[TR] Aluminum Head Plug

[terryrs at comcast.net]

Hello everyone.  It took some doing, but I managed to tap, drill and pry out the leaking aluminum plug on top of the TR3A head.  

Thought the worst was over.

I used a copper brush in my drill to clean the threads, put the new plug in the freezer and applied some gentle propane heat around the hole.  

I tried gasket seal on the threads but I think it made a tight situation worse, creating too much drag.  Got it maybe a quarter of the way down before the soft aluminum started tearing.  , tested it, and it leaked.  Now have removed it again.  

So, sensing I would bugger one up, I had ordered two of these little plugs.  

Somebody on the List mentioned using Lock-Tite on the threads.  That would make sense, it's a liquid lubricant for the threads until it sets.  But would it seal well enough to keep water leaking out?  Am wincing rather severely at the thought of a leaking plug installed with Lock Tite!  Is there a better alternative?

Has anybody replaced it with a hex bolt, or are the threads too weird?

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A
New Hampshire