stripped --well, rounded out-- oil galley plug, how remove?

[BerniniCaCO3]

On the block there are 2 oil galley plugs towards the bottom. Where one such plug could have gone, is where the stock oil pressure sending unit is.

I want to add an aftermarket sending unit in addition to the idiot light. Where the OEM idiot light sender is located, is too close to the oil filter for the aftermarket sending unit which is much bigger.
On the other side of the block though is another oil galley hole, merely plugged.

It had been a 1/4" internal hex key to remove. That started rounding out, so I hammered in a torx, and that just drilled it out, too. Damn soft metal. Grade 5 would have held its own.

So now it's an oil galley plug that takes a circular key :-D

I don't want to damage the block, where do I go from here? Try to drill out the middle with a CCW drill bit? Nah, I think that would just drill out the middle-- it wouldn't actually catch and start unscrewing it. Take a cold chisel and mallet and hit the plug off center, trying to turn it and break it free that way?
What other options in the world of gosh-darned-bolt-frozen-and-head-is-now-circular tools and techniques are available to me?

...I could just leave it alone and find another access hole, but it's in the perfect spot for my gauge, and it's WAR now.


thanks for the advice!
-Bernard

[1990LTD]

normally you would use the stock idiot light hole with an adapter that allows you to use both the idiot light switch (idiot light = on and off = switch, not sender i think...i may be wrong)

you can use a "real" adapter or you can easily grab some pieces at your local hardware store to make something that will fit both the idiot light switch and your new sending unit. the trick is of course getting it to fit around your power steering pump and oil filter

[87gtVIC]

This is what you need where the stock sensor is. Just rig up a T off of the extension and you are good to go. try pulling one from a yard first as this is quite expensive. Trucks as well as mustang engines had these...among other as well I would presume.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/87-93-Ford-Mustang-5-0-Oil-Sender-Extension-GT-LX-Cobra-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5642a52261QQitemZ370485305953QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[1990LTD]

yeah daves got it. i have a similar one that i got from 4door but the threaded hole isn't angled like that, it's 90 degrees from the hole in the block.

[BerniniCaCO3]

Oh, sweet-- I think I've got two of those. Didn't know what they were for; came in the junk bin with my new block.

Even with a T, it still puts the sensor awkwardly close to the oil filter.
Is the rounded out plug that hard to remove?

Maybe the answer is "yes!" In which case, I think a 90-deg elbow and THEN the extension and then the T, will do the trick.

[87gtVIC]

You got a truck one then from what I gather. I pulled on like you are describing directly from a greasy grimy f series truck.

[1990LTD]

Maybe the answer is "yes!" In which case, I think a 90-deg elbow and THEN the extension and then the T, will do the trick.

yes don't bother fucking around with it and putting another hole in the block than is necessary. just rig up some adapters like you said

[sly]

Adapters FTW

[87gtVIC]

Looks dangerous down there Slymer.

[sly]

meh... much easier to get at from below. my back at the time said to take the pic from above though.

[CheeseSteakJim]

if you've got a buddy with a MIG welder, you could plug weld a nut to that plug and then just twist it out with a socket

[1987cp]

I have no idea what plug you're talking about ... but don't overlook the possibility of drilling a new hole and tapping for a smaller size pipe thread. The cheap H-F tap and die sets include a 1/8-NPT tap that I've made use of on a number of occasions.

[hypostang]

Are you sure it's an oil gallery plug and not a water jacket plug ?
I only ask because I don't know of any other external oil gallery plug on a SBF.

The extension like David posted is what I have always used .

[BerniniCaCO3]

Yup! Oil galley plugs.
One's directly opposite where the oil pressure switch goes-- exact same hole, just the opposite side.
Then one is on the driver side in the back, too close to the header to really want to use, same size plug as well.
Logically with three of them all in the "same" (4-way symmetry) place, there's probably a fourth on the rear passenger side... I just don't explicitly remember there being one.

Maybe they were all for casting cores, and ford just decided to tap them all anyway?

[gadget73]

the one in the back goes into the water jacket. Do not remove that. There is one on each side, but if you stick an oil pressure gauge in there, you will not get the results you expect. Plus, you'll get a bath of green slimy fluid. Having a draincock in those wouldn't be the dumbest idea since it would allow a better flush of the cooling system but good luck getting them out.


for the rounded out one, if it is not leaking and not drilled through, leave it alone.