stuck clean out plugs HELP!!!!

[joep411]

I am the same way as you @Bill D, if its meant to work then it should and that's why the more I think about it I keep going out and working on them. I'm not far from you just outside of Pensacola and we are supposed to get some cold weather this weekend so I am going to try again this weekend. I have a 2 ton chain hoist so I'm going to try to use it under a tree and see if I can get them out. Fingers crossed.

 

[swatski]

I am the same way as you @Bill D, if its meant to work then it should and that's why the more I think about it I keep going out and working on them. I'm not far from you just outside of Pensacola and we are supposed to get some cold weather this weekend so I am going to try again this weekend. I have a 2 ton chain hoist so I'm going to try to use it under a tree and see if I can get them out. Fingers crossed.

Awesome - keep us posted!
I think I would try all the Cobra tricks, no one handles these boats like he does.

--

 

[Julian]

Removing the clean out tray and the hoses that connect the tray to the pump is easy. I'd go that route so you can tap on the plugs.

@KXCam22 my plugs used to stick like yours if I didnt take them out all the time. Doing the manhole replacement kit on each solved that problem entirely! You might want to try that.

 

[Ilmmct]

Like the idea of the cold. Read somewhere that a member used to pour his cooler water and ice in after the end of the day and let cold/shrinkage do its magic on his stuck plugs.

The manhole replacement after you get them out. Good luck!!

 

[4x15mph]

@joep411 , did you ever get the plugs out? Just seeing this - ... I don't have experience to share but as you saw from others, ice and penetrant has helped many. I would cover it in PB blaster and spray it over a couple of days. I think you will want to have access to these and while I have not used them often, I have had a few cases where it helped to pull out weeds.

How's the boat running? You probably don't have much winter down time....

 

[skrip345]

Just another idea, maybe its a bad one, but if all the jack, ice, and pulling methods have failed might be worth a shot. I would be tempted to open the hatch, tape the switches down, unlock one plug. Then tie a pool noodle or something that will float around the plug securely. Then go run the balls out of it. Spin moves, get a little air, aggressive wide open turns, (basically the kind of thing that generally causes an unplanned blow out). Maybe it will blow out of there. Then recover it and rebuild it.

 

[Dardania]

I removed mine using car jack and straps it was realy stuck in there i thought the jac was going to go thru the tray but it didnt.now i always remove them after each use of the boat clean them .i did sand the pipe with sand paper now they come out very easy

 

[joep411]

I gave up on mine, i went as far as using an engine hoist and all it did was lift the whole boat. Talked to the dealer and he said he would just leave them in. I really want to get them out but I guess I'll have to leave them in.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Here is what you want to try, first pour in some hot water mixed with some lime away or similar product and let it sit on top of the plug.
Then you want to remove any of the remaining water and pour ice on the plug and let that sit.
When the ice melts and everything is still cold use a piece of wood like a 2 by 2 or 1 by 2 and tap down around the edges of the clean out plug in several places to loosen it, then hit the release button and try pulling up on the t handle using a rope tied to it and a long 2 by 4 to use as a fulcrum to get some leverage on the plug. Place a piece of plywood or similar buffer between the end of the 2 by 4 and your deck so you do not injure it. if the plug does not come out go back to tapping the plug back down and repeat this process it will eventually come loose. Pushing the plug back down and then pulling it back up loosens any trash in between the plug and the collar allowing for the trash to fall out the bottom rather than getting wedged tighter in between the plug and the collar if you only work it out in one direction You just bind it up more.

 

[Scottintexas]

@joep411 I agree with Jeff's idea, It's worth the time to get them out and functioning properly.

 

[Bruce]

@Dardania, did you remove metal or just corrosion from the housing?

@joep411, another option is to order the lower replacement halves for around $40 each then remove the screws from the top of the plugs and remove the upper portion. At that point you can reassemble your plugs with the new lower portions and demolish the lower portions that are stuck in the pumps.

 

[Dardania]

Corrosion only the aluminum part started to shine and i stoped .i used some greas but that wasntworking well .now i just put handlotion everytime their out which they always out when boat is parked.i think keeping the rubber dry and clean keeps them moving freely.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

One thing you want to be sure of is that someone along the way did not use 5200 to glue the plugs in the holes. I have heard of this several times over the years. They did it because the plugs kept blowing out . The odds of that go up when you get into the older boats at one time it was a common practice , if not you could not use the boat so it was done to solve that problem.

 

[Beachbummer]

I agree plugs are nice, but there is a chance you may need to replace the lower half of the plug, with then being in likely very poor shape.

If it was me I would buy the parts ahead of time. Can't aford to lose a day on the water on an operatonal boat. That or wait for the winter.

Enjoy the water.

 

[M@__]

Corrosion only the aluminum part started to shine and i stoped .i used some greas but that wasntworking well .now i just put handlotion everytime their out which they always out when boat is parked.i think keeping the rubber dry and clean keeps them moving freely.

I'm glad that has worked for you. FYI: Their might be oils in the hand lotion that will cause the rubber to swell. Also, oils will cause dirt to stick to the rubber and the metal. I would suggest using silicone spray on them to make it easier to insert. I did that for one summer and removed them after every use. Now I don't need any spray and I don't have any trouble locking them by hand. The plugs were so stuck that I literally lifted the back of the boat trying to get one of them out. Haven't had a blow out... yet.... Just my $0.02 of advice.

 

[the MfM]

I also bought a boat that the previous owner never took the plugs out of.

Got them out with a hydraulic jack and copious amounts of PB blaster... Tied a rope to the plug and used the jack to put enough tension on it till I thought something would break if I went any further. Then tapped around the plug with a wooden block and mallet.

Of course the first time out I didn't have one plug set properly and had a blowout. luckily I had tied them together.

 

[Scottintexas]

@the MfM glad to have you on board and that you were able to get them working properly,
you may look at a pair of plug locks to secure the plugs better,
also, since you have a two stroke, just making sure you've upgraded the oil lines or are running pre-mix

 

[piper84]

I will be doing this task soon. Ordered new seals for the plugs with all the reading I just did I might try a jack screw rig and some kind of impact gun to vibrate the plug. This might help them to dislodge.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Try this first, fill the opening above the cleanout plug with ice , let it sit a hour or so. tie a rope to the t handle and to a big 2 by 4 to get leverage on the plug.
Release the button and pull up on the plug using the rope and 2 by 4. Then if it is still stuck use a piece of wood and a hammer and tap the plug back down then repeat this process and it will usually come out, the tapping back down dislodges the dirt or corrosion under the gasket and allows it to work free .

 

[bronze_10]

Put your location in your profile.. . A member may be close and be willing to help.