Welsh plugs on 102

[Buzzook]

One of my 102s overheats after running for half an hour, so I'm guessing it's got a bit of crud inside.

Someone somewhere said that you can take the welsh plugs out and stick a rod or wire in to loosen any deposits, but have no ide if this is do-able....

Also John says there are no more NOS welsh plugs.

Any ideas..??

[Hugz]

I think out Bruce used a coin. I checked and the aussie 5 cents looks pretty close though if memory serves me he bevelled a foreign coin. I assume you have removed the external top water pipe and flushed?

[Buzzook]

Yeah, did that. Some crap came out but not much.

[Oyster 49]

Hey buzzook, good to see you here again.

I would suggest taking the top and bottom pipe fittings off and putting the removed cylinder under a tap, you will see plenty of rusty metal flakes, but taking the fittings off makes the hole bigger, so you can get more out. Takes a while and you will be surprised how much comes out! Eventually it should clear.

Once done you could epoxy a coin over the holes or have a machinist make up some new plugs for you.

[headdownarseup]

As above with top and bottom fittings removed, but find a length of stiff wire and have a poke around inside. I've found that something like an old coat hanger works well for this as the wire is strong enough not to bend where you don't want it to bend, but flexible enough to go around corners.
9 times out of 10 i bet the bottom fixing will have a lot of build-up towards the base of the fitting which almost acts like a plug and restricts the waterflow quite a bit. Get rid of this plug of corrosion and anything else lurking out of sight and it should be good to go again.
If it were me i'd leave the original welch plugs in place unless there really is a need to get 'em out.

Battery acid from old car batteries works really well too. Soak the waterjacket with acid for 24-48 hours and you'll be amazed at how much crap comes out. I find it's much better than running under the tap for 20 minutes or so. Flush with plenty of fresh water afterwards. A few good coats of paint over the top should help things.

I've taken the liberty of showing a few pics of an exploded 102 cylinder for reference purposes to show where the waterjackets are in these cylinders. It might help someone else with the same predicament.

Jon

[whigum]

If you don't have battery acid, some white vinegar (usually around 5%, acetic acid) works well to break down rust. Leave it in overnight.