I have a block drain that is rounded off an giving me fits to remove. The plug now is like a bolt with the head broken off. I tried welding a nut to it, but the weld does not penetrate the plug. It doesnt appear to be a brass piece, as it is not very soft. Is there a tool that "grabs" exposed studs to rotate it out? I havent had any luck with vice grips and heating the block up with a torch...especially since the engine is in the car. I've been soaking it the past couple days with Gibbs penetrant.

Thanks,
Tom

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00904458000P?sid=BVReview
However I don't know if it will work where you need it at. I have used it to remove broken head bolts in K cars and Nissans.

1968 Ranchero 390. 060 over,10.5:1, Comp 292H Cam, Performer RPM intake, Hooker headers, 4spd. 3.89 dif. ProForm 750 DP, Mallory Unilite distributor, Holley Annihilator cd ignition system, centerforce df clutch.

the threads, then use the tool Tom provided in the link.

(I haven't looked at it, but I'm betting it's the one that looks like a die from a tap and die set, but looks like the reverse of an easy out on the inside.

Larry

and wish I had never started. However, mine also had some exposed "bolt" and I heated the area as much as I could with my propane torch (not very much) and then used a pipe wrench to turn it. Nothing else would grip enough to get the torque I needed to turn it. You may end up drilling it out.

Jim

I did this with some help a while ago, fortunately the engine was on a stand.

What we did was drill out the old bolt then with a dremel tool, filed it as close as possible to the existing threads. Then, using a tap, we tapped it out and luckily the old bolt was sufficiently weakened that it collapsed. Job done, then I had to search for a new plug, most vendors here only had metric threaded bolts!!

Was nerve wracking, sometimes felt it would have been easier to leave it and drain the block by popping a freeze plug when I needed to!!!! Of course the freeze plug would have been the easiest to get to.!!

Graeme