Need help, drain plug won(39)t move-gctid380931

[Guest]

We had a great first trip with our 1996 1750LS Saturday and today and everything worked flawless on the water. When we came to the storage place the drain plug refused any motion. Didn't want to get too harsh and use a long lever as I fear that I might take the entire assembly out of the fiberglass. Is there any trick to do it without big damage? It's a brass plug the way it looks and our boat is fresh water only if that makes a difference.

I have to admit that I never had it out in the 2 years we own the boat as there never was water in the bilge and the boat was stored in the garage. Now we have a storage place and I'd rather have the plug out just in case it rains even though we have it covered and under a (very high up) roof.

[Guest]

I always use a small crescent wrench and I feel safe using a fair ammount of force on it. I would not use anything bigger. I would soak for two days with liquid wrench and an occasional light tap with small hammer. Then hold ice on the plug and get it good and cold, and then try again with small wrench.

Good Luck!

[Guest]

Thanks! I'll replace the crescent wrench with a socket but only a small ratcheting handle. My experience with crescent wrenches is that they usually are best for rounding the heads. The ice I have to substitute with cold spray (or an air-in-the-can held upside down) as it would melt that fast in my hands here that I would need a truckload of it.

[Guest]

I find PB Blaster to be one of the best penetrants. You can also try taping the head of the plug with a hammer to help break the threads loose. The cold will help too, or conversley you can heat the bung.

[Guest]

then get the correct size wrench if you dont want to use a cresent wrech. Leftie loosie

[Guest]

biohazard wrote:
then get the correct size wrench if you dont want to use a cresent wrech. Leftie loosie

there are sockets specific for "square" plug, just don't attempt to use a 12p 'cuz it fit (I won't go into details on how I know this!) as it will round off the corners.

A propane torch and a "wax" candle (not birthday versions) heat plug, remove heat hold wax candle to upper threads, it will "draw in" the wax.... repeat several times, I've had good luck.... hope you do too!

[Guest]

Get a good 5/8" open end wrench and a dead blow hammer. Soak the threads as suggested with some lubricant. I'm a locksmith and have always like TriFlow. Get some constant pressue on the wrench by hand and hit the end with the hammer with some firm but not overly excited taps. She'll come free, unless you really crossthreaded it in there the first time.

Best of luck.

[Guest]

Nehalennia wrote:
Get a good 5/8" open end wrench and a dead blow hammer. Soak the threads as suggested with some lubricant. I'm a locksmith and have always like TriFlow. Get some constant pressue on the wrench by hand and hit the end with the hammer with some firm but not overly excited taps. She'll come free, unless you really crossthreaded it in there the first time.

Best of luck.

+1. Think "sharp" taps. This is how impact hammers remove stuck fasteners... you'll be doing something similar.

IMO Not removing the plug in 2 years is a bad sign as that means you probably haven't cleaned the bilge in 2 years either...

[SomeSailor]

Worst case, you can remove the garboard drain and put it in a vise and work it. One of the three screws will actually be a bolt so a small pair of vice grips on the nut will be handy.

[Guest]

Thanks to all for the hints and tips! I'll be working on it this weekend. That part was much easier when she was parked in the garage but the admiral wanted to have her space back....... May have to bring here home anyhow as I have to install the new trailer lights (left brake and 2 of the center bulbs are toast -> all new LED's) and I prefer to solder and shrink tube instead of these fall-off-twist-ons.

I had cleaned the bilge but as I did it in the garage I just did it from inside. The 1750LS has almost no bilge area, pour 1g of water into it and you have wet carpet.

Thanks again and I'll report how it went.....

[Guest]

Erik719 wrote:
I find PB Blaster to be one of the best penetrants. You can also try taping the head of the plug with a hammer to help break the threads loose. The cold will help too, or conversley you can heat the bung.

http://www.blastercorporation.com/PB_Blaster.html Best stuff I have ever used in my life .Wish I knew about it 20 years ago LOL!!