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Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers???

Posted By: Triggerfish

Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 03:26 AM

Just picked up a set of Mickey Thompson vintage valve covers (no logo) & need to remove the plug where the oil filler cap goes.
Do I just punch it out with a hammer or drill it out? Inside looks
like there's two slots that a screw driver will fit it. I tried punching them, but no luck. These covers are pretty much the same as the mopar performance covers. Here's a pic of the outside & I'll post a pic of the inside in a few.

Attached picture 7602254-MTvalvecoversmallfile.jpg
Posted By: wingman

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 04:04 AM

Drill it out. It can be puched out, but you will not like the rough, irregular hole it leaves.
Posted By: moparpollack

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 04:05 AM

I would use a step dril until you get to the size you need.
Posted By: Michael Ecks

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 04:13 AM

Triggerfish, those are the coolest looking valve covers ever! I've seen similar ones with no logo, but never with the fins running all the way across them.

Not to hijack your thread, but do you happen to know if yours have the long rectangular recessed area inside where "holley - mickey thompson" is usually stamped or cast in?

I ask because I have a set exactly like these on ebay in the garage back home. Ebay Holley M/T valve covers (not my auction - just for reference) And I was wondering if there was enough material left to machine off all the fins, M/T letters, and the long raised rectangular pad on the outside and just make them smooth. I was thinking about going with fabricated sheet metal ones on my motor but I don't like the unfinished welds on all of them. Though they might look cool and different with smoothed tops and the blockier look to them.

Did find this on a brand X forum for you. Looks like actually knocking out the "knock out plugs" is frowned upon. I was going to guess if they were vintage they might be more prone to cracking from an impact than new ones also.

M/T valve cover topic on nastyz28.com

Ummm... ahem, wouldn't want to trade would you? Awesome find on those.
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 04:51 AM

Quote:

Triggerfish, those are the coolest looking valve covers ever! I've seen similar ones with no logo, but never with the fins running all the way across them.

Not to hijack your thread, but do you happen to know if yours have the long rectangular recessed area inside where "holley - mickey thompson" is usually stamped or cast in?

I ask because I have a set exactly like these on ebay in the garage back home. Ebay Holley M/T valve covers (not my auction - just for reference) And I was wondering if there was enough material left to machine off all the fins, M/T letters, and the long raised rectangular pad on the outside and just make them smooth. I was thinking about going with fabricated sheet metal ones on my motor but I don't like the unfinished welds on all of them. Though they might look cool and different with smoothed tops and the blockier look to them.

Did find this on a brand X forum for you. Looks like actually knocking out the "knock out plugs" is frowned upon. I was going to guess if they were vintage they might be more prone to cracking from an impact than new ones also.

M/T valve cover topic on nastyz28.com

Ummm... ahem, wouldn't want to trade would you? Awesome find on those.


These have no logo or stampings on the outside, only the fins. On the inside, there's a long rectangle with DODGE 3390384 & under that
it says MICKEY THOMPSON made in japan.
I had a pristine set of polished Cal Custom finned covers with no logos & the fins wrapped around the ends, too. Almost the same as these. I wanted the stock look of my orig covers, but after 3 R&R's to stop them from leaking, I'm using these since these won't warp.
I don't think my Power Wagon's 383 is custom enough for your fabricated ones, so I'll stick with these. It'll be a lot of machining if you want to remove the fins.

Attached picture 7602393-383Magnumsmallfile.jpg
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:00 AM

Quote:

I would use a step dril until you get to the size you need.


I'll try to find one. I shoulda drilled em before I just painted them.
Here's a pic of the inside.

Attached picture 7602412-MTcoverinsideplug.jpg
Posted By: Michael Ecks

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:07 AM

Hunh... From that inside pic it doesn't look like the rectangle on the inside of yours is recessed at all. From memory the ones I have, and it looks like the ones I linked to on ebay, that rectangle on the inside is recessed a good 3mm or so. Guess I'll have to do some measuring on the material thickness when I get home before I start grinding on them.

