I bought a basket case '49 Dodge 230 a couple of months ago, And its all stripped down except the water distribution tube. Its all mashed together and stuck in there and I need to figure out a way to yank it out of there. All suggestions are welcome.
Not sure what a "water distribution tube" is, but if its a tube press fitted into the block or head, you should be able to grind it flush and cut down one side of what is left with a chisel. Maybe cut in two or 3 places and pick out the pieces.
+1 for slide hammer with a hook. Them things are just a hand push fit to start. now ya got some rust holding it in.
What Paul said. Find the meatiest place you can to attach the hook. If you can get thru both sides of the tube, all the better. Some penetrating oil would probably help, and have some patience so you don't just tear the metal. More lighter taps is good. Bumping it loose by driving it in a little might also be helpful. Scribe a line on it so you can see what's happening.
it looks like this from the front it's a sheet metal tube, kind of flat, with holes in it, goes back the full length of the engine behind the water pump, sends cool water to the valve area. If it's missing or rotted out or plugged, the engine will overheat.
Thanks Squirrel.. I was thinking he had a new name for heater hose nipple or similar. So chiseling won't work on that..
The only way I could get mine out was by using a pair of the largest screw drivers you can find, 12" or bigger, jam each one into the tube at the front of the block and lever the blades into each side the tube as you push the screwdriver handles back toward the rear of the engine........its a real bastard trying to get it out, but essential to replace if you want the engine to run cool.....good luck.......for what its worth I tried various slide hammers, hooks, oil, etc over a period of about 3mths before the screwdrivers worked.......andyd
The slide hammer and hook will really only work if it's not too badly rusted. The long screwdrivers is a good idea. I got 3' of 5/16" steel rod and ground a flat on the end like a screwdriver. Worked it down one side then the other. Also sprayed WD40 through the water holes in the deck. The bastard took two days to come out! Dont be tempted to leave it in there, you'll regret it.
Do as the guy above said and hot tank it, if it is rusted bad that is the only thing that will free it up. if you booger the end up and can't get anything on it you are screwed. it needs the tube and they are still avalible new from a few sources.
Thanks for all the advice guys, its soaking down right now. Sorry I didn't reply sooner I had some stuff going on. I don't know what a guy like me did for advice before this forum.
go over to p15 d25 forum there is a discussion on removal with a couple pictures of diferent tools folks have made. It is esential that you replace it as it does have a critical job of cooling the valve seats as well as regulating speed of flow. As a last resort, if the engine is out, one person threw caution to the wind and drilled a hole in the rear of the block and kocked it out with a log drift. The he taped the hole ad put in a pipe plug. But the home meade tool hooked to a slide hammer usually works. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=695
Check out this thread from the P15-D24 site. The 6th post down show a rather unique puller you can make from stuff in your shop or at worst from a short trip to Home Depot. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=695 Whoops, I see plym 46 beat me to it.
I pulled mine from a 218 by clamping on vise-grips and twisting into a spiral, then tugging back and forth to loosen it up enough, then twisted somemore/etc,etc.
You can sometimes find replacement distribution tubes made of brass. Something to think about as you hammer and chisel and slide hammer that sucker out of there.
Distribution tube rusted solid to the block. I bent the sides in and latched visegrips. Got nothing. I used the slide hammer method, it tore the top of the tube. I then took a piece of flat steel about 1/16 thick, 3/4 tall, 12" long. Hammered it in along one side about an inch at a time, then slide hammered it out. add grease, hammer in again a little further. Did that until I had to use a longer piece of flat stock. Got to the point where I was tapping it the entire length of the head. Same procedure on the other side of the tube. After doing this to both sides of the tube, I was able to pull the tube out by hand.
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