Plugging Head Ports - N54Tech.com

DV135i · **Plugging Head Ports -** 07-11-2020, 08:23 AM

So i got the new VTT cast valve cover along with the dual CC setup. My mechanic friend was plugging the head ports when the tap broke off in one of them. He convinced me that grinding down the tap with a dremel would be fine and the port would be plugged. I ended up taking over and finished tapping the rest of the ports and inserting the plugs.

My question is....Should I be worried about the tap that’s stuck in the port? Do I need to extract the tap or should it be sufficient enough to plug the port now that it’s been ground down?

iminhell1 · 07-11-2020, 09:37 AM

Look at a tap.
How is it going to block the hole?

Your mechanic is a moron.

DV135i · 09:53 AM

Calm down keyboard warrior....I have looked at the tap and I asked him the same question. I’m going to pull it apart myself and try to remedy the issue. I bought an extractor kit, so let’s hope I can still get it out after it’s been ground down. The grooves on the side of the tap couldn’t be seen or accessed which is what I believe led him to think it’s blocked off enough.

08 335Ci · 07-11-2020, 09:57 AM

Fill in the flutes with JB Weld

DV135i · 07-11-2020, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 08 335Ci

Fill in the flutes with JB Weld

Lol thinking about that stresses me out more than the tap being stuck in there. I ordered an extractor kit on amazon that will be here tomorrow. Gonna try and remedy the problem myself.

ToolMaker335xi · 07-17-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DV135i

Lol thinking about that stresses me out more than the tap being stuck in there. I ordered an extractor kit on amazon that will be here tomorrow. Gonna try and remedy the problem myself.

Not sure what type of extractor kit you purchased, or if you had any luck removing it. Two ways that I might have went about removing it is try a small center punch and find a spot on the broken tap to where you can get a good angle on the tap to try back it out by tapped with a hammer on the center punch. The second thing ( but probably too late since he ground it down) would be to use a small cut off wheel and grind a slot and try to back it out with a screw driver. If the screw driver and some vise grips to hold it can’t get it to budge, it gives you a decent surface to tap at it on an angle... good luck man, I recently had to tap my head and the angles made me nervous at first.

DV135i · 07-17-2020, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToolMaker335xi

Not sure what type of extractor kit you purchased, or if you had any luck removing it. Two ways that I might have went about removing it is try a small center punch and find a spot on the broken tap to where you can get a good angle on the tap to try back it out by tapped with a hammer on the center punch. The second thing ( but probably too late since he ground it down) would be to use a small cut off wheel and grind a slot and try to back it out with a screw driver. If the screw driver and some vise grips to hold it can’t get it to budge, it gives you a decent surface to tap at it on an angle... good luck man, I recently had to tap my head and the angles made me nervous at first.

Thanks for the advice!!! I ended up getting it all sorted out by using a liquid metal filler and then buffing it out. Doesn’t even look like there used to be a port there. Should hold me off till it’s time to build the motor. Once I too over and finished the ports it was easy, it’s all about being patient.

BeatupVR4 · 07-20-2020, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DV135i

Lol thinking about that stresses me out more than the tap being stuck in there. I ordered an extractor kit on amazon that will be here tomorrow. Gonna try and remedy the problem myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DV135i

Thanks for the advice!!! I ended up getting it all sorted out by using a liquid metal filler and then buffing it out.

Sooooo JB Weld?

I really think JB Weld gets a bad rap. The stuff is crazy strong and has so many uses.

It's been holding on a mounting ear of the trans on a buddies 800+whp drag car for years. But he also has a literal fence post from Home Depot for a driveshaft so maybe not the best role model.

Sleeper 880HP AWD Mirage + 200mph Crash Footage - YouTube

Rob@RBTurbo · 07-20-2020, 08:15 AM

I'd definitely give the extractor tool a whirl initially, I've had some decent luck with them in general use over the years.

Also when you are doing these head taps, always take some care and go slow, you also only need to go as deep as the height of the plug as well so if you use a shorter plug that keeps the efforts lower. This process usually goes very smooth and takes less than an hour once the head surface is already exposed.

Rob