plug to use for many engines. Find out from the parts store. There are locations that circulate better than others.

Have you ever punched out a frost plug? careful that you don't loose it inside the water jacket.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 10:09 PM #4

Kneale Brownson
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

kneale brownson

Will it rattle?

I was thinking drill a small hole, insert a drywall screw, attach a wire, then try to pry the plug out.

- - -

I’m a fairly spry 82-year-old who had been a reader/participant at WoodCentral since the demise of Badger Pond. I started visiting BP to learn something about finish for a project I’d completed and became hooked on internet forums as a way of increasing my knowledge about all sorts of topics. I have been a moderator for a couple other forums on subjects I enjoy. My interest in woodworking began in the early 1970’s when my wife and I had contractors add to our house near Traverse City, MI, and I ended up doing the trim work to reduce mounting costs. I had no tools. I bought a P-C skilsaw, hammer, screwdrivers and one of those wooden miter boxes with a backsaw. I made trim for windows and doors from one-by lumber and started my woodworking career. At the same time, I started a 50-year career as a ski instructor. I got onto the night shift at a mental hospital so I could ski days, and spent my 30s and 40s with that schedule. I eventually replaced the PC-upside-down-in-a-board with a real table saw and began the purchase of enough equipment to fill a jam-packed 40-foot shipping container we used after we sold our property in Michigan. The ski instructing had taken us to Colorado and we were spending too much on maintaining utilities for two homes. A couple years ago, the dozen years spent at 10,000 feet of elevation was making my body produce too many red blood cells, so we had to leave my “forever” home in the mountains and we moved back to Michigan. Now I have to find myself a shop space for all those tools in the container.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 10:21 PM #5

Mark Nowicki
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

Mark Nowicki

Yes, but there usually are more than one.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 10:30 PM #6

Mark Nowicki
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

Mark Nowicki

Don' t drill, the shavings can clog coolant passages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrCnNbA2og

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 10:39 PM #7

Dick Coers
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A drywall screw won't pull it

Dick Coers

They are much tighter than that. Usually. Ask about a heater in the lower radiator hose. Much easier to mount. They also make magnetic oil pan heaters.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 11:13 PM #8

Tom Dunlap
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Remove...replace

Tom Dunlap

You tube has plenty of ways to remove the plug. Drywall screw puller isn't on eof them LOL. Need coarse threads and a dent puller if you go that route.

Lower engine hose and magnetic heaters work but are SOOOOO much less efficient. As a last resort they might be chosen but only if you want a C grade rather than an A grade on your project. It only takes about two hours, if that, to bring a subzero engine up to warmth. No need for the all night plug in.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/27/20, 11:26 PM #9

Kneale Brownson
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Re: A drywall screw won't pull it

Kneale Brownson

Screw was to prevent the plug falling into the block. Really don't like the hose mounting idea.

- - -

I’m a fairly spry 82-year-old who had been a reader/participant at WoodCentral since the demise of Badger Pond. I started visiting BP to learn something about finish for a project I’d completed and became hooked on internet forums as a way of increasing my knowledge about all sorts of topics. I have been a moderator for a couple other forums on subjects I enjoy. My interest in woodworking began in the early 1970’s when my wife and I had contractors add to our house near Traverse City, MI, and I ended up doing the trim work to reduce mounting costs. I had no tools. I bought a P-C skilsaw, hammer, screwdrivers and one of those wooden miter boxes with a backsaw. I made trim for windows and doors from one-by lumber and started my woodworking career. At the same time, I started a 50-year career as a ski instructor. I got onto the night shift at a mental hospital so I could ski days, and spent my 30s and 40s with that schedule. I eventually replaced the PC-upside-down-in-a-board with a real table saw and began the purchase of enough equipment to fill a jam-packed 40-foot shipping container we used after we sold our property in Michigan. The ski instructing had taken us to Colorado and we were spending too much on maintaining utilities for two homes. A couple years ago, the dozen years spent at 10,000 feet of elevation was making my body produce too many red blood cells, so we had to leave my “forever” home in the mountains and we moved back to Michigan. Now I have to find myself a shop space for all those tools in the container.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/28/20, 1:38 AM #10

Jim Matthews
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I dunno...

Jim Matthews

Lotsa older fittings between you and the block.

I'm thinking dipstick heater if you have an oil dipstick.

They're cheap, commonly available and require no modifications.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/kats-engine-heaters-dip-stick-heater

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/28/20, 2:13 AM #11

Clint Searl
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

Clint Searl

Don't know about that, but make sure the fuel doesn't jell.

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/28/20, 1:04 PM #12

AZ
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Re: You Guys Know Everything....

AZ in Colorado Springs

I installed a block heater in my Nissan pickup truck 35 years ago. I punched into the freeze plug with a big screw driver (and a hammer) and pried it out. Simple. (Wow, that was a long time ago.)

Re: You Guys Know Everything....

9/28/20, 3:27 PM #13

John McGaw
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John McGaw

Yeah. I've done it one time, also many years ago, and that is how I did it. "Freeze plug" heaters are so common in Alaska that many (most?) cars come from the dealer with at least one installed. My VW diesel didn't have one so I had to put one in and then add a battery blanket. Bad thing is that even with that, if the sudden cold snap showed up while you still had #2 diesel in the tank rather than the winter-necessitated #1 diesel, you would wind up with jelly clogging the fuel system anyway. There are fixes for the latter including adding a small bit of gasoline (scary!) to the fuel and finding some way to heat the vehicle for long enough to start it and get the fuel mixed up.

You Guys Know Everything....

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