Re: Steel plugs in aluminum!

["Douglas Hurst Quebbeman" <dougq@iglou.com>]

> Help! I'm having problems finding the right method to loosen the drain plugs
> from my rear diff! I replaced the fluid in my tranny a month or more ago, and
> didn't have these kind of problems! I can't seem to get the front drain
> plug or the fill plug to budge. I've applied moderate heat (propane for
> short durations) and buggered up the hex in the plug as much as I dare before
> trying something else. Is there something that will chemically free these
> plugs from that aluminum housing?

At first, I thought my plugs were steel, too. But the hex part got messed
up too easily. When I finally got the plug out, rather than buy a new one,
I ball peined the top of the plug carefully back in so that it restored the
hex inset. Looks like a new plug!

What got it loose? I pretreated it with degreaser first. Then, I used CLR to
remove any corrosion. Then carb spray. Then either Prolong penetrating spray
or Liquid Wrench. Took a lug bolt, added two hex nuts onto it, tightened
against each other, to create a tool to insert into the plug. Make sure you
choose a bolt whose flats are not deformed- use a new one if need be.

I pressed the bolt into the plug as far as possible (make sure all the grit and
gunk is out of the plug's hex insie), put a wrench on the outer nut on my 
makeshift tool, and smack down on the wrench in the loosening direction with
a hammer. Repeated whacks got it loose so that the wrench could finish up.

If this doesn't work, and you have to drill it out, make sure to put lots of
grease on the plug and the drill bit to catch the loose bits of metal. 

BTW, David-  Got the replacement turbo back on my 5kcstq, and this time,
when back to the stock WG spring and your QLCC mods. Saw 1.7bar yesterday.
Not bad for just software! Thanks again for your mods!  hth, -doug q
--
-Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (dougq@iglou.com)       [Call me "Doug"]
    QuattroClub USA# 4536     Audi International # 100024
       74 100LS Auto,     84 Coupe GT 
       77 100LS Auto,     86 5Kcstq QLCC 1.8bar  
"The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."  -Tom Waits