Doing my trans swap, and had just pulled (yes, pulled) the pilot bearing and was explaining to my buddy why you don't do the hydraulic deal. I grab a light to show him the plug in the crank, and to my horror, it is canted in the crank, way deeper than it should be. I can see marks where someone has beat on it. (maybe they tried replacing it?) So much for me finishing this job quickly.

I have two options. Try to pull it and replace(It does weep a bit as the engine is running) Very small amount, but I'm not shoving my clutch and trans in just to ruin the clutch. Or get another plug (or two) from the stealership and put a second plug in where the original should be.

I'd like to do the second. The plug is still snug, but, I need to know how much meat is left behind the crooked plug. I need someone who has a spare LS1 crank to get me the measurement from end of crank to where the plug can fall into the oil pan. If I have the room, I'll just add a second plug and run it. If not, I guess I'll try to cant it further without knocking it into the engine.

Thanks all...

Oh, and if someone could find the address of the person who did this moronic deed.....

 

Not a gm crank but roughly 3.267
The straight edge is on the farthest flange portion where the pilot goes in.
But sticking my finger in from the back side there is a lip or groove, so just feeling it with my finger
pushed in to the plug and pressing my finger for an indention in my finger you only have
roughly 1/2" for the plug to move back before falling in that groove/ lip,
I would remove old plug then install new plug.

the second pic is looking at the back of the plug.
first pic is not actual measurement, just showing how I measured

 

Wow. It seems like my plug is about 1" farther back than the location it should be (about 1 1/4" in). It really seems to be about 2" or better in. I picked up some long needle nose pliers just now from a parts store. They both can open enough to grab the plug and still be less than 1" across the jaw, so they should work. I'm thinking I may rotate the flywheel to where the plug is leaning 'upside down', hoping gravity will help me by not letting the plug just lean and fall as I push the leaning side on in.

 

Like I said the first one I measured is not a gm crank, but it was the most available,
I looked at a gm crank and it does not have that lip/groove, so it looks like the plug could be pushed farther back in.
This is a 2000 LS1 crank, looking at the back side of the plug.

 

I am working on a 2000 model. Could you get me a measurement of that LS crank? Thanks for your replies

 

Can you drive it through on purpose? Drop the oil pan and fish it out? Heck get right down to it it wont hurt anything in the oil pan, vs being tossed out in a running engine...

 

Dropping the oil pan is not high on my want to do list. To drop the pan involves unbolting the motor mounts, lifting the engine, and then lowering the k member some. I'll try pulling the plug. If it falls in, then I'll have no choice but to drop the pan. As of now, I'd rather try to avoid that.

 

It might be a pain in the azz, but if that plug jumps out the back while engine is running,
I don't know that dropping the pan would be your biggest concern.

There is your measurement.
You can't get the plug out from the front?
Dip drill bit in grease drill some, clean it off, dip again drill some more and again, that will keep shavings on bit,
then when you have a hole, screw a corse screw in and pull it out, like a freeze plug removal tool.
make sure #8 piston is at TDC so if anything does fall in it just drops into pan
and not on connecting rod, then drain oil use a magnet on a stick and fish out metal shavings if some gets in there.

 

Well, I stopped by the shop today, armed with the tools and a plan. I turned the crank to the point where the plug was leaning in at the bottom of the hole. I used a flat screwdriver and a hammer. I very gently tapped it and it rotated more. I used the needle nose pliers to grab it, and on the second attempt, it came right out.

I had actually started to do the drill and grease method yesterday, but the plug didn't feel stable, and I was concerned about pushing it into the pan. So, my older and wiser self stepped away before I screwed something up.

The plug was right on the edge of falling in. Had I not done been doing the trans swap and clutch now, or been showing my friend the plug, it could very well destroyed my engine.

What slogo has posted is correct. The bore on a factory LS1 crank is not stepped (except for the pilot bearing spot). It is a smooth bore to where it drops, and is about 3 1/4" or a tad over 80mm deep overall.

So, while I have been delayed in my swap, I can rest assured, this will be fixed correctly and I won't have to worry about it in the future.

I will be calling the GM parts dept tomorrow and see if they have the part in stock. I believe it is part #24502262 and is a stainless oil galley plug with a diameter of about 25.7mm.

I plan on using loctite to