Fitting in LHS motor mount area TC

[fattogatto]

On removing the engine from the S3 I find a brass threaded fitting midway between the upper motor mount holes on the LHS of the engine. It has been there for a very long time and decidedly does not want to come out. What passage is that plug plugging? Is it an alternate oil galley to tap an oil pressure line? It gets in the way of the engine stands I am using for transport. The motor mount on the car has a neat notch cut out for it. However, is it needed or can I grind the plug down?

Thanks,

[StressCraxx]

Charles,

I'm pretty sure the plug is for the original cross drilling of the oil galley in the block.

Regards,
Dan Wise

[RichardHawkins]

Charles,

I am pretty sur Dan is correct.

Richard Hawkins

[fattogatto]

So there is no issue with grinding flush?

[rgh0]

Are you sure you not confusing the plug on the RH side. The original plug in the oil cross drilling is on the RH side of the block between the top mount bolt holes.

If you have one on the LH side then it has been added for some reason. People doing big bore blocks or dry sump blocks sometimes plug the cross feed drilling and feed oil to the LH side gallery direct by tapping into to it at this location in the engine mount area. However the cross drilling and LH side oil gallery is lower on the left side about one third of the way up between the lower and upper engine mount holes

The original plug was normally a brass plug with a screw driver slot that fitted almost flush with the block and yes they can be hard to remove. If the plug in your block is sticking out much more than a couple of mm and thus coming up above the face of the engine mounts then its probably a replacement plug and may be an incorrect thread type e.g. someone may have used a BSP thread plug not the correct NPT plug. if you cut it off the only issue will be removing it later if you ever need to clean out the oil galleries assuming it is not leaking now and is OK to leave in place.

cheers
Rohan

[fattogatto]

Dyslexic. You are correct. RHS. Thanks.

[CBUEB1771]

I was checking over a few blocks yesterday and noticed that the new Ford Racing blocks are different in the area where the cross drilling is made for the oil way under discussion. The casting is recessed a bit in the area where the 1/8 NPT plug goes in to close off the cross drilling. There is now much more clearance under the plane defined by the four engine mount bosses to the point where the plug is fitted. Generally the left and right hand side engine mount areas are a bit more similar on the new Ford Racing blocks than on original Kent or South African AX blocks. Never noticed this before.

[fattogatto]

If the plug in your block is sticking out much more than a couple of mm and thus coming up above the face of the engine mounts then its probably a replacement plug and may be an incorrect thread type e.g. someone may have used a BSP thread plug not the correct NPT plug. if you cut it off the only issue will be removing it later if you ever need to clean out the oil galleries assuming it is not leaking now and is OK to leave in place.

Rohan

Thanks. Yes, brass and it sticks up about 3 mm and does have the screwdriver slot. Will try to remove with a hand impact driver after soaking with Kroil over the weekend. If not removable then grinding seems appropriate.

[fattogatto]

Hand impact driver worked a treat.