Welsh Plug on Passenger side head at the rear.

[Bz Kn33z]

I was driving my car just before and the gauge started to go up and up, just as i pulled into the driveway it was just over half, it has never been that high before, so i got out and heard a hissing noise at the back of the motor, so straight away i though i did a welsh plug, i got the light in there and looked and it was on the passenger side head at the rear,

I am getting a s2 reco heads and manifold to do the conversion soon but i need the car to get places,
Has any1 ever replaced the passenger side welsh plug on the head?, or is it either gearbox out or head off, there might be abit of room there but by the looks of it not that much, any tips or info would be good.

[Morton]

You basically need to get yourself enough room to fit a large socket on the face of the plug, and enough room to swing a small hammer So you're possibly looking at either removing the head, or unbolting the transmission + engine mounts and just tilting the engine forward a little on a crane without removing everything

1) knock one side of the welch plug in a little until the opposite lip raises
2) grab the edge of the plug with some multigrips and remove it
3) clean and dry the installation surface
4) coat the outside of the new plug with some loctite
5) fit a large socket into the face of the new plug - you don't want the socket to be a tight fit, but you don't want it to be too loose either
6) with an extension on the socket, gently tap it in until the edges sit flush

So just ask yourself, "do I have enough room to do this?"

[Cheap6]

There are, or at least used to be, tools (2 of) that allowed the replacement of all 10 welch plugs with the engine in the car and just the trans. removed. They consisted of a machined disc, with the end shaped to fit inside each welch plug and a step that hit the block or head when the welch plug was installed at the correct depth. A long piece of steel bar, ~500mm, was welded at an angle onto each disc to be hit to punch the plugs into position when struck with a hammer. Kent Moore may still supply them or you might be able to make something similar.

Alternatively, you might try using an old or cheap 1/2" socket, universal swivel joint and an extension bar. I'm not sure if you can get a straight shot at the plugs with the trans in place though.

For a temporary fix, maybe try filling the welch plug with epoxy putty - the two part ribbon radiator/fuel tank repair stuff - or even epoxy adhesive mixed with some talcum powder. (Clean the inside of the welch plug first.)

[Morton]

Well, cheap6 has a good point with the epoxys. I mean, your heads are technically rubbish, right? You're throwing them out... so where's the harm in getting some hardcore welding putty and sealing the bugger up. Should hold for a few weeks if you don't mash the right foot too hard

[Bz Kn33z]

Well, i have scored a 93vp motor with a fully rebuild topend, so i am currently doing the conversion, i though if the head has to come off to replace the plug, well it can stay off and i will upgrade the heads, and S2 manifold, now i am abit stumped with the hoses becasue i have always been a S1 guy lol never worked on a s2 motor, and wiring not to sure on, gonna extend it or something will find out, is there a good thread with s2 head/manifold swap, including wiring and hose diagram. either that or i will wing it lol

[Bz Kn33z]

OK, well S2 heads are on and manifold, hoses modded for heater, Them damn plastic plugs in the manifold with the 1 screw for the coolent are pricks, they broke off inside it, so i modded a S1 metal come with the angle grinder to replace the rear one works a treat now i need another for the front.