staking oil gallery plugs.

[TurboDave]

Can anyone advise me (with pictures I hope) on the correct method to stake the oil gallery plugs in place.
I got them pressed in and a light film of permatex 2.

 

[Drewster]

make sure to stake or you can loose the plug.

the plug should not be flush with the edge of the block. about 1/16 past the edge
i use a cold chisel to make 8 evenly spaced dents in the edge of each hole. the idea is to get the indent to cause the metal to swell up around the lip of the hole making difficult for the plug to pass though.
I think you can also use a punch 1/16th in from the edges (on the external face) but you stand a better chance of breaking off pieces of metal.
My next build i am going to thread the holes and use short plugs.

 

[SSedan64]

That's the better idea. Pipe Tap & Treaded Plugs w/Teflon plumbers paste for sealer.

 

[novaderrik]

why do people bother with sealer on things like this? the plug is an interference fit- it's bigger than the hole it gets pounded into. all of the sealer just gets squeezed off when it's pounded in..

 

[daves87gn]

My next build i am going to thread the holes and use short plugs.

this is the best way and how i just did three block can post pic tomorrow if needed

 

[Drewster]

dave it would be helpfull to have the pics for the archives.
part numbers/vendors for the tap and plugs would be good if you cant get pics.

 

[turbo nasty]

Just be DARN SURe not to go too deep!!! If you do it will hamper oil flow.
Stake with a small chisel

If you choose to do the threaded route heres a good place for teh plugs that are not to deep

http://www.gesslerheadporting.com/m...464006bbc82d01ee852573df000fea46!OpenDocument

 

[daves87gn]

dave it would be helpfull to have the pics for the archives.
part numbers/vendors for the tap and plugs would be good if you cant get pics.

here you go, sorry dont have part numbers, the machine shop I use did if for me (free of charge :biggrin also you can see in one he drilled a tiny hole said it would help with lubing cam chain, and cam gear, not sure of how if feel about that yet, but hole is smaller then what it looks like in the pick. I plan to try it in my 86 first, its a relatively stock build with high volume pump, will keep eye on oil pressure, if it seems to low will replace with the plug he gave me with out hole, he said hes done this plenty of times with no ill effects.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Here are a few photos of a block I done. I used plugs from TA Performance. The hole size is already OK for a 3/8 NPT pipe thread. I started the tap in the hole using a mill to make sure it is started square. I went in about 3 threads to start then finished them by hand tapping. I kept test fitting the threaded plugs to make sure the depth was below the face of the block but not too deep.

 

[novaderrik]

small block chevy builders have been tapping those holes and putting little oil squirters in them to lube the timing chain since about a week after the first 265 powered Bel Air hit the streets in the fall of '54.. yeah, i know- this isn't a small block Chevy.. but this trick is also done on pretty much every other engine family for more durability and/or peace of mind.

 

[daves87gn]

small block chevy builders have been tapping those holes and putting little oil squirters in them to lube the timing chain since about a week after the first 265 powered Bel Air hit the streets in the fall of '54.. yeah, i know- this isn't a small block Chevy.. but this trick is also done on pretty much every other engine family for more durability and/or peace of mind.

yea, think my machinest has been doing at least that long:wink:

 

[Drewster]

turbodave...

turbodave...looks like you may be past the point of threading. if you are on your final assembly, i would just stake it. Make sure you stake it because it can pop out! i know from experience.

Looks like it should have been 1/16 deeper but it may jump further than desired when the sealant releases.
maybe someone with more experience can verify if the cup plug must be 1/16 counter sunk before staking
(thats what i have done using a ~5/16 deep socket and have seen it done on other builds)
Andrew

 

[TurboDave]

turbodave...looks like you may be past the point of threading. if you are on your final assembly, i would just stake it. Make sure you stake it because it can pop out! i know from experience.

Looks like it should have been 1/16 deeper but it may jump further than desired when the sealant releases.
maybe someone with more experience can verify if the cup plug must be 1/16 counter sunk before staking
(thats what i have done using a ~5/16 deep socket and have seen it done on other builds)
Andrew

thank you. you're one of only two that offered assistance on what I've gotten done, instead of what I "should" have done.

It may not look like it in the picture, but they are deep enough to be inside the small chamfer that starts the hole.

I wish someone had pictures of what their staking looks like. I'm having difficulty trying to visualize how to do this.

 

[Drewster]

i can take pics of a block im working on and also i have a tech article from a chevy book. Ill send those later tonight

 

[LOT]

Stake

Using a small sharp center punch (1/4 or 3/8 tap works good)--go around the hole and put 4-5 punches in the edge of hole --it will spread the cast iron and in turn the plug can't push out. It's not brain surgery.

 

[Drewster]

from my chevy book and picture of an old block

 

[TurboDave]

Cool. Thanks everybody.

 

[Alky V6]

Just use two or three stakes. That's all you need.