Probing that one tiny hole won't be very effective at removing 50+ years' worth of crud that has accumulated all along the bottom of the water jacket. Even if you get coolant flowing freely from that one spot, how do you plan to handle the other areas? The only effective way to clean the water jacket is going to be by pulling the cylinder head and the freeze plugs, and doing a LOT of probing and scraping to dislodge the sediment all along the bottom of the block, not just near the drain plug.
Jerry
If all one is able, or willing to do is clean the hole where the drain petcock is, one may as well not do anything at all. There is a huge area in the water jacket which will be packed with crud that you cannot access without tearing the engine down.
You may think that cleaning that small area to allow some water to come out is a good thing and therefore makes you feel like you have done something. I suggest that you instead would be giving yourself a false sense of security.
Since an engine which is loaded with crud likely has not been worked on for a very long time, you can just run it as is (as long as you don't have an overheating issue from a completely clogged water Jacket) until you decide to tear it down for a proper rebuild. Then you can actually clean that water jacket out.
Carl
one cannot argue with the logic behind these comments.
indeed, to do it the 'right way', and the most 'effective way', one must take apart the engine and clean it all out - the engine is 58 years old, and yes, it is dirty in there.
but sometimes, we are not able to do things the right way, even though we might want to. so, we feel that we have to try to do something that helps - even if it helps just a little. and that is my intent here - help just a little.
if I can spend some time with a hanger or screwdriver and get water flowing out of that hole I will feel that I accomplished something - even if it is just a little something that I accomplished.
if I can get water flowing out that drain hole, and flush the engine coolant from time to time (while maybe loosening up some of the other silt in there), then it is better (at least for me) than not doing anything at all.
unfortunately, I simply do not have the skills to open that engine, nor do I have the money right now.
so, I do understand that if I can indeed get it to start draining it is not the best it can be, but i can live with that for now - and that is ok.
thanks for the comments. I hope they help others as well in the future.
Gene
