Stuck engine drain plug on Beta Bz482

webcraft

webcraft

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 Jul 2001
Messages
40,410
Location
Cyberspace
www.bluemoment.com
.
Tried heating and cooling (freezing spray and mini-blowlamp) but because of the position of the plug it is impossible to really heat/cool it in isolation from the surrounding metal, most notably the engine mount.

drainplug.jpg


It's right under the fuel pump and inexplicably pointing downwards so there isn't room between it and the engine mount to get anything other than an open-ended spanner on. We snapped a jaw off one 8mm spanner.

Only other options seem to be removing the fuel pump or detaching the engine mount from the engine block, slackening the bottom nut and swivelling the mount out of the way - but I am worried about disturbing the alignment with option 2.

- W
 
Can I suggest you don't bother but get yourself a Pela pump and suck out the oil (having warmed it first) via the dipstick hole. You should get all the oil out that way. Edit - Sorry ignore me, that's the water drain not the oil drain isn't it.
 
Last edited:
But the same principle applies - on my Beta 722 I can syphon out most of the water through the filler cap. Not 100% but sufficient to replace probably 90% of the mix with fresh water/anti-freeze mix.
 
tillergirl said:
Can I suggest you don't bother but get yourself a Pela pump and suck out the oil (having warmed it first) via the dipstick hole. You should get all the oil out that way. Edit - Sorry ignore me, that's the water drain not the oil drain isn't it.
Click to expand...

No doubt wanting to change the indirect coolant.
I took off the return between water-pump and heat-exchanger, as the nearest to the low point on the cooling system - didn't even think to look for a drain plug - assumed it would be inaccessible if fitted.
On the Yanmar that return pipe is level with the bottom of the cylinder water jacket.
 
Is it water or oil we're not draining? - no matter... what size is the square bit Nick - would the sacrifice of an old 1/2" socket be in order and a good fit?
As to the engine mount: if you make up a go-nogo guage* from a bit of thin board or something, you should be able to remove and successfully replace the fitting - always assuming you can loosen IT's bits...
(*in case you've not met such a guage it's just a rectangle of stiff stuff cut to just slip in the gap one way, and a bawherr too big to go in the other way- simples, just screw your nuts until it goes/disnae go.) (You could make one of these for each mount when the engine has been newly (perfectly) aligned, then it will be easy to keep that way.)
 
Billjratt said:
Is it water or oil we're not draining? - no matter... what size is the square bit Nick - would the sacrifice of an old 1/2" socket be in order and a good fit?
As to the engine mount: if you make up a go-nogo guage* from a bit of thin board or something, you should be able to remove and successfully replace the fitting - always assuming you can loosen IT's bits...
(*in case you've not met such a guage it's just a rectangle of stiff stuff cut to just slip in the gap one way, and a bawherr too big to go in the other way- simples, just screw your nuts until it goes/disnae go.) (You could make one of these for each mount when the engine has been newly (perfectly) aligned, then it will be easy to keep that way.)
Click to expand...

It is impossible to get a socket on - not enough space between the engine mount and the plug. Why on earth does it have to point downwards?

There isn't even enough space to get a standard ring spanner on.

And - did have a go at one of the engine mount bolts (hex head) using a meaty allen key - no go . Easier maybe to take the fuel pump off.

- W
 
yes take the pump off, I have a odd angle small stilsons but even with that I bet it would be a struggle. I dont understant the worry re removing one engine mount if your not lifting the engine it should be fine, you could spray paint over the mount area then when putting it back the witness marks are there to be seen
Even taking things off it will still be very hard to get it undone, at times in the past I've welded larger bolts onto an awkward bolt or sump plug
 
Forgive me if you've done this, but it doesn't look like it from the photograph. Have you tried scraping off the paint all around the plug and getting some easing/penetrating oil into the threads? I imagine it will take a number of applications, but if you can get to it it's what I'd try before applying any further force.

PS Also meant to add, have you asked Beta - I've always found them very helpful and they just might have some useful suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Hydrozoan said:
Forgive me if you've done this, but it doesn't look like it from the photograph. Have you tried scraping off the paint all around the plug and getting some easing/penetrating oil into the threads? I imagine it will take a number of applications, but if you can get to it it's what I'd try before applying any further force.

PS Also meant to add, have you asked Beta - I've always found them very helpful and they just might have some useful suggestions?
Click to expand...

Haven't tried the paint off/WD40 route as I didn't think it would do any good, but worth a go I guess. Problem is the boat is on a mooring and getting to it is a palaver, so regular short visits are not really an option at the moment. Am going to give Beta a ring tomorrow and will report back here.

- W
 
webcraft said:
Haven't tried the paint off/WD40 route as I didn't think it would do any good, but worth a go I guess. Problem is the boat is on a mooring and getting to it is a palaver, so regular short visits are not really an option at the moment. Am going to give Beta a ring tomorrow and will report back here.

- W
Click to expand...

Well it may not do any good, but it won't do any harm either (not to be sniffed at!) and I think it's what I did years ago with a recalcitrant BD622 plug.

Wire brush very thoroughly first, and it is then a work of patience squirting the stuff upwards, little and often - and I do see the added difficulty on a mooring. I hope Beta may have some helpful ideas, and it's good to hear that you will ask. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
If you could get a solid iron bar against the plug and give it a hard belt with a 5kg hammer it may loosen it up enough to unscrew.
 
sailorman said:
I would go with TG`s suggestion, what a poorly designed set-u, even if you remove it where will the oil go, no possibility of getting a tray under it.
Click to expand...

It's a coolant drain plug, not an oil drain plug, I believe - see earlier posts.

PS Beta do provide a very well-designed set-up for oil removal with a built in pump - see horizontal brass handle next to dipstick on left of picture here:http://www.betamarinenw.com/Engines/BetaMarineBZ482.html. I cannot comment on the relative accessibility of the coolant drain plug on other small engine ranges.
 
Last edited:
A standard socket spanner will be notched to suit a six sided nut so will not truly fit a square plug. In addition it will be bigger than needs be as the diameter will be larger.
Halfords sell a square drain plug socket _ you will want 8mm- that may be small enough to get over the end. use a swivel adaptor to allow you to angle the drive.You may also be able to grind a bit of the socket so it still fits but clears the frame enough to hammer it on & at least loosen the plug so you can get it off with a spanner.
Having done that you then have to get it back in so you have to decide if you really want it out
 
sailorman said:
Is it an iron bung in a C I block
Click to expand...

I think it's a steel plug (mine is) in a CI block - IIRC there was an earlier thread on it, and I believe it was established there that it's not a brass plug.

Daydream believer said:
... Having done that you then have to get it back in so you have to decide if you really want it out
Click to expand...

Webby has not told us AFAIK how old the engine is, nor when the plug was last taken out. And therein may be the problem: as a coolant drain plug, it will tend to rust in if not regularly removed for coolant drainage - and as I said earlier in the context of penetrating/easing oil, the paint around the plug looks fairly undisturbed - which suggests to me that it may not have been removed regularly (and my sincere apologies to Webby if that surmise is incorrect). I change coolant every two years (which I had thought Beta recommended, though that may be different now or for his engine), and I believe that if these plugs are regularly removed and greased on refitting serious problems are unlikely to arise.

I think patient application of easing/penetrating oil after clearing the paint may well help, along with (perhaps) a sharp but careful knock and a good tool - better than a brute force only solution, risking rounding the plug top or shearing it off.
 
Last edited:
Hydrozoan said:
I think it's a steel plug (mine is) in a CI block - IIRC there was an earlier thread on it, and I believe it was established there that it's not a brass plug.



Webby has not told us AFAIK how old the engine is, nor when the plug was last taken out. And therein may be the problem: as a coolant drain plug, it will tend to rust in if not regularly removed for coolant drainage - and as I said earlier in the context of penetrating/easing oil, the paint around the plug looks fairly undisturbed - which suggests to me that it may not have been removed regularly (and my sincere apologies to Webby if that surmise is incorrect). I change coolant every two years (which I had thought Beta recommended, though that may be different now or for his engine), and I believe that if these plugs are regularly removed and greased on refitting serious problems are unlikely to arise.

I think patient application of easing/penetrating oil after clearing the paint may well help, along with (perhaps) a sharp but careful knock and a good tool - better than a brute force only solution, riking rounding the plug top or shearing it off.
Click to expand...
by the look of the pain it has never been removed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top