Expert: Everett Peacock - 3/23/2011

Question
QUESTION: These things were (are) nylon! When I went to replace one due to a broken plug, I ended up snapping the elbow off with all the thread still in the manifold. I have gotten past this after a month of weekends, a dremel, an EZ out and a little epoxy putty to repair the damage to the threads in the manifold. The new one is steel. I'd like for the other one to be new steel also, but don't want to go through that again! What is the PROPER way to remove the old nylon drain elbows?

ANSWER: if they are not brass then they are plactic....when they break off remove the fitting so yo9u can drill out the rest of the plastic..

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Not the plug, the entire fitting. the OEM 90 degree drain elbows are made of nylon (and are on most mercruiser engines unless they've been upgraded). The plastic plug that fits the lower unit is for draining, and not what I am talking about. I want to replace the entire elbow (nylon) with a new, steel one. The torque I applied with vice grips to the right side elbow snapped it off at the manifold and caused me a month of misery. Is there a recommended torque, or method to remove these without shattering them? I still have the left one to go, and don't want to spend another month doing it.

Answer
It sounds like you are talking about the water hose fittings in the bottom of the manifold....If that is the one they are not drains....it has drain plugs on the bottom of the manifolds also....no real procedure for replacing them....only thing I can think of is to try to unscrew it with the engine hot...