My First Galley Plug Fix (1 Viewer)

[Skniper]

Out of curiosity, does the oil galley plug hole dead end square into the head bolt?
If so, how does so much oil pump through the galley hole? Is the head bolt hole itself an oil passage and oil flows around the head bolt shaft?? Or is there some other intersecting oil passage before the head bolt that the galley hole is part of?

 

[Paul V]

This Is an oil passage. Not positive how it routes. When you pull out the head bolt as the OP suggests some oil comes out. The head bolt moves back and forth a bit. Plenty for oil to route through at pressure.

 

[TexFJ]

Decisions... decisions...

from first view, it looks like a seeping and partially exited galley fix (PO). Went to turn it in either direction with a hex wrench but it doesn't move.

should I:
- leave it alone and seal around the tap screw with JB weld OR
- force the tap screw out just to make sure I know how long it is and loctite it again.

 

[SteveH]

If it weren't annoyingly seeping, I'd just leave it, but you might try to back it out with the engine both hot and cold, and see if you can do so without breaking your hex key. Worst case, you could drill it out and redo the whole fix, but that may be more than you want to get into.

If you can get the existing plug out, coat it in pipe dope (or JB Weld) and reinsert, and you're likely good to go. They may have used an extra-long screw that just sticks out as far as shown (or they under-tapped into the head).

 

[TexFJ]

What if I JB Weld around the plug to stop the seeping and make sure it doesn't fall out? Surprised more JB Welding solutions haven't been talked about on MUD.

 

[Spike Strip]

If that plug seems like it's in there snug, I'd leave it alone. You're right that it may be a long plug and it's just leaking past the threads. If it were at it's last few threads, wouldn't it wobble?

Certainly for peace of mind, you could hit it with flame (cherry red), then back it out and just install a new plug, since it's already threaded. Prolly has red loctite on it.

 

[TexFJ]

Well... I did it JB Welded that sucker in place. It wasn't wobbling and I didn't want to open a can of oil worms. Maybe in 20 years my son will be cursing me when he sees this fix, but for now I can sleep better.

 

[Ackcruisers]

Thanks @Eporter for the “How to replace oil galley plug” post. Completed mine this week following your instruction. The tap and die set used was Dewalt product #DWA1412 tap 5/16” x18 NC and drill bit F. The challenging part was center punching aluminum plug to avoid 1/8” drill bit wander and using the right angle drill adapter. When drilling with F bit, be sure to use oil as it will want to bind. When tapping, I was amazed at how slowly it went as the block metal bits required cleaning from tap after every quarter turn of cutting. Be sure to clean the threads with brake cleaner, pipe cleaner and rags to get it prepped perfectly for thread sealer. I used 271 Loctite and be sure to not apply too much and follow instructions and let cure for 24 hours. If I were to do this again, I would have tapped another 1/8” into hole so second plug was flush with outside surface of head.

I torqued the head bolt to 95ft lbs.

 

[Spook50]

Thanks @Eporter for the “How to replace oil galley plug” post. Completed mine this week following your instruction. The tap and die set used was Dewalt product #DWA1412 tap 5/16” x18 NC and drill bit F. The challenging part was center punching aluminum plug to avoid 1/8” drill bit wander and using the right angle drill adapter. When drilling with F bit, be sure to use oil as it will want to bind. When tapping, I was amazed at how slowly it went as the block metal bits required cleaning from tap after every quarter turn of cutting. Be sure to clean the threads with brake cleaner, pipe cleaner and rags to get it prepped perfectly for thread sealer. I used 271 Loctite and be sure to not apply too much and follow instructions and let cure for 24 hours. If I were to do this again, I would have tapped another 1/8” into hole so second plug was flush with outside surface of head.

I torqued the head bolt to 95ft lbs.


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When I did mine I didn't bother pulling anything. The plug had already blown out, so I didn't have to pull it lol. When I tapped I coated the tap with grease and about every half turn would pull it out and clean it then reapply new grease. I then did the same as you with the thread sealer and its been good ever since. Happened 13 years ago and still no problems.

 

[Seth S]

Out of curiosity, does the oil galley plug hole dead end square into the head bolt?
If so, how does so much oil pump through the galley hole? Is the head bolt hole itself an oil passage and oil flows around the head bolt shaft?? Or is there some other intersecting oil passage before the head bolt that the galley hole is part of?

The plug was the entry point for drilling tool used to create the oil passage and it goes beyond the headbolt hole. The plug is just that...a blockage to the external hole left by the drilling operation. The head bolt does not fit so tight in the bolt hole so as to seal off the oil galley. So if you lose that plug its very direct for oil to pump out even though it has to flow around the shank of the head bolt.


If you were to 3D print (which is possible) the head out of Aluminum you could eliminate a lot of these older manufacturing features. I wouldn't hold my breath for this product though. If I win the powerball I'll invest in the printer and make one

 

[Spook50]

The plug was the entry point for drilling tool used to create the oil passage and it goes beyond the headbolt hole. The plug is just that...a blockage to the external hole left by the drilling operation. The head bolt does not fit so tight in the bolt hole so as to seal off the oil galley. So if you lose that plug its very direct for oil to pump out even though it has to flow around the shank of the head bolt.


