Dipstick Hole

[Garys1969RR]

My 512 build is in the car, and the truck 400 block I'm using has a factory plug in the dipstick hole. The truck motors used an oil pan mounted dip stick. So I need to remove the plug! Any idea how to do that? It seems to be pushed in there pretty tightly, with only a small lip at the top. Not much to grab onto. Not alot of room to work, either. I Should have pushed it out when I was building the motor, but didn't even think of it. Help!

 

[zsn0w]

Drill, tap, thread in a bolt, and pull? is it a metal plug?

 

[vance.dykes]

Drill, tap, thread in a bolt, and pull? is it a metal plug?

or the hard way . remove oil pan and use a long punch and drive out from inside the engine that way nothing will get into the oil pick up and oil system.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Drill, tap, thread in a bolt, and pull? is it a metal plug?

Yes, metal. Don't want to remove the oil pan, at this point. That would be the last option

 

[khryslerkid]

I would try what zsnOw said. Put grease on your drill bit and tap to catch the shavings.

What hood scoop are you useing

 

[steve340]

If you sharpen a hard punch and drive a hole in the plug and then get a self tapping screw in to it may work.

 

[zsn0w]

If the plug is thick enough, you may also be able to get enough of a grip on it with a tapped hole and bolt without drilling all the way through. Also, like Steve said above, you might be able to get a screw to go in without tapping. I'd still recommend a pilot hole for it, though. This is making me think about how we used to open wine bottles when we didn't have openers: a drywall screw and pliers worked just as good!

 

[steve340]

The plug is probably like a little freeze plug I guess it is not very thick or hard.
The action of driving in to it with the punch may collapse it and out it will come if your luck holds.
You could drill in to it a little bit with a drill so there is not much material left so it is easy to punch through. You would not want to smack it down the hole.
Use a vacuum cleaner near the drill bit as you go in to get the chips.

 

[Garys1969RR]

I would try what zsnOw said. Put grease on your drill bit and tap to catch the shavings.

What hood scoop are you useing

We just

cut a bigger hole in the hood. This was with the 496 in it. Using same intake and carbs.

 

[khryslerkid]

We just View attachment 770252 cut a bigger hole in the hood. This was with the 496 in it. Using same intake and carbs.

I'm liking the "Power to Weight" ratio!

 

[gkent]

Get a screwdriver on the edge of the plug and whack it with a hammer to deform it. Then drive the blade or an awl in there and pry it out. I suspect the plug is just thin metal like a dipstick tube.

 

[Garys1969RR]

I'll try and post a pic tomorrow. Looks like it is flat acrosd the top, and has a small lip on it.