Those darn blue VP drain plugs

[Donald0039]

I have one of these drain plugs in each exhaust risers as it's closed cooling. Went to screw one back in getting ready for initial startup and it snapped. Looked at the other one and it snapped unscrewing it in the fall but I did not notice.

Do they not last very long? Cheap plastic? Blue is bad luck?

How to get the broken piece out? Not a lot of clearance going straight down. Only a few inches.

What is needed is a 1/4" by 3/4" long lag bolt that is LH threaded. The stuck piece has a hole in the middle I believe.

Good thing it's plastic so no corrosion holding it in.

Not sure this is an improvement over small brass drain plugs with NPT.

 

[alldodge]

Replaced mine with Hardin Marine stainless steel ones, they will not break. Blue plugs are ok but need to be replaced every 2 to 3 years

 

[Donald0039]

How to get the broken off piece out?

 

[alldodge]

Most drill up thru and then use flat blade screw driver or easy out

 

[Lou C]

Dump that plastic garbage! I have the original metal plugs in my 35 year old OMC…

 

[Donald0039]

Dump that plastic garbage! I have the original metal plugs in my 35 year old OMC…

These blue plastic plugs seal with an o-ring and are not NPT. So normal brass NPT plugs will not fit/seal.

 

[Lou C]

What about the Hardin Marine ones designed to replace the Merc plastic ones?

 

[alldodge]

These blue plastic plugs seal with an o-ring and are not NPT. So normal brass NPT plugs will not fit/seal.

Don't go there, will be a long con-vo

The brass fitting that screws into the block is the standard 1/4 NPT. The NPT changes it to the Merc thread which uses the Blue plug or Hradin Marine SS plug

 

[Lou C]

Hardin Marine - Stainless Steel Lifetime Series Sea Pump Drain Plugs - Mercruiser 22-806608A02 / 8M2000874

Stainless Steel Lifetime Series Sea Pump Drain Plugs - Mercruiser 22-806608A02 / 8M2000874

www.hardin-marine.com

 

[Donald0039]

Hardin Marine - Stainless Steel Lifetime Series Sea Pump Drain Plugs - Mercruiser 22-806608A02 / 8M2000874

Stainless Steel Lifetime Series Sea Pump Drain Plugs - Mercruiser 22-806608A02 / 8M2000874

www.hardin-marine.com

I will ask Hardin. But needs to be the proper threading. For me it's not a drain plug for the block which might be common between Mercruiser and Volvo Penta. My blue plastic drain plugs are in the VP exhaust elbows.

 

[Donald0039]

Don't go there, will be a long con-vo

The brass fitting that screws into the block is the standard 1/4 NPT. The NPT changes it to the Merc thread which uses the Blue plug or Hradin Marine SS plug

Mine is closed cooling. These plugs only drain the exhaust elbow.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I am too cheap to buy the Hardin or CP stainless ones

3/4" long 1/2-13 bolt, with washer and O-ring. Under $1

 

[alldodge]

Mine is closed cooling. These plugs only drain the exhaust elbow.

Just replace every few years

 

[Donald0039]

So I have the older VP part number #3849500. They were superceded by #21114622.

The one that snapped has a hole in the center. Which makes them weaker I would assume. But is a good thing for inserting the screw extractor after the plug snaps.