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Thu Jan 09, 2020 9:37 am

Hello everyone,

I am about to clean out the oil galleys on my VW case. I am following this excellent guide:

http://www.huelsmann.us/bugman/FilterTech.html

That guide indicates the following plugs are needed

Four 1/16" plugs
One 1/8" plug7
Four 1/4" plugs
Two 3/8" plugs.

When shopping for plugs, the typical set, like this one from jbugs https://www.jbugs.com/product/16-9515.html includes

Seven 1/8" plugs
Two 1/4" plugs
Three 3/8" plugs

That plug set (and others I've seen at places like Mofoco) seems all wrong. What is going on here?

Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:30 am

Had same issue , ended up ordering from summit , individually, maybe try mcmaster carr.

Thu Jan 09, 2020 1:59 pm

I contacted Summit Racing. They have the same kit. Hmm, the 1/16" plug doesn't seem to exist. Are engine assemblers out there on Sambaland widening these holes to 1/8"? This would explain the large number of 1/8" plugs in the kit.

Anyone with experience doing this is welcome to chime in! [-o<

Fri Jan 10, 2020 11:28 am

OK, for future readers. The kit sold at many VW supply houses is missing the 1/16" plugs and provides too many 1/8" plugs. To do a VW case, you need four 1/16" plugs. These are available in sets of two from plenty of online (non VW) retailers. Google "1/16 npt aluminum plug" for options. Once you find a place you like, then it'll probably be cheaper to order your entire set through them. Happy case cleaning! Cleaning the oil galleys is a must for my 71 engine rebuild, as bearing metal was loose prior to tear down.

Thu Jan 16, 2020 6:45 pm

Thanks for posting the info,good to know. 8)

Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:43 pm

I would not use a 1/16 aluminum pipe plug unless it was to be permanent.

IMO use steel, or go UP to an 1/8 brass. I used 1/8 brass for the lifter galleys, necessary to take that out to connect the hoover passage.

Or, make solid aluminum or brass round plugs like stock.
or, don't take them out.
In most cases you really only need to clean out the main passage.

1/16 pipe taps are so easily broken, you don't use one unless you NEED to.
Of course magnesium is very easy to tap....but, in case you were wondering why "nobody" uses 1/16.... that's why.

Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:28 am

Thank you, Modok. This was the kind of info I was hoping to get when posting this thread. I'm curious what you think of 1/8" aluminum plugs - these are what the VW parts outfits sell in their kits for the 1/16th inch holes.

I had loose metal in my case from one almost entirely disintegrated crankshaft bearing. Cleaning out all of the oil galleys is the only way I'm going to trust this engine. No plans to ever take out the 1/16th" aluminum plugs again.

Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:15 am

Sorry to bother everyone again. I've pulled the nine original plugs from the case. Now I'm sizing everything up before I begin drilling and tapping. One new issue has emerged. The two 12mm plugs that come from the top and rear of the case - both near to the oil pressure switch - leave holes that have, um, 12 mm diameters. The new 1/4" inch plugs require I use a 7/16" drill. But 12mm > 7/16". The original hole is already too big. WTF? The 1/4" tap seems too narrow for the undrilled 12mm holes.

Two options I guess.

1) Go one size up by putting 3/8" plugs into these holes after drilling a larger hole
.
2) Just use the 1/4" plugs with thin threads using the original yet too big 12 mm hole.

Seems like option 1 is better. But the entire VW supply house includes two 1/4" plugs in their kit implying option 2. The instructions I'm following (linked above in my original post) identifies these holes as 12mm, then suggests drilling with the skinnier 7/16" bit (?), and then shows a finished picture with the 1/4" plug installed. Again option 2.

I can't imagine I'm the first to encounter this. What are people doing here?

Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:47 am

Tom K. wrote: Sorry to bother everyone again. I've pulled the nine original plugs from the case. Now I'm sizing everything up before I begin drilling and tapping. One new issue has emerged. The two 12mm plugs that come from the top and rear of the case - both near to the oil pressure switch - leave holes that have, um, 12 mm diameters. The new 1/4" inch plugs require I use a 7/16" drill. But 12mm > 7/16". The original hole is already too big. WTF? The 1/4" tap seems too narrow for the undrilled 12mm holes.

Two options I guess.

1) Go one size up by putting 3/8" plugs into these holes after drilling a larger hole
.
2) Just use the 1/4" plugs with thin threads using the original yet too big 12 mm hole.

Seems like option 1 is better. But the entire VW supply house includes two 1/4" plugs in their kit implying option 2. The instructions I'm following (linked above in my original post) identifies these holes as 12mm, then suggests drilling with the skinnier 7/16" bit (?), and then shows a finished picture with the 1/4" plug installed. Again option 2.

I can't imagine I'm the first to encounter this. What are people doing here?

Hi, something is wrong with your calculations. 12mm is approx 1/2 inch. I would guess you'd need 1/2 inch plugs cos 3/8 inch will also be too small.

Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:01 am

Before complete confusion come into play.

I recently drilled and taped galley plugs into a case that needed cleaning badly.

1/8" NPT plug, tap takes a 0.339" drill bit.
1/4" NPT plug, tap takes a 7/16" drill bit.
3/8" NTP plug, tap takes a 37/64" drill bit.

Don't intermix metric and NPT measurements. They don't work together.

Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:22 am

67rustavenger, I agree with your drilling specs. But the two original holes that take the 1/4 inch plugs (and thus the 7/16 inch bit) are originally 12mm, which is wider than 7/16 ( 7/16 inches = 11.125 mm). Do you happen to remember what you did after sticking that 7/16 inch drill bit into those two holes that were already wider than 7/16? Did you just go ahead and tap with the 1/4 inch tap?

Sun Feb 02, 2020 12:45 pm

Yes.
The 1/4" NPT tap is tapered and will start in the 7/16" drilled hole. The material that you are tapping threads into. Is rather soft.
Make an effort to start the threads as straight as possible. Once the tap bites a little deeper. It should guide itself into the galley with little guidance.
https://www.ebay.com/i/264045689756?chn=ps&nor...gKy8_D_BwE

You're over thinking this Tom. It's gonna hurt your brain. Lol!
All kidding aside. It's good that you are asking.

Good Luck.

Sun Feb 02, 2020 6:29 pm

67rustavenger wrote: You're over thinking this Tom. It's gonna hurt your brain. Lol!
All kidding aside. It's good that you are asking.

Good Luck.

Yeah, I needed to hear something like that. The drill sizes seem so very precise for this job (down to a 64th of an inch for the other holes), so my brain is maybe too focused on precision. My last engine rebuild was a leaker, so I'm trying to keep this one dry by doing things perfectly.