How do I fix this hole in my block? PIC

Ok, I haven't thrown a rod but I do have this port that seems to be defunct. I believe this is the block water jacket drain, and when I opened it up, it was just full of casting sand. Is there a fool proof way to clear this port, or should I just leave it? I was able to clear about 1" back into the block just by probing around but that's about as far as I could get. I feel like I am mining for gold, should I head straight in then up? or maybe left...who knows? No water flows.

suggestions?

I think its pipe thread. If you keep digging through the hardened sludge, eventually you'll tap into the water jacket. Mine has a standard radiator petcock installed.

If it hasn't hurt anything yet it never will. If you ever have to have the block hot tanked take care of it then. All flathead Ford V-8s from 1932 until 1954 had a lot of sand left in the blocks and not one in a million ever had a problem because of it.

i agree with john. ignore it.

A brass pipe plug should thread into that hole. Clean the threads good screw the plug in and you should be good to go.

Jim B.

Hmm... Does anyone have this port clear? What does it look like in there? I have a cap for the hole, but after removing it, I found this mess and blockage. I don't want to run any drill bits in there.

I suppose I will just cap it back off and ignore it's function. It probably was never functional.

They're usually functional for a year or so, until they get clogged up.

Just don't mess with it and you won't mess anything up. Screw a pipe plug in the hole and forget it until the engine is torn down and the block being tanked for a complete overhaul.

In foundry operations ,the finished cast is dropped onto a "shake -out " table for a couple of minites
or less depending on rate of production.. Thats " core sand " the area of the casting NOT filled
with the molten iron ,,to provide coolant passages and voids for intake/exh runners ect ect ..

It is written. I shall leave it be. Thanks guys!

Mine had the original tap in it and when I opened it nothing came out. When I dissembled the motor for the rebuild, I took off the tap and poked around and sludge and rust came out followed by rusty water.

After the block was cleaned and bored the hole was clear. I found, by accident the exact same tap, new at a Pirtek store so I put it on.

I have a new, functional tap that I intended to keep clear and clean every time I change my coolant.

I just went out to the car and turned the tap - nothing came out. Poked a wire into the opened tap. It came out wet, but still, nothing came out. So, I now agree with the others.

Chris

It leads to a very, very small coolant passage. If you cleaned it out today whithinn a week it would be clogged again. I've been rodding mine out for over 3 decades and still can't keep it clear. RAY