oil coming out of head near #5 sparkplug (1 Viewer)

[gswest]

I know I've seen something about this here somewhere, but i'm in a hurry to get this oil leak stopped. I just got a valve job and didn't see this little stud looking thing located to the upper right of the #5 sparkplug. I've had oil leaking and thought it was my valve cover gasket. But today I checked the gasket again and re-tightened the valve cover and started her up; sure enough, that oil is comming out of the stud thingy. From what i can see with my less-than-perfect vision, it looks like this stud is hollow. WTF is it and how did I miss it when i re-installed the head? My recollection is people advise sealing it with somethiing (JB Weld or a bolt or something). It looks like a stud except that it appears hollow. Any help will be nice!

 

[philos1]

IIRC, it's a plug that was factory installed. you want to remove it, then tap the hole for a threaded plug.

I think it's called the oil galley plug?


HTH.

 

[GulfShoresFJ60]

yep Philos1 has it right.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=7093&highlight=oil+galley+plug
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=17524&highlight=oil+galley+plug

 

[gswest]

This is great, I knew I saw this here somewhere. The only thing is, my machine shop , Clearwater Cylinder Head Fl. (they did the valve job) may have put a stud in there, because it's not a flush plug, it's a stud sticking out about 1/4" with threads visable. And it's definately weeping oil, so if I can get a grip on that 1/4" of stud, I might be able to unscrew it. Then re-tap it with a bolt and some epoxy. The drill and tap procedure looks straightforward except for the angled drill accessory. So, to be sure, am I correct in assuming the factory plug would have been flush with the side of the head (like the picture that was posted) and not this 1/4" stud sticking out?

 

[GulfShoresFJ60]

Correct, the factory stud was flush.

 

[gswest]

Thanks bro, I'll get this bugger out and tap a bolt in there or somethin! Whatever I screw in ain't never coming out, that I will make sure!

 

[euclid]

FAQ

 

[KLF]

I've done a few, it's a scary procedure to do, that's for sure.

The factory plug is soft aluminum, it's easy to pull out. Many 3FE engines have suffered a painful but quick demise because of that silly plug. It seems to work out of the head eventually at about 150K miles, then when it pops out, all the oil in the engine is quickly dispensed onto the ground. If you don't catch it, no more engine. The engine in my wagon was completely rebuilt before I got it, thanks to this plug.

If the hole is already threaded, I would not try to re-thread it again. I would call the machine shop, find out what they did. It's a very unnerving thing to tap, because the tap gets tight and it would be VERY easy to snap the tap off into the head, then you'd be really screwed. Besides, you run the risk of leaving metal shavings in your engine.

If the hole is indeed already threaded, then I would pull the stud out, find out what thread it is, then get a fresh bolt of the same thread. Clean the hole well with Q-tips and brake cleaner, then slather the bolt with JB Weld, put it in and let it sit overnight.

 

[gswest]

OK! Upon closer inspection I found that my machine shop did tap the oil galley plug with a allen head stud. They didn't use any thread lock and after about 100 mils on the rebuilt head, the oil started oozing out. Lucky for me, I've been obsessed with leaks from the day I got this truck. And of course that's a futile obsession with these things, especially when they get 200,000 plus miles on the seals. So, I unscrewed the plug and cleaned the hole out with a carb-cleaner soaked que-tip. Then I slathered it with JB-weld and reinstalled it. Thanks for all the advice, pictures and links. I'll get some pictures up as soon as I figure out how to shrink the photo files. I'm proud of this truck and drive it more than my 350Z, which baffles everyone, but they don't understand the history and reputation of these trucks.
Thanks

 

[Tinker]

GS -
You've made the first of 12 steps - admitting your addiction.