Engine Block Damage Likely ?
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Engine Block Damage Likely ?
Hello:
Replaced the oil in my Ariens snowblower for the season yesterday by
draining it out thru the drain tube they have on the bottom of the engine. The engine appears to be an AL block, Tecumseh, 7.5 Hi.
Had a devil of a time loosening the plug at the end, and finally ended up
having to remove the complete draintube itself from where it is screwed into
the engine block. Has NPT male threads on both tube ends.
Anyway, might have been a bit too ambitious in tightening it back into the
block.
Head a fairly loud "ping", but it still "seem to" snuggle up tight into the
block, and no evidence of stripped threads.
No discernible oil leakage anywhere.
Probably getting a bit ahead of myself in worrying about this possibility
now, but thought I'd ask:
Do you think it's likely the male tube going into the block a bit too much (as it
has the tapered NPT thread) split the Al block at that point ?
The noise of the ping I heard makes me wonder ?
Or, perhaps the noise was a thread skipping, or... ?
Main questions: Do you think a split there is likely ? How would I know ?
If the block is split there, can it be re-welded ? Or ?
Thanks, Bob
Replaced the oil in my Ariens snowblower for the season yesterday by
draining it out thru the drain tube they have on the bottom of the engine. The engine appears to be an AL block, Tecumseh, 7.5 Hi.
Had a devil of a time loosening the plug at the end, and finally ended up
having to remove the complete draintube itself from where it is screwed into
the engine block. Has NPT male threads on both tube ends.
Anyway, might have been a bit too ambitious in tightening it back into the
block.
Head a fairly loud "ping", but it still "seem to" snuggle up tight into the
block, and no evidence of stripped threads.
No discernible oil leakage anywhere.
Probably getting a bit ahead of myself in worrying about this possibility
now, but thought I'd ask:
Do you think it's likely the male tube going into the block a bit too much (as it
has the tapered NPT thread) split the Al block at that point ?
The noise of the ping I heard makes me wonder ?
Or, perhaps the noise was a thread skipping, or... ?
Main questions: Do you think a split there is likely ? How would I know ?
If the block is split there, can it be re-welded ? Or ?
Thanks, Bob
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Location: Upstate New York
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I really can't advise you without actually seeing it but my guess is that the pipe was reinstalled past its normal point of rest, only slightly, and had a memory point from being there for years and had a slight buildup of sludge and you merely went past this point and it created a tremor doing such. I don't think you have anything to worry about but by all means keep a close eye on things. Start with a clean palet, if you will, and watch for any leakage over the next few days. I don't think you fractured the aluminum block but if you did I don't think it could be repaired (welded) with success.