Ready to send 455 block to the machine shop for boilout and cleaning. Looks like ths screw in plugs are a bear to take out. The large pair on the front of the block could make for a lot of work, but they need to come out, right? Should I do this removal myself or will it come with the block clean out? How to remove the oil fill pipe? She is in there real tight, removal without damage is the .priority. Fire away with any recommendations and cautions. Thank you all.

 

The plugs in the front should come out pretty easy with an impact. Most of the time they with a ratchet and socket. I would let the machine shop get them out.

The oil fill tube can be a pain. You have to smack it back and forth with a rubber hammer and pull up on it at the same time it will come loose eventually. New ones are available if needed so don't stress over it.

Make sure your machine shop saves all of the old plugs. The two in the front are Olds specific and hard to find. They do not come in the freeze plug kits. There is also one in the back that is behind a little pressed in plug. That one has a hole in it for distributor oiling. If the machine shop puts the plugs back in for you make sure they put the right ones in the right place.

Personally I would tell them to leave the plugs out and do a final cleaning yourself when you get it back. Then put the plugs in yourself.

 

X2 what bill said on the plugs

to remove the oil fill i wrap a tie down or similar strap around the fill tube and lift w a hoist (works good if the engine is on a stand)

you dont want to lift the engine just pull up on the tube, than i tap it all around w a 2x4 or rubber mallet...25 taps later it slides right out.

 

Actually, both the one in the rear that oils the distributor gear and the one in the front that oils the timing chain have 0.040" weep holes in them. Do NOT let the shop reinstall the plugs, as there is a good chance that either they will put in new ones with out the hole or they will leave out the one for the distributor at the back of the driver side oil gallery. And you do want to do a final cleaning after you get the block back anyway. Use a gun cleaning kit to scrub out those oil galleries, especially if your machine shop uses one of those steam cleaner chambers instead of a real caustic hot tank. Most shops today have transitioned to the steam chamber because 1) the hot tank solvent can be difficult to deal with for environmental reasons and 2) aluminum parts will dissolve in a real hot tank anyway.

 

I used to work at an engine re-builder and this is how we would remove them quickly .
I would heat them up red hot with an aceytelene torch and then quench them quickly with paraffin ( wax) .
The super hot paraffin penetrates very quickly , and allows easy removal .

 

Send Ziploc bags with a tag inside each bag marked "left front" "right front" "right rear" "left rear (distributor)".

 

I really think that would be a bit insulting to the machine shop. I know it would be a turn off for me. I would just ask them for all of the old plugs back. If they have been in business very long they should know about the correct plugs anyway.

 

I dont know why I missed the pictures the first time I looked at this thread but where in the world has that thing been sitting to get that rusty ??? Almost looks like it was a marine engine. I would be very concerned about the rust in the lifter bores and would make sure to check that very well before going too far.

 

Bill, how many times have there been problems because they didn't put the plugs in to oil the timing chain or distributor gear. Those places have been in business, but they obviously didn't know Olds and put in the incorrect stuff. OR, he can ask to have them saved and put them in himself.

 

Good point Ralph. Too many nowadays have never seen an Olds V8 block.

 

Why not pull them yourself? If an impact doesn't get it, heat up the block around them with a torch; it has always worked for me.

I left it to a machine shop once and never saw my plugs again. If you do let a shop remove them, make sure you tell them up front you have to have them back.

Does anyone know where to buy them?

 

Great point Rocketguy, I would replace them with new ones if I can get a lead on a source. Improvisation may be an alternate solution. What say Olds Gurus?

 

The front plugs are straight thread hex head, so not that easy to find generic. These are on ebay by Oldsrocketparts.





The rear plugs are NPT pipe plugs, so pretty common. The one behind the freeze plug has the 0.040" weep hole. A new generic pipe plug needs this hole drilled in it. The one front plug also has an 0.040" weep hole. The two front plugs are different sizes and do not interchange so you can't mix them up.

 

Which is exactly what I suggested in my first reply

 

Bill, and duly noted. If someone was going to you, I would not have said a thing.
But, across this country there are: "have a good reputation", "they build race car engines", "they are a performance shop", "I heard they were good", "they told me.....", "they will build me a ____" places.

 

Thanks again Joe, got new plugs, replacing everything, large or small doing it correctly. Can't be 90 degrees square if you cut a corner!