Fit engine plugs

Part 1. Preparation and safety

Objective

• Fit engine plugs.

Personal safety

Whenever you perform a task in the workshop you must use personal protective clothing and equipment that is appropriate for the task and which conforms to your local safety regulations and policies. Among other items, this may include:

• Work clothing - such as coveralls and steel-capped footwear
• Eye protection - such as safety glasses and face masks
• Ear protection - such as earmuffs and earplugs
• Hand protection - such as rubber gloves and barrier cream
• Respiratory equipment - such as face masks and valved respirators

If you are not certain what is appropriate or required, ask your supervisor.

Safety check

• Make sure that you understand and observe all legislative and personal safety procedures when carrying out the following tasks. If you are unsure of what these are, ask your supervisor.

Points to note

• Any threaded plugs should be coated with a liquid non-hardening sealer. Do not use Teflon tape.
• Work systematically around the engine make sure you don’t miss fitting any plugs.
• Double check your notes and the manual to make sure that all the plugs have been installed.

Part 2: Step-by-step instruction

1. Fit threaded oil gallery plugs
   Start with the bare block sitting on the ground with the rear area facing up. The rebuild kit should come with all of the oil gallery and freeze plugs included.
   Any threaded plugs like these rear oil gallery plugs should be coated with a sealer, preferably a liquid teflon or a similar non-hardening sealer. Don't use teflon tape, pieces can break off inside and cause an oil system clog.
2. Fit freeze plugs
   Clean the edges of the water jacket holes before you put the freeze plugs in. Then coat the inside diameter of the opening with a non-hardening sealer. Wipe it thin and even, don't leave any bare spots.
   Take a large socket that's slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the freeze plug. Tap each of them in until they are just below the beveled edge of the water jacket opening.
3. Fit tap-in oil gallery plugs
   Turn the block over so that the front is facing up and select a punch that's smaller than the inner diameter of the front oil gallery plugs. Wipe a small dab of sealer evenly around each of the plugs and tap them in until they're a sixteenth of an inch below the rim. When the oil gallery plugs are installed, take a chisel and indent the rim of each opening in at least two places. This will keep the plugs from backing out under oil pressure. There are special tools available that can install and dent in one step.
4. Fit water jacket plugs
   Then close off the two front water jacket plugs.
   Each block type is slightly different, so make sure you don't miss any engine plugs that are specific to your particular engine.
   Turn the block upside down. This way it's easier to clean and seal the side water jacket holes. Be careful as you tap these in, sometimes they start to get crooked. If one does start to go in at an angle, just hit it on the crooked side and the plug will straighten out as it goes in.
   To finish off the water jacket, we will put back the two drain plugs while the block is upside down, also with some thread sealer.
   Now put the block back on a stand.
5. Check for miscellaneous plugs
   Almost every engine has some hidden plug like an oil gallery plug in an odd place. Carefully read over your disassembly notes and look through your repair manual to make sure that you don't leave out any of these important details.
   There are also many different types of oil filter mounts and bypass valves. If this engine has a spring loaded oil filter by-pass valve, check to make sure that the valve is working and is closed properly.
   Double check your notes and the manual to make sure that all the plugs have been installed.