Best way to remove frost/ freeze plug from block?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
40
Location
Kamloops, Canada
Hey guys, i'm wondering if any of you have any insight on how i should remove a frost plug from my Toyota Tacoma4 cylinder's block? I want to install a block heater. Does it matter which freeze plug hole the block heater goes in to? Thanks guys
 
They are pressed in you can carefully tap one corner in and pull it out .lots of time though the whole freeze plug will be pushed it to the block . Go to an auto parts store and look at a freeze plug then it will be easy to figure out how to remove the plug.
 
I've never worked on a Yota... so take this with a grain of salt:

I've removed lots of freeze plugs, though. I take a punch or a dull screwdriver, and beat on it just toward the edge of one side. This will knock that side inward, and sorta 'turn' the plug in its bore. Then you can grab it with pliers and yank it out. Kinda hard to explain without showing you.

nopics.gif


I've always wanted to use that emoticon- no offense intended...

I have no idea which plug you should remove to install the heater. I know from experience that it does matter on SOME engines- there has to be clearance for the heating element.

Since you're removing a freeze plug, I assume that this is the sort of block heater that seals with an o-ring. To make sure it seals, you'll need to take some emery cloth and clean/polish that bore once you get the freeze plug out.
 
I have rebuilt a few engines in years past. I do like onion and Steves said.
Take a punch to one side and it turns around. Then I grab it with a channel lock pliers and pop it out.
Ditto for the freeze plug bore.

Sometimes it does fall inside the block, try retrive it with a magnet retrieval tool.
You can also get the block heaters that magnitize to the block.
 
When I lived in coldsville I used the heaters that go in the lower radiator hose. I'd buy the lowest wattage one for the hose size and they always worked well even on v8's with big radiators in my trucks. Sure there are pro's and cons to the different types but they worked for me, engines cranked easier and got heat out of the heater quick. Picked the lower wattage so I could leave it plugged in and not use a megawatt of power.
 
Well i've already bought my block heater and it's a little thing that goes in the frost plug hole. I guess i'll call Toyota and find out which hole is optimal, but i'm sure hoping it's the most frontal positioned one because it's got the easiest access. So when you guys say use a punch on one side, are you saying hit it on the lip that is flush with the block, not where it's indented? I definitely don't want it to get pushed into the block because i can see it being a nightmare to get it out. Thanks for the help so far guys.
 
The spin-it-in-the-hole method probably works fine but the way I was shown years ago was to drill a small hole in the plug (careful not to go through very far), drive in a sheet metal screw and pull the plug out with a claw-style nail puller and a block of wood.

Cheers
JJ
 
Quote:


Hey guys, i'm wondering if any of you have any insight on how i should remove a frost plug from my Toyota Tacoma4 cylinder's block? I want to install a block heater. Does it matter which freeze plug hole the block heater goes in to? Thanks guys




Have you considered a heater that uses a magnetic blanket on the oil pan to heat the oil up to temp? I have heard they work well.
 
Quote:


So when you guys say use a punch on one side, are you saying hit it on the lip that is flush with the block, not where it's indented?




You're going to lay the punch down parallel with the side of the block and hit the edge of the freeze plug crumpling the edge of it; this enables you to grab it with some pliers. I'm thinking about a 3/8 inch diameter pin punch should do it.

Using the drill a hole and sheet metal screw method would work good too. That's the way I used to get welch plugs out of carburettors.
 
Never occurred to me to leave one in... but I don't see how it would hurt anything.

When I knock a plug in on the side, I put the punch on the side of the plug, within the indented area (not against the bore)... simply because I don't want to knick the bore with the punch.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top