Here it is. I bought some cylinder heads off of ebay. They look great and all so I put them on. Got the engine back in the car. Now its time to hook up all the sensors and what not, so I go to remove the plugs to put the sensors in. However, I can't find anything to fit them so I can remove them. My plan is to find something and wedge it in and use epoxy to set it in and see if I can unscrew them. Just hoping somebody has a better idea. Here is a short list of items I've tried:

1/4" drive ratchet
3/8" drive ratchet
various size allen wrenches
pipe plug remover (from the plumbing isle at homie depot)

Really wish I'd have tried taking them out while they were still on the bench.

 

Pictures would help so we know what plugs you're talking about.

 

If this is a small block V8, no doubt it's the only plug in one of those heads... viewed from the exhaust side, in between the 2 left spark plugs.

If the heads are cast iron, heat is the best way to get that plug out. Those are usually rusted in there so good that you can break off tools and strip the drive long before they'll come loose. Best to do that with the head off.

Consider it a lesson learned the hard way; like buying something and THEN posting a question about "did I pay too much", "are these any good", etc.

 

Heat was going to be my next shot. Really didn't want to have to pull them off, but I guess I'll have to. 5/16 bar stock fits one of them but that and a 12" crescent wrench couldn't do it.

 

spray it with pb blaster for a few days, then try removing it.

 

My neighbor recommended relocating the sensors to a plug on the block. Sounds like a quick fix, but I'm not sure how well they would do what they need to do in a different spot. That is if the threads are the same.

 

The sensors need to go into water. You may be able to find somewhere on the manifold to run them. I ordered the socket tool needed to remove them from Snap On, but still wound up waiting to remove the engine to get the plug out on an original 85 LG4 416. With the engine in, and especially with the manifolds on, I couldn't get enough leverage.

 

Maybe use heat and lube, I have even heard of driping candle wax on it while hot and it will wick into the threads?

Worst case, drill it out with a tapered bit and retap with the proper pipe tap.

 

Generally, if you have to buy a bunch of tools to fix just one thing and you won't ever use them again, it's better to just pay somebody else who already has them to do it for you. Especially in a case like this, where you have to take the heads off ANYWAY to got a drill in there; and, there's a significant risk of breaking off a tool in the plug, in which case you'll just end up having to pay somebody to extricate you from the mess ANYWAY. It's no fun for example to extricate a broken-off EZ-Out from a casting, which is what happens to those things about 90% of the time. I have YET to see EVEN ONE actually WORK, in all my days of this hobby... which granted, I'm still pretty much a n00b, having only been in it for around 40 yrs or so, but still; not good odds.

I love buying tools and all that, but, there's a time and a place. Having been right where you are before, I'd suggest not attempting it yourself, since you won't save any money but instead will be taking on a bunch of risk you can avoid.

 

Aww, just pony up for a used-but-nice Ingersoll or Mitsubishi EDM and burn it out of there, while you burn new threads in behind it.

Either that, or pull the head and heat the casting as previously advised. Those square recess plugs are a real ****** after a few decades.

 

I agree with this logic completely. I found an edelbrock tbi intake cheap. So I'll get it cleaned while the heads are in getting their plugs removed.

 

Just got them back $20 well spent.

 

Good deal. You could have spent that much in tools, equipment, supplies, and frustration, and may have still needed to pull the head. Now you can move forward.