If you were to 3D print (which is possible) the head out of Aluminum you could eliminate a lot of these older manufacturing features. I wouldn't hold my breath for this product though. If I win the powerball I'll invest in the printer and make one

Better bet would be machining out of billet aluminum. Mmmmmmmmm, high performance ported and polished aluminum 3FE heads with oversized valves.......

 

[Seth S]

Better bet would be machining out of billet aluminum. Mmmmmmmmm, high performance ported and polished aluminum 3FE heads with oversized valves.......

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You would have a hard time making a billet head with proper cooling unless you machined it in two halves and then welded them together. You can buy billet cylinder heads but they don't have have water jackets and are typically for drag racing...or perhaps air cooled engines.

The good news is that for a fraction of the cost and effort Toyota already did this work for you and you just have to source the parts and put a 1FZ-FE in your 60.

 

[Spook50]

You would have a hard time making a billet head with proper cooling unless you machined it in two halves and then welded them together. You can buy billet cylinder heads but they don't have have water jackets and are typically for drag racing...or perhaps air cooled engines.

The good news is that for a fraction of the cost and effort Toyota already did this work for you and you just have to source the parts and put a 1FZ-FE in your 60.

Good point. Though By the time I'm ready to do an engine swap I'll be putting an LQ9 in. Before that point though I'm suspecting I'll have to do a cylinder head job on my own engine. Hoping I can get my hands on a junker to have built up, or an already built head from someone. Haven't really searched in depth yet since I'm not sure I'll need to pull the head, but I'm suspecting I will.

 

[Ian Crawford]

I probably need to do this as it's not previously been done on my 60 though I'm weary about removing the cylinder head bolt. Removing just one bolt, especially on such are large head, in my experience is not typically a good idea.

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this? Maybe hear from some who have done it long ago and (hopefully) didn't have any head gasket/warping issues? Tagging: @Eporter @hank14 @mwebfj60 @gabethetree @Ackcruisers @Seth S @OSS @Spike Strip (to name a few).

 

[Gretsch]

So up front apology here if its been discussed in this thread or others, but this is something I have not come across before. See lots of threads on how to fix this oil galley plug, but not really any on why is it there in the first place. What's it purpose? Is it simply a plug to correct a mistakenly drilled hole in the casting process, or does it have an actual purpose. Did the mothership engineers discover these heads prone to cracking right at this spot and 'fixed' it by putting a hole to allow for expansion and a wad of aluminum to keep oil in? Why on earth would a potential direct path for oil to shoot out exist on this engine like this?

Also, for those of you who have experienced the plug actually blowing out, was there any indication on the oil pressure gauge this was happening? Stories I have read seem to indicate the plug blows out, and the only evidence this has happened is the trail of oil you leave behind as you drive along along and your engine seizing up. Seems like by the time it happens its too late even to shut the engine down to save it. I could imagine that your oil pressure gauge would read low pressure as the oil begins to pour out, but am not sure it if it does or not not having experienced my plug blowing out. My 2F does not have the galley fix done so I am with others on if this is something I should proactively do or leave well enough alone. How common is it to have the plug come out. Seems like the oddest quirk about these engines to me. Thanks in advance for replies.

Edit:

See lots of threads on how to fix this oil galley plug, but not really any on why is it there in the first place. What's it purpose?

The plug was the entry point for drilling tool used to create the oil passage and it goes beyond the headbolt hole. The plug is just that...a blockage to the external hole left by the drilling operation.

Answered.

 

[Ackcruisers]

In my opinion, one head bolt removed on a cold 2F engine is low risk for gasket warp. Just be sure to torque it back down after procedure.

 

[Seth S]

I probably need to do this as it's not previously been done on my 60 though I'm weary about removing the cylinder head bolt. Removing just one bolt, especially on such are large head, in my experience is not typically a good idea.

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this? Maybe hear from some who have done it long ago and (hopefully) didn't have any head gasket/warping issues? Tagging: @Eporter @hank14 @mwebfj60 @gabethetree @Ackcruisers @Seth S @OSS @Spike Strip (to name a few).

I think you will be fine with just the one head bolt removed. Just make sure the engine is cold when you do it so you don't have to worry about any expansion/contraction effects while you work. In my line of work we have substantiation through application meaning that there have been enough people before you who have removed that bolt without any ill effect that you should be fine.

 

[KLF]

Huh. I've done this job several times on FJ62s, and never removed a head bolt.

 

[Seth S]

Huh. I've done this job several times on FJ62s, and never removed a head bolt.

It all depends on how confident you are that you prevented metal shavings from getting into the oil stream when you drilled and tapped the hole.

 

[KLF]

It all depends on how confident you are that you prevented metal shavings from getting into the oil stream when you drilled and tapped the hole.

Grease the drill bit, grease the tap, take small bites then back out and clean. Clean it out with a cotton swab. Let the oil filter catch the rest.