I could almost live with the M/T lettering, but the long flat rectangle on the outside looks hideous to me. Who would ever engrave something on their valve cover assuming that is its purpose???

There is a set of Cal's up on ebay now too, offys too, and I had long ago the imitation ones with the blank rectangle in the middle of the fins, all have the rounded edges with fins going down the sides like the current MP ones. I like these way better.
Posted By: Russ H.

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:08 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I would use a step dril until you get to the size you need.


I'll try to find one. I shoulda drilled em before I just painted them.
Here's a pic of the inside.



A hole saw equal to that inside diameter should work nicely.
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:09 AM

I like the fins on the end's too, but found these yesterday on C-list & had to get them. Here's a pic of the inside stampings.

Attached picture 7602424-MickeyThompsonstamp.jpg
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:10 AM

another outside pic

Attached picture 7602425-MTvalvecvrs2.jpg
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:11 AM

Here's what they're going in..

Attached picture 7602426-OrangePeeldriverssideweb.jpg
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:38 AM

Try using a sharp edge and score around the knockout several times until it penitrates a little and then gently try knocking them out Actually knock them into the covers, not out You can smooth them up with a die grinder and a carbide aluminum bit
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:41 AM

Michael, I just noticed the link you provided & glad I clicked on it.
I'll have a friend drill it out at his shop. Much appreciated.
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/25/13 05:16 PM

Thanks Cab. I'll do that with a razor knife & my dremmel. I noticed when I whacked the inside edge with a screwdriver, I could see it almost poked thru, so looks to be thinner metal on the plug.
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/26/13 03:48 PM

Quote:

Try using a sharp edge and score around the knockout several times until it penitrates a little and then gently try knocking them out Actually knock them into the covers, not out You can smooth them up with a die grinder and a carbide aluminum bit



Cab, thanks for the advice. I drilled a large hole in the center & took a few files to it. With a little elbow grease, I hade it perfectly round & smooth in about 10 minutes. Its an easy fix for anyone who wants to open the holes in their MP covers.

Attached picture 7604045-Valvecoveroilfillhole.jpg
Posted By: Michael Ecks

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/27/13 04:04 AM

Came out good. Glad you didn't whack it with a hammer and a punch! I'll remember all of this when I pull mine out of storage soon.
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/27/13 06:24 AM

A quality file goes thru the aluminum pretty fast & the curved surface of the file matched the curve of the hole pretty well.
Only bummer (& glad I didn't trade you), is the covers had cracks
around the lower corner mounting holes. I thought the lower corners
were epoxied on the inside to maybe help keep oil from pooling there, but it was to seal the cracks. I installed em anyway, but may have to tig weld them if they start leaking.

Attached picture 7605089-Newcoversinstalled.jpg
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/27/13 06:51 PM

Is there a baffel screwed inside the valve cover for your PCV valve?
Posted By: Michael Ecks

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/27/13 07:24 PM

Hopefully the epoxy already there will stop any leaks. As for a trade, I realized halfway through the making of this thread that you have BB covers and I was looking at SB ones. I did see a set of BB covers with fins all the way across like yours on Ebay. But I don't think they were ever made that way (the M/T style at least) for small blocks, so I am still looking at maybe having the fins and M/T lettering machined off mine to make them smooth, kinda like viper valve covers.

I think yours came out great, will post some pics of mine someday when I manage to get them out of storage and start working on them.

Posted By: dweller

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/28/13 06:14 AM

Source for grommets for this style valve cover?
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/28/13 03:14 PM

I just used generic 1/4"washers from O'Reillys & they worked fine.
Also used the Moroso blue rubber gaskets with steel in the middle.
$38, but they don't leak. You can see in these 2 pics just before I painted them, the round, hole bosses on the sides. The washers fit neatly on them & the corner bosses weren't a problem, even tho they're not round.

Attached picture 7606712-3Fc3J13o55I95G35Jdd2a398801cefd3d1d55.jpg
Posted By: Triggerfish

Re: Removing the oil filler plug in MT valve covers??? - 02/28/13 03:23 PM

Other pic after clean up...

Attached picture 7606718-MT383valvecovers.jpg
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