Need Help Removing Factory Plugs for Oil Galleries

jl_1303 · Samba Member Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 569

In an attempt to clean/flush possible dirt and metal sledge in the oil galleries. I followed this article to try to remove the factory plugs to do the reaming and tapping.

http://huelsmann.us/bugman/FilterTech.html

However, I removed most of the factory plugs by drilling and using a screw method, except for 2 plugs.

1 of those was off centre when I drilled. As that was a small hole, the drill bits went hitting the case metal a little bit on the side. I dared not go further and have left it as is.

The other one I broke the screw, also a small hole.

Any ideas as to how to handle these 2 plugs?

raul arrese · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 5:16 pm Post subject:

drill another hole and try another screw...
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martyrg · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 5:21 pm Post subject:

For the hole with the broken screw, take a dremel and grind the end of the screw nice and flat. Then use a sharp center punch on the end of the screw. Next get a set of left hand cutting drill bits ( they cut with the drill motor running in reverse). Start drilling with a 1/16" bit. If you are lucky the drill bit will drill for a ways and then bite into the screw and back it out. If it doesn't back out, use the next larger drill bit (3/32") and drill again. Keep moving up in size a 32nd at a time until the screw backs out or you have drilled the screw out altogether.

For the plug that is drilled off center, you can use the dremel and a ball shaped burr to cut/grind out the plug.

Good luck!

71_1302 · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 5:49 pm Post subject:

Dremel tools can solve all sorts of automotive problems, including your oil gallery plug issues. Go for it!
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Brian71 · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 6:07 pm Post subject:

Use the appropriate size drill for the tap you plan on using and just drill the whole plug out completely. If you've poo pooed one of the holes beyond what the planned tap size won't fix, just drill and tap the next size up.

mark tucker · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 9:38 am Post subject:

dirill & pull or drill out and tap for a brass pipe plug.

earthquake · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:20 pm Post subject:

Can you knock it out from the flywheel side with a piece of drill rod?

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jl_1303 · Samba Member Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 569

jl_1303 · Samba Member Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 569

This is the one with a broken screw.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

This is the one that has been drilled off centred.

martyrg · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:15 pm Post subject:

Neither of those look too bad. For the one with the broken screw in it just try to center punch it as close to the center of the screw as possible. Start with a 1/16" drill bit and go slow until you have the bit starting to cut a nice round hole. Drill all the way through the broken screw. Now take out the 1/16" bit and move up to the 3/32" bit. Re-drill the hole all the way through. Keep moving up a 32nd at a time until you have drilled out the broken screw. By only increasing the hole size by a 32nd at a time you stand a MUCH better chance of keeping the hole centered in the broken screw.

For the plug that was drilled off-center, take the Dremel tool with a small ball burr. Use the burr to grind a nice little divot in the center of the plug. Now that you have the center point re-established you can go back to the drill. Again, start with a small bit and then work your way up to the size hole you want. This process will keep the hole closer to the center of the plug.
Good luck!

jl_1303 · Samba Member Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 569

An update:

I have removed all the plugs via the help of a Dremel and a good punch.

I then drilled and tapped most of the holes except the 2 large ones which required a larger drill, as the drill bit for the 3/8" NPT tapping is about 12mm.

One experience I would like to share with other member who would take the challenge is try to have some reamers in place, as that would make the tapping much easier, especially for the large ones.


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