pipe plugs and thread sealant

[Soundguy]

Don't be afraid to use it!

Most of the old tractors I work on have pipe plugs as drain plugs, level check plugs, and sometimes, fill plugs. 99% of the ones I remove have no thread sealant onthem and instead are just torqued in to 50bajeeberthousand foot pounds till the threads roll over round... then when the plug is too worn to seal good, the previous owner just torqued it down a lil more,

A 1$ tube of thread sealant would have sure made my life easier last night

I was servicing my 1963 ford 4000 I got last week, and one of the 1/4" pipe plugs in a final drive sump was quite fond of it's living arangements. I tried various wrenches, pipe wrenches and vice grips.. tried some smart taps on it with a hammer to swage the threads. tried the blue wrench.. nocingg did much more than agggrivate the head.

Finally resorted to left hand drill bits and started small, and drilled up till I got my 5/16 thru the plug.. not much metal left inthe plug so I finally felt safe with a spiral fluted extractor.. i got lucky and it worked.. plug had rounded threads all the way up to the top. I ran a chase intot he sump and it's threads were fine. A new 18 cent pipe plug from the hardware store seale dthe sump nicely, with a smear of thread compound and moderate hand pressure.

EVERY plug I remove gets sealant when it goes back in, and no plug gets re-used unless it looks like it is 95% new, threads AND head.

just thought I might pass that along and save you or the next owner of your tractor some trouble down the road.

at least I got to try out my new set of lefty bits though

soundguy

 

[Cami]

I never felt the need to use sealant on drain plugs.

As for those left-handed bits, make sure you keep them well separated from the common ones or you might find yourself leaning hard into a drill and wondering why it's not cutting....

One advantage of having npt drain plugs is you can put a nipple on it to extend the drain out where it's easier to get at; it's very handy.

 

[Soundguy]

I don't want any extended drains on the bottom of my tractor.. too many things to catch on them.

IMHO.. sealant is a plus.. less torque needed to to seal via thread deformation.. which is what taper plugs rely upon. less torque on.. less torque off.. plus most sealants will help prevent galling and or threads rusting together. all win-win .

soundguy

 

[nue2farm]

I agree, sealant on pipe threads works wonders. I have used teflon tape and #5, non hardening pipe sealer for years, with great results. :thumbsup:

May seem like overkill to some, but, it worked for 37 years in the Boiler

Plant I worked in, prior to retirement.

 

[eepete]

What would be a good example of an appropriate sealant to use on a drain plug?

 

[actionaj]

I prefer using Teflon tape on anything that has to be removed frequently. I think it protects the threads a lot better than liquid sealant. Also it is lot less messy and much easier to clean. IMO

 

[Soundguy]

What would be a good example of an appropriate sealant to use on a drain plug?

I like gasoila

soundguy

 

[DanD78]

Another vote for the #5 pipe dope. I use it on everything. Neverseize is another good thing to use on bolts and such. If there is even a remote chance I will be the next guy taking something apart I use it.

Dan

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. I put stuff together thinking what I would want to take apart. no gluing gaskets down with a tube of silicone caulk with it extruded out everywhere.. etc.

soundguy

 

[eepete]

I went to the Gasoila web site, and there are a lot products listed under "Pipe Thread Sealants". Soundguy, can you narrow it down a bit for me ?

tia

Pete

 

[Soundguy]

read the cans.. each has a different purpose.

the one for oil/gas, etc.. is:

Gasoila Chemicals - Soft-Set Thread Sealant with PTFE

of course plain old harvey's makes a paste for metal and plastic pipes that works fine too.

soundguy

 

[wushaw]

Soundguy, are you just using an adjustable wrench for plug removal? Reason I ask is I had to remove a very tight pipe plug on a spicer differential recently and I had to get a 1/2dr. 8pt socket and a 24" breaker bar since my 18" crecent wrench was just gonna round the flats off.
The 8pt socket had no troubles. I do understand once it's round it's alternate method time.

 

[kennyd]

Soundguy, are you just using an adjustable wrench for plug removal? Reason I ask is I had to remove a very tight pipe plug on a spicer differential recently and I had to get a 1/2dr. 8pt socket and a 24" breaker bar since my 18" crecent wrench was just gonna round the flats off.
The 8pt socket had no troubles. I do understand once it's round it's alternate method time.

I love 8pt. sockets! I even won a bet with I friend of mine once who is very mechanical-but he had never heard of them before!:thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

Soundguy, are you just using an adjustable wrench for plug removal? Reason I ask is I had to remove a very tight pipe plug on a spicer differential recently and I had to get a 1/2dr. 8pt socket and a 24" breaker bar since my 18" crecent wrench was just gonna round the flats off.
The 8pt socket had no troubles. I do understand once it's round it's alternate method time.

adjustable wrenches are the LAST thing I use on a plug. I like a fixed wrench or socket if possible. heck.. I even have some custom made plug wrenches that are made of flat plate with a square notch.. think I only have them for like 1/2 and 3/4... should make one for 1/4 though.. these plugs were in so tight the head would have twisted off the soft cast iron plug before they came out. drilling them helped relieve some pressure.

soundguy

 

[pat32rf]

I have been known to use 1/4 and 1/2" brass NPT plugs as well as some plastic ones (in the right spot).
Right now I have a heat exchanger from an outdoor furnace on my bench. The house burnt and he gave me the heat exchanger-BUT the pipe dope they used seems to have solidified with the heat. Wasn't hot enough to damage the copper joints or melt the plastic pipe but I can't move the 3/4" FIPs with two 14" pipe wrenches...

 

[Eagleview]

You must be very carefull when using liquid pipe sealants on Die cast or plastic housings with tapered threads . The sealant will act as a lubricant and allow the plug or fitting to force it's way in and easily expand the female thread until the housing cracks . Use Teflon tape if not in contact with fuels on Die cast and plastic fittings .

 

[wushaw]

I love 8pt. sockets! I even won a bet with I friend of mine once who is very mechanical-but he had never heard of them before!:thumbsup:

I got on the Snap-On truck to get a couple and he hadn't ever heard of an 8pt socket either, I just ordered some from an on-line source.

 

[Cami]

@DanD78: If it doesn't need thread locker then it needs Anti-Seize!

I never heard of using dope AND tape until recently; I've used one or the other. This sort of thing is a pipefitter's problem, eh?

A funny thing is I've been doing some work in a new (to me) facility recently and noticed that all the lumbing for the compressed air and boilers in my area use both; other places I've worked it was one or the other.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I got a 4 piece set of 8pt Craftsman sockets years ago in 3/8" drive. I would have to go out and look at them but I think they fit 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" pipe plugs. I have only used them a hand full of times but they are sure handy.

Another trick I do is if I have a threaded plug that will be needed to taken in and out quite a bit is to weld a nut on the end. I like to drill out the threads of the nut to set down over the square head and use black pipe type plugs.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I've done that as well.. have even went as far as using a square file to make a square profile to the nut to slip it down.

I miss the applications where there are actually hex headed plugs.. love them... good squares are ok, and I hate inverted hex.. and semi hate inverted square..

soundguy