block petcock

[ziggy]

anyone else dislike this idea? my L6 has one block drain. a stand off w/petcock. ya can't ream it out. i've learned that i get about 2.75 folgers coffee cans of water out of my block usually. seems to usually take about 1.75 gallons of antifreeze to fill the block. but it'd sure be nice to be able to ream it out like i do the manifold so i know all the water is out. any answer other than just removeing the stand off and puttin a plug in the block? i can't ever seem to get a wire probe down the petcock. which after looking at petcocks at the hardware store don't surprise me as to why i can't get a probe into it..... volume seems to work, but it'd sure be nice to know there ain't inside rusty's blocking the draining....

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: block petcock

My old OMC had the petcocks like that.I hated them.
I ended up just replacing them with brass plugs..

 

[Don S]

Re: block petcock

Get the Hex plugs, they take a 9/16 socket and everything is easy ...... uh "er"

 

[JustJason]

Re: block petcock

every omc i've done has the petcock.... i just pull the whole thing out.... and i'm still poking rust out, especially in the manifolds.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: block petcock

ziggy; i had a messed up pet **** in my 165 6. i didnt have a replacment on hand and used a plug. when all was said and done i did as don said and changed to plugs. easyer to work with. on my 454 it easyer to get a wrench on a plug than a pair of pliers on a petcock

 

[ziggy]

Re: block petcock

my concern is this. if i take the stand of pipe off the block. and the block is rusty. from the inside, which i'd bet dollars to donuts it's pretty bad from when i R&Red the manifold. i'll not have anything to thread the new plain plug into. or i strip out the thread and not be able to tap new ones in or worse yet, break off the stand off pipe. so far, i feel i'm getting away with the volume idea. though i don't know the facts on the volume of the block or manifold. going on the idea that it's similar to last year. should i leave well enough alone, or. go with my gut feeling. that no probe bums me...... i am winterized now. full drain best i could tell, + antifreeze thru the tstat and direct into the manifold.... nothing gonna probably happen till next season. just wondered about others thoughts on this..... thanks for yer input friends....

 

[Bondo]

Re: block petcock

Ayuh,...

Just How Long is this stand-off pipe,..??..??

If you remove just the petcock,...
You could replace the petcock with a brass Pipe Cap.....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: block petcock

Thats exactly what someone did with my 4 banger merc now in the boat i have.

Bondo is right brass cap.

 

[ziggy]

Re: block petcock

Just How Long is this stand-off pipe,..??..??

If you remove just the petcock,...
You could replace the petcock with a brass Pipe Cap.....

w/o going and measuring it. 2" maybe. i thought about the cap. seemed like a good idea. but the petcocks been there for years and is pretty tight. like tight enough i feel like i'll inadvertently break off the pipe trying to separate the pipe from the petcock. guess i'm a shade leary of doing anything. my last L6 had a leak at the block drain. the hole kept getting bigger and bigger so no plug would keep it from leaking... was a constant irritation and drip... guess i was mostly just venting about the stupid petcock idea that ya can't probe out the rust mostly....