Any ideas?

zzmac · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-2018, 08:35 PM

The head of the drain bolt on my rad broke off. In trying to extract the bolt it spun right through and rolled through the neck and into the rad (I’m presuming that’s where it ended up). I tried vacuuming it out and also tried to flush it out by running water through the rad. Both failed.

Any ideas on how to retrieve the bolt without removing the rad which I’m trying to avoid. Thx

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 04:31 AM

If you have an aluminum radiator this won't work and it may not anyway. But if the bolt is metal and you have one of those small magnets on an extended flex line, you may be able to get it over to where you can get it out. Otherwise it is going to be very difficult to get out without removing the radiator.

Ron

zzmac · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 05:23 AM

The bolt isn’t magnetic.

MOTORHEAD · #4 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 06:39 AM

I don't know how you managed to UN screw it INTO the radiator, but obviously you'll have to drill & tap to the next larger size and that will give you a bit bigger hole to work through. I would say just leave it in there,but it might get pushed over to the bottom hose neck by the water flow and road vibration. That is also a bigger hole to work through. Maybe a air blow gun with a flexible hose on the end might blow it over to the bottom hose neck.

Buzz · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 08:14 AM

Use a shop vac necked down to an appropriately sized length of tubing or hose. Neck it down with whatever is handy or make something up and attach the smaller hose with duct tape - it doesn't have to be pretty or perfect as long as you get sufficient suction to capture the bolt. poke the hose in and pull it out through the lower rad hose opening.

zzmac · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 03:46 PM

Yesterday I tried the shopvac and I also tried our central vac with a smaller hose attached to it so it could get around the corner of the lower outlet and into the rad. Didn't work.

The bolt is made of brass and when I was drilling a small hole in it, it grabbed the bolt and spun it right through the threads of the opening (the threads are fine, just needs a new bolt).

What harm , if any, could happen if I just left the bolt in the rad?

Randy Rosenberg · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 05:34 PM

Please note that I'm not a certified mechanic; I don't play one on TV, nor did I stay at a holiday inn last night...

Can you put a screen (like 1/4" mesh) in the bottom radiator hose opening that would prevent this bolt piece from flowing into your water pump? If so, then maybe this size (or similar size) would also allow for sufficient water flow, and then you can just leave the piece in there. Just a crazy thought...

Or you can mount your car on a rotisserie and flip it over to if it'll come out of the top hose hole

razerwire · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 06:35 PM

spring loaded three finger thing inside flexible cable, come on, I know you have seen them. Get a plumber with scope to do the extraction for you (:-)

xb-60 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 06:53 PM

If you google "galvanic series", you'll see that brass is a more "noble" metal than aluminium alloy. This means that the aluminium alloy will corrode when in contact with brass, but because of the size of the radiator (assuming it's aluminium alloy?) in relation to the size of the bolt, the amount of corrosion that occurs on the radiator will be spread over a wide area and wouldn't cause a problem.

However, you don't want a bolt rolling around in the bottom of the radiator and possibly getting into the engine.

Cheers,
Glen

cycleguy55 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-10-2018, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by razerwire

spring loaded three finger thing inside flexible cable, come on, I know you have seen them. Get a plumber with scope to do the extraction for you (:-)

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-inc...ool-94162.html

razerwire · #11 (**permalink**) 09-11-2018, 09:59 AM

That's it cycleguy55, fast find. Most plumbers have a scope now days. My friend has one with light, camera and long flexible cable on it, very handy.

cycleguy55 · #12 (**permalink**) 09-11-2018, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by razerwire

That's it cycleguy55, fast find. Most plumbers have a scope now days. My friend has one with light, camera and long flexible cable on it, very handy.

I also have a camera similar to this one: "USB Waterproof Endoscope Borescope Inspection Camera" https://www.amazon.com/econoLED-Wate.../dp/B06XKC3GNK

Most often I use it with an old netbook running Linux - it's small and portable, and the camera SW seems to work better than the comparable stuff on my Windoze laptop. To be fair, though, the last time I compared the two was about 2 years ago, and I have no doubt both platforms have improved since then.

bobcowan · #13 (**permalink**) 09-11-2018, 02:59 PM

You don't want it rolling around in there. It will damage the radiator from the inside, and probably eventually put a hole In it. Plus, it could theoretically get sucked up in to the water pump, and then more bad things will happen.

The drain bolt is usually a tapered plug. If you pushed it through the tapered hole, now the hole is larger than it used to be. It probably won't seal on the new plug. As said above, you'll need drill and tap to the next sized hole.

Be sure and inspect the area around the drain port very carefully. Pushing that plug through may have cracked the boss. If you're not careful, you can also crack it when tapping new threads.

You're probably going to find that it's faster and easier to just pull the radiator out of the car.

sllib · #14 (**permalink**) 09-11-2018, 03:10 PM

I agree with Bob C. Pull the radiator. How much is your peace of mind, and your water pump, worth?
Bill

zzmac · #15 (**permalink**) 09-12-2018, 11:41 AM

I'm going to get a scope and see if I can locate the bolt and if I see it try to figure out a way to retrieve. If that fails I'll have to take the rad out.

On a side note, would a stainless steel bolt be fine for a replacement?

bobcowan · #16 (**permalink**) 09-12-2018, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzmac

I'm going to get a scope and see if I can locate the bolt and if I see it try to figure out a way to retrieve. If that fails I'll have to take the rad out.

On a side note, would a stainless steel bolt be fine for a replacement?

Pipe plug, not bolt. Yes, SS will be fine.

Shootnride · #17 (**permalink**) 09-13-2018, 06:47 AM

I have had the drain plug out of the radiator on my SPF a couple of times and if I remember correctly, it is not a tapered thread. I'm pretty sure it's a straight thread and uses a crush washer for sealing. Also, stainless steel has a real propensity for galling in aluminum. If you elect to use a SS plug I would suggest using anti-sieze on the threads.

Ted

Mark IV · #18 (**permalink**) 09-13-2018, 08:09 AM

So even if you can grab it with a finger tool, how will you get it out through the threaded boss in the radiator? The plug is threaded the size of the boss and the tool's fingers will add .010+ so no way can you pull it through!

Pull the radiator and be done with it. About an hours work on an SPF.

cycleguy55 · #19 (**permalink**) 09-13-2018, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark IV

So even if you can grab it with a finger tool, how will you get it out through the threaded boss in the radiator? The plug is threaded the size of the boss and the tool's fingers will add .010+ so no way can you pull it through!

Pull the radiator and be done with it. About an hours work on an SPF.

Why try pulling it through the threaded boss - either radiator hose opening is much larger.

Mark IV · #20 (**permalink**) 09-13-2018, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Why try pulling it through the threaded boss - either radiator hose opening is much larger.

DING, DING, DING, We have a winner! Why didn't I think of that!