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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1275 water drain plug

I can see the water drain plug on my 1275 engine and access is tricky, but I cant get a socket to grip on it. Is it some sort of special fit?
Regards,
Andrew
aj robinson

I find it much easier and less riskier to remove top and bottom hoses of radiator instead. The plugs have a horrible tendency to round off, snap, or leak thereafter.
Mark O

The plug in the block is a standard hex head; size might vary by series or year but on one I just checked it's 3/8 Whitworth which is only a thou different from 18mm so try that.
David Smith

Block plug is fine to remove, rad plug is the one I was talking about. Not even sure I have an MG rad as it has a threaded plug rather than rod operated.
Mark O

Andrew,
I can't remember if I sent you my simple but thorough cooling/heating system cleaning method but it's one of my pet subjects

it's very god idea to drain and flush with the block plug removed whilst scraping it out with a stout bit of wire to get any crud out

as usual David is correct about varying size my previous plug had a head that fitted an 18mm spanner very nicely but have bought an 18mm combination spanner for this I found that the 18mm slips off the replacement plug's shallow head and that an 11/6" spanner fits better

do soak the plug in a good with a penetrating/releasing fluid such as PlusGas (ordinary WD40 is not as good) as far in advance as possible and leave to soak as long as possible, slightly tighten to break muck/rust seal before undoing

if the plug has a copper washer like mine had then it only really tightens/loosen on the first/last eighth of a turn

having done the work only a matter of weeks ago, and I done more than my (to some OTT) method, the one thing I'd add is to use a syphon or blowing to get out all the residue of the old coolant, cleaner, water from each flush as it's a surprisingly large amount in the heater matrix, metal bottom hose and rad

if you've not got my simple method and you want to see it just email me, most don't follow it anyway but the one or two that have at least partially followed it have found it to be efficient
Nigel Atkins

ETA:
if you can get a socket on then you may not have these problems but when I done mine IIRC I couldn't a socket and ratchet in - so for others

on mine which has a LCB exhaust manifold I found, having short arms, getting a spanner located to be able to turn the plug head a bit awkward

I had to have the spanner in one hand whilst using the other hand to hold the ring end on to the shallow plug head to stop the spanner head slipping off or rounding

once the penetrating fluid had done its work the plug came loose very easily - but - I hadn't followed my own advice and had not applied it well before starting the work, only using it after twice slipping off the plug head and rounding the edges - do as I say not as I do !

I found I had to start with the spanner about just below horizontal then clatter on the chassis as the nut loosened

Nigel Atkins

For reinstall...

would it be a good idea to coat the threads with anti seizure compound... im finding more and more to use this stuff esp.where water is involved like on thermostate hardware



Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

er, can't think why not
Nigel Atkins

I have a 3/8" Whit ring spanner exclusively for this job.
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave...

Your a god and a special man dave, I admit, I feel very inferior to you, because you have that tool, you are so much better then the rest of us


Hahha... just having some fun with how you wrote that

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Thanks everyone. Nigel, I do indeed have your instructions:many thanks.
I will try the plusgas treatment. And then somehow dislocate my wrist so I can reach the damn thing!
aj robinson

Andrew,
left hand and long spanner behind exhaust drop pipe(s), right hand to locate ring spanner head and hold it on the plug head, have spanner around horizontal then watch out for your knuckles as the nut suddenly becomes a very loose thing

as I put the one thing I'd add to my notes is to use a syphon or blowing to get out all the residue of the old coolant, cleaner and water from flushing as it's a surprisingly large amount of residue left in the heater matrix, metal bottom pipe and radiator

I'm glad to say my engine block seemed to be very clean from last cleaning but there was a small amount of gritty crud that came out of my matrix and rad which I put down to not clearing out the residue in the heater matrix, metal bottom hose and rad so thoroughly last time

I attached my garden hose as an inlet for flushing and a short length of off-cut garden hose as an outlet to a bucket that way contaminations can be contained plus you can see easily when the flush water is fully clear, it was quick and easy to reverse the hoses for back-flush
Nigel Atkins

Thanks Nigel, I am currently practising my yoga. If that fails, I will look to train a small monkey......
aj robinson

mine just fell undone






that is after I remembered to follow my own advice and to spray it with PlusGas and leave to penetrate for a while, a little tighten nip to break muck seal then a push down that was more forceful than needed so the spanner rattled on the chassis luckily just missing my knuckles

moral of the story let the chemical do all the hard work then just be cautious not to injure yourself by forgetting the chemical has already done the hard work
Nigel Atkins

Mine came off easy enough after a few grazed knuckles but getting the bugger back in caused 5 minutes of frustration trying to find the hole by feel and then not cross threading it. Some clever chap ought to make up a remote drain point with a hose connection on the end and an easy turn valve, a little like some folks' concentric clutch bleed arrangements!
Matt1275

I can't remember having any trouble getting the drain plug to thread in the three times I had to on the system clean but with some threads I find it's either instant success or lots of time and hassle, usually both on the same thread at different times of trying
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 05/09/2014 and 09/09/2014

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