LittleSister
Well-known member
Drained my diesel tank today. I was concentrating on the diesel rather than anything else, but thinking about it now maybe I should be replacing or annealing the drain plug washer.
The drain plug (this is in a stainless steel tank) appeared to be brass, with an 11mm nut (or at least it fitted an 11mm socket), thicker shaft than a standard metric steel bolt of that size head, and (I think I remember) a shallower thread (more t.p.i.). There was a dark coloured washer on it, but I wasn't paying attention to that at the time.
I now vaguely recall reading somewhere that such plugs will usually have a copper (?) washer that must be replaced or annealed to be sure of a good seal (and I don't want 45 litres of diesel in the bilge!). Is this right?
I seem to remember that you can anneal the washer (if it is copper) to re-soften (?) it, by heating. Is this true, and if so how hot, and do I let it cool naturally, or plunge it into water to cool rapidly?
Thanks in anticipation of the forum's collective wisdom.
The drain plug (this is in a stainless steel tank) appeared to be brass, with an 11mm nut (or at least it fitted an 11mm socket), thicker shaft than a standard metric steel bolt of that size head, and (I think I remember) a shallower thread (more t.p.i.). There was a dark coloured washer on it, but I wasn't paying attention to that at the time.
I now vaguely recall reading somewhere that such plugs will usually have a copper (?) washer that must be replaced or annealed to be sure of a good seal (and I don't want 45 litres of diesel in the bilge!). Is this right?
I seem to remember that you can anneal the washer (if it is copper) to re-soften (?) it, by heating. Is this true, and if so how hot, and do I let it cool naturally, or plunge it into water to cool rapidly?
Thanks in anticipation of the forum's collective wisdom.
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