How to remove rounded off square brass anode head?

dtfeld

Water Contrails
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Jun 5, 2016
5,518
Milton, GA
Boat Info
410 Sundancer
2001
12" Axiom and 9" Axiom+ MFD
Engines
Cat 3126 V-Drives
Replacing Anodes, and some were brass square head. I rounded one off and have tried everything I have to get it unfrozen, PB Blaster and WD40 with wrenches for square heads, vice grips and finally a pipe wrench. Been at it 2 weeks spraying with PB Blaster every time I go by it. Limited space to get at it.

Any suggestions before I pull the cooler and drill and tap it out? Trying to avoid that mess. This is in the transmission cooler and I have another one back on the heat exchanger.

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I would get a 8 point socket smaller than what you have tap in on there and try that. You should have had a 8 point first ( not a 12 point, they slip on those ) as they have more contact surface area on the plug and normally won't slip or spin.
 
I'm guessing someone put a rigid sealant on the threads. This is what I would try before I pulled the cooler out. The odds are 50/50 this will work. For certain it will snap the end off if it doesn't unscrew it.

71O6XZ2QFsL._SL1500_.jpg
 
Hey
I'm guessing someone put a rigid sealant on the threads. This is what I would try before I pulled the cooler out. The odds are 50/50 this will work. For certain it will snap the end off if it doesn't unscrew it.

View attachment 56139

Hey PlayDate.

Where would I find one...thats not a Home Depot or even a Napa kind of buy. I guess I'll have to ask...what do you call it?

If it snaps the end off, I'll be no worse off as I'll have to drill and tap it out. It will be easier to find the center with the chewed up head gone.
 
I'll try this...
Screenshot_20180518-182742.png
 
Small pipe wrench.
That’s what I would try first before I ordered something and waited for it to arrive since you either have one in your toolbox already, probably know someone locally who does, or can get one at a local big box store.
It’s the same principle as the stud extracter.
It doesn’t have to be a particularly big one as long as it fits on the rounded head.
If you can get the pipe wrench in there to get on it. Get it to bite, and if you need a little more leverage you can slide a little length of pipe over the handle to extend the length. A short length of PVC pipe slipped over the pipe wrench handle can be used too and if you don’t have one on hand you can get it in the plumbing aisle of your favorite big box store.
Should make short work of it.
 
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That’s what I would try first before I ordered something and waited for it to arrive since you either have one in your toolbox already, probably know someone locally who does, or can get one at a local big box store.
It’s the same principle as the stud extracter.
It doesn’t have to be a particularly big one as long as it fits on the rounded head.
If you can get the pipe wrench in there to get on it. Get it to bite, and if you need a little more leverage you can slide a little length of pipe over the handle to extend the length. A short length of PVC pipe slipped over the pipe wrench handle can be used too and if you don’t have one on hand you can get it in the plumbing aisle of your favorite big box store.
Should make short work of it.


Unfortunately, I have already tried the pipe wrench (all 3 sizes I have in my box) and it wont move. I dont have enough throw in that area to get enough bite and get movement on the head. I'm moving into the advanced category on this one!

I'm considering adding some heat to the extrerior, and ice the bolt to help separate, but I need a tool I can get in there and locked down on the head.

Stud extractor looks like the next logical step. Beyond that,I'm going to have to drill and tap...its that frozen.

I've been spraying PB Blaster on it several time a week-end hoping that will help, but nothing so far. Any other sparay penetrant ?
 
If the stud extractor doesn’t work then you may want to think about just taking it out of the boat, removing it on the bench, and reinstalling the oil cooler.
Actually, if it’s a frozen as it sounds you may want to just skip ahead to removing the oil cooler now and trying to remove the plug with a pipe wrench on the bench.
Sounds like you may be headed that way anyhow.
You’ll probably save yourself some time and grief.
 
If it's the original cooler I would just throw it out and buy a new one. It's well into the risk phase of its life at 17 years old (I think you have a 2001 but I may be misremembering that) and a sudden failure will damage the transmission. Replace the other engine's as well. About $300 each. Just replaced both of mine.
 
I don’t know the age of the oil coolers, but they do not appear to be original. Is the a way to test?

Of course if I don’t get a new anode in the damn thing I will need to replace.
 
I don’t know the age of the oil coolers, but they do not appear to be original. Is the a way to test?

Of course if I don’t get a new anode in the damn thing I will need to replace.
I don't think the originals Sea Ray installed had zincs (my 2001 coolers did not), so yours may very well be replacements. I am not an expert but a marine transmission person told me that he highly recommends to replace them every 10 years. He said from that point on they can pressure test fine one day and then spring a leak the next day.
 
Butane touch. Heat up the head... threads and softn whatever thread lock that was previously used.
 
Be very careful using heat on brass plugs in a brass heat exchanger or cooler. The internal tube construction is assembled with solder joints that begins to break down at fairly low temperatures. You might get the thread sealer/locker to soften but if you melt the internal solder joint at the same time, you haven't achieved your goal.
 
I wrenched, heated, cooled, cursed at this thing. Guess it’s coming out.

Mr Cool here I come!

Dave
 
Is there enough room to get a right angle drill in there n drill it out? Although I am with most others, sounds like there is some kind of thread lock that has its hold on it real good.
 
Is there enough room to get a right angle drill in there n drill it out? Although I am with most others, sounds like there is some kind of thread lock that has its hold on it real good.

There is enough room to get a Rt angle drill in there, but, probably not enough to get a T handle in to chase the threads. Plus, I'm 0-2 on drilling stuck bolts out right now, so a little gun shy!

I'm going to bite the bullet, and pull it out, do it on the bench. Its a good chance to get a look at the condition of the cooler and likely make replacement of these a priority.
 

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