Re: Exhaust Manifold Plugs

[Bernie & Diana Bennett <bennetts@domain.elided>]

Good detective work!

I used brass plugs, so many years ago. Don't remember for sure, I think they had
square heads.

Hope the guy at your parts house was just trying to discourage you from doing any
off-roading; but someone may have told him that and he took it at face value.
Best Wishes,
Bernie Bennett

TJCallahan@domain.elided wrote:

> I have to pass on my experience to date with the head gasket replacement on
> my 77 Alfetta. As usual, the scope of the simple head gasket replacement
> project grew, it now includes removal of the air pump and the plugging of the
> exhaust manifold holes (amongst other things).
>
> I asked at my local (generic) parts house about plugs that might fit the
> holes (for off-road use only, of course) and was told, in all seriousness,
> that the threads were a special size and pitch, that the size and pitch
> patent was held by federal regulators, and that it is highly illegal for
> anyone other than approved manufacturers to make anything with this size and
> pitch thread and that I'd probably go to jail for even asking.
>
> I asked Zach here in Redmond what he did on his Alfetta. His response was to
> the effect of "Dunno, the PO did the air pump removal and there's regular
> looking bolts in the manifold holes. Want to borrow one and see if you can
> match it?" (This Zach guy is waaaay cooooool. :-)
>
> Encouraged by the real world answer, I toted my air pump pipe to a few local
> hardware stores to see about matching the size and threads (Zach's Alfetta is
> running again, I didn't want to take it down or make it noisy).
>
> Turns out, if my generic parts place guy is correct, that the feds own the
> patent on a 14mm x 1.5 thread pattern, but they're not being too careful
> about enforcement since I found bins of them in the hardware store and no
> National Guard types anywhere. :-)
>
> Now, if I can find four bolts that are 14mm x 1.5 x 16mm long, I'll be in fat
> city.
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