stuck remainder of coolant elbow (1998 GP GT 3800)

[worb4me]

maybe 1/2" or so portion stuck in serpentine tensioner. I thought I could get a triangular file in there and cut a kerf then pop it out somehow. Already soaked it multiple times w/Liquid Wrench, won't give. Tried pull at it w/tiny Craftsman needle nose pliers, you just wind up tearing tiny hunks off. My next attempt might be using a bare hacksaw blade to cut at it, a miniature one that is.

 

Boiling water? Solvents? This thing has put a crimp in my day.

[rich_e777]

They have tiny pick sets that might work for you, one is nearly a straight point that has the tip bent over that you might be able to work under the remainder and pop out.

[ron350]

You can chip out the plastic with a dull screw driver you don’t want to scratch up the inside of the tensioner.

You could try a heat gun and see what the heat will do to the black plastic and stuck o-ring.

[jman093]

I've always just yanked all the chunks out with a decent size pick and never had much trouble.

[worb4me]

of course I forgot to mention I tried picks. I think I bent the curved one. This hemroid is stuck hard.

 

 

[rich_e777]

Chip away at the plastic until you are completely through the remaining ring and that should take the tension of the rest of the plastic allowing you to pry it out. If that doenst work the the plastic has melted in there and either grinding or sanding would be the only way to get it out.

 

Well if you had a small punch cut saw bit that fit the diameter of the hole you might be able to use that to grind out the plastic, if you used it on a low setting it probably wouldn't hurt the metal none. Something like this only without the drill bit.

[ron350]

How about melting it out with a soldering iron that should not damage the aluminum.

[mfewtrail]

How about melting it out with a soldering iron that should not damage the aluminum.

If no soldering iron, grab whatever solid metal object is handy and heat it up red hot on the stove. Use oven mitts to handle it. A decently long nail would work ok. I just use picks on stuff like this, but not the tiny 6" long deals that have really tiny shanks as they will bend or break with light pressure since they're meant for more delicate work.

[Imp558]

I use an old fashioned T-handle dent puller for that. If it wasn't an option I believe I'd try to find a bold the right size to forcibly thread into the plastic and pull on, likely it would start turning and loosen after a couple threads. Penetrating oil is your friend here too. Just be careful not to get chunks of broken plastic lost in your coolant passages.

[White93z34]

on a 98' it would most likely be metal. 

[ron350]

If GM ever used a metal coolant elbow in a 3800II motor I want to see one.

 

Hope Worb4me updates this thread.

[Imp558]

I suppose it could be since it's possibly not the original. But it doesn't seem likr the metal ones would be as prone to breaking off in there. I actually had this same thing happen to me a couple years ago.

[worb4me]

I will update this thread when I've successfully removed the part. Better be this week, I need my car! I did manage to pop the whole assembly out thankfully. Search my threads for my technique

[Padgett]

You mean the throttle body pipe ?

 

 

 

[worb4me]

nope. But stay tuned. Got time this week to work on it. Yes I'm slow as runny poop when it comes to working on cars, but there's probably others listening in who are too so give them a break!

[Psych0matt]

Wouldn't runny poop be faster?

[worb4me]

To conclude this little problem, have PB Blaster, not just any penetrant, liquid wrench seemingly was useless for this, and acetone on hand. A glass dropper would be handy too, but I just dribbled acetone from the cap ( was amazed to find a dollars worth of nail polish remover was 100% acetone from wally world. And there's plenty left over to do my nails! Lolololololol). I think it was more the acetone that did it but who knows. Once it's properly loosened, cut a slit in the thing being very careful not to gouge or score the aluminum. Again wally world has these serrated pairing knives for 1.24$. I used a new Nicholson triangular file and score the aluminum some. Try not to use one of those Sparky. Xacto and the other company,Excelsior or some crap has small keyhole saws, one brand available from hobby lobby. See, I did lots of homework. Once you've lubed and cut pieces have to come out easy with a pick or the point of a knife. Maybe you won't have to cut anything. Just try the PB and or acetone and try picking at it. My piece was kind of wide though. Woteva. It's done. And search my other threads about getting that damned tensioner assembly (not the tensioner itself) off with relative ease. It's all about making this stuff happen easy.

[Imp558]

 It's all about making this stuff happen easy.

 

Uh-huh