Stripped Threads on drain plug

[Christopher Laurencio]

I stripped the threads on the drain plug, I guess I have been over doin it. Or maybe a bad plug? So how tight does everyone else make them. I would assume as hard as you could? Or is that to much.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

...just 'snug'...

There isn't much of any pressure against it to make it necessary to over-torque it...



az

 

[Larry Harp]

Stripped the threads??? Remind me not to shake hands with you when we meet. LOL

They're not expensive, just a couple of bucks. Any store that has boat stuff will have them. There are two types; the kind with the little "T" handle that you tighten and another with kind of loop that you tighten and then flip up to tighten a little more. I usually use the "T" handle kind because I worry about the other kind getting snagged on a tree limb and getting pulled out.

Which ever one you use just take it easy on it. Good and snug should be good enough.



Harpo

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

OK



Harpo actually I don't think my hands are that strong (I'm a bean counter - former Mason) but as always I get a

little mental with overtightening everything. My wife supervises me when I have to put something together!



I now have two extra plugs in the boat at all times. The stripped plug almost caused me to miss a tourney, thanks to a club member for having an extra.

 

[Tony Payne]

hint:



If you have to use pliers to take it off, you might have it a bit too tite...



CJL,



You and I suffer from the same problem... I've only recently learned that the boatbuckles do not have to be tuned like a guitar to work... a little "slop" is ok...

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

simnitro,



Yeah, I have had that issue with my boat buckles to and the winch, jeez I better relax.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Don't EVER change your own spark plugs.....

 

[Tony Payne]

me!...



Funny story...



How many spark plug sockets/tire irons have you busted trying to remove lug nuts on a flat tire?



We had a 79 Ford Grenada, and the lug nuts had "frozen"...



I went thru 3 crafstman sockets and 2 4 way tire things... literally ripped the sockets open...



Limped it over to the gas station (i finally gave up,err, ran out of tools), they sat on the lug nuts for 10 minutes with the air tools, got them loose, then the tire still wouldnt come off... the gentleman "kicked" the tire to bust it loose, and the a-frame went...



Sometimes, it just doesnt pay to drive...

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I would have said that might have been me that tightened the lug nuts, but in 79 I was only 6 or 7 years old.

 

[Tony Payne]

well, they were "frozen" (rusted I guess) in place... point is when I get to doing something, I often dont quit until something is fixed, or broken beyond repair.



either way...

 

[Staci Matheis]

I had a couple of MGB's when I was in my 20's..... One with wire wheels..... The hubs and the wheels themselves were splined and there was a large nut that held the wheel in place.....



Sometime after I bought the car, I had to change a tire. The nut came off with some difficulty; they gave you this poor excuse for a wrench that looked a bit like a stamped metal tab-top with a 12" handle that you were supposed to use to loosen it......



The wheels were another story..... The hubs hadn't been properly greased the last time the wheels were off and the splines had rusted the wheel and hub together.....



The shop I took it to ended up having to heat the wheels with a torch and melterd a couple of the tires in the process. They then somehow managed to beat the wheels off with a sledge hammer.

 

[Donald Fruge]

My first car was a Grenada...LOL that thing was a true piece of chit. The whole body was rusted out and there was a rusted out whole through the floor board...LOL



When the rear axle gave out I traded the whole car at the junk yard for an AM/FM radio to put in the next junky car I got!!!!!! Boy that brings back memories..LOL



Wolf

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

My first car was a 1976 Camaro, I got it painted Black Laquer and put Cragar SuperSports on it, 50's in the back.

Car was a real nice until I gave it to my older brother when I got a newer Trans-am. He destroyed the Camaro in less then 6 months.

I never had real big problems with my first few cars since my Father was a mechanic (thank god for that).

 

[Staci Matheis]

I had a silver Granada at one time - I think it was a '75. It was built during a period when Ford was experimenting with water-based primer..... Paint came flaking off in big sheets.

 

[Michael Snow]

Are you sure you stripped them and not that you backed it out too far or that it just kind rusted in place so that when you turn the handle, the whole screw turns?



I saw you had a PT185, so I'm guessing it uses the brass plugs. The Nitro series uses the plastic plug which also screws in, but to a built-in base.



Besides, this should have taught you a valuable lesson -- keep a spare plug .

 

[TrepMan]

We had 2 granada's a a blue and a red one. My first car was a 75 honda Civic, next was the 78 Merc Zephyr!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Trep -



Did you get the same lousey gas milage I did out of my '78 Ford Futura with the 200 CID 6-cylinder? It was when they first started using EGR valves and I onlu got 14 mpg. I quickly disabled the system and got boosted all the way to 16 mpg.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Mikesnow,

Every time I went to use the plug I had to hold the front disc or washer and turn the handle to get it goin I guess it worked itself broken. The plug is not brass, it's cheaper metal of some sort, in any event I now have two brass ones (plugs that is) and will always keep a spare.

 

[Larry Harp]

Dear Mr Snow,



This thread has offically gone "Off Topic". The topic of this discussion is now regarding rusted Ford Granadas of 70's vintage. Please refrain from discussing drain plugs and the use thereof.



Yours Truly,

Harpo