Fuel tank drain plug

[joshua180422]

I am not able to loosen the plug located at the bottom of the fuel tank. It already started to break when I tried to loosen it. I am trying to figure out my options right now. I think I am going to have to drill it out. Does anyone know the measurement for the plug? Any other ideas would be great.

 

[wreckerman893]

Are you using the right tool? I think a 1/2 (or maybe 3/4) inch drive ratchet fits right into the square hole (using a short extension helps). It has been my experience that you will need a cheater bar to get the plug to break loose. If the hole is rounding out you may have to drill it and use a big "ease out" to get it out. The plug in mine was a standard galvanized pipe plug.

 

[61sleepercab]

Try soaking with PB Blaster penetrating oil and peck it with hammer to vibrate plug. If enough is left to get a socket on try soaking and a impact gun. If you have to drill, take grinder to smooth off the surface and center punch the exact hole center. Use the easy out near the hole size and pulse the torque you put on the wrench and do not just twist the daylights out of it all at once. Avoid breaking off a easy out as they are so hard they will not drill out.

Sometimes you can drill out the plug close to the outside diameter but leave room for the tank threads. Then use a small punch or half circle punch and collapse the plug into the center of the hole and take out the remainder leaving the thread.

For non fuel tank situations sometimes last resort is to soak and then heat with cutting torch till dull red and then take 6 point socket or wrench and take it loose right then. Good luck. Mark

 

[brianp454]

You have some good advice here already, if you take a pic and include it in the next post it would help. If the tank is drained of fuel heating the plug with a torch will generally make it expand and crush the stuff making it stick. The idea is to heat it quickly, but not make it melt, so that the bung around it stays cool. Then when the plug cools it will come out easier

 

[Floridianson]

Why do you need to drain the tank. If you think there is some water you can allways just park the truck nose down hill leaning to the right and all the water should gather to that corner. Use what ever you have garden hose /diesel fuel pump, ect. to suck it out.

 

[joshua180422]

I just moved to Pennsylvania and the truck does not want to start in this cold with motor oil in the tank so I am going to drain it all and throw some kerosene in it to get it running and then switch to straight diesel. I am also considering taking the plug out and put a 250 watt block heater in its place.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Or just add some gas to the motor oil to thin it out a little if thickness is the problem. I run a mix of WMO and gas and she starts up fine. Your fuel filters are not clogged and your fuel pump is running correct?

 

[joshua180422]

I just changed the fuel filters. It will run on starting fluid only and I already checked the fuel pump is working.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Well if you want to drain it out, you can use a siphon pump or open up the bottom of the primary fuel filter and let it run out as the pump is running. That may take a while though. If you think the quality of the WMO is OK then I would add a gallon of Gas to it and stir up the tank and then keep the fuel pump running allowing the gas mix to get though the filters so you know it's getting to the engine and then try to start.

 

[Another Ahab]

I am not able to loosen the plug located at the bottom of the fuel tank. It already started to break when I tried to loosen it. I am trying to figure out my options right now. I think I am going to have to drill it out. Does anyone know the measurement for the plug? Any other ideas would be great.

A lot of helpful ideas here already, and I do recall reading another thread (or two) related to this same issue. One of them noted the drain plug was so tight that the tank itself started to distort from the loosening torque of the wrench.

So a recommendation here for a little time also in thread search mode, if you haven't gone there already.

Yes, it's messy and time consuming, but (unfortunately) not everything gets covered by any one or two related threads.

See heading on ther page at bottom of this thread: "Similar Threads" (and it'll save you the search time).

 

[ATPTac]

I agree with thinning the oil with gas, that should take care of it assuming that is in fact why the truck isn't running. I know this might be a stupid question (but I don't know your knowledge about diesel engines), but did you bleed the air out of the fuel system after changing the filters?

 

[73m819]

Why not use a standard pipe size tap drill (1/2", 3/4", 1", drill the center out of the plug, drain the tank, then tap the plug for a standard pipe plug, this would be a LOT easier then some of the ideas above.

 

[joshua180422]

I did bleed the air thank you. I do like the idea of drilling and tapping the plug that is the type of idea I was looking for. It is pretty obvious but I wasn't thinking of it. That would also make it easier down the road.

 

[ATPTac]

No offense intended, just making sure.

 

[joshua180422]

No offense taken the only reason I know that is because the first time I did not bleed the air. Where were you last time? Lol

 

[ATPTac]

Haha, sorry man. That's one of those mistakes you only make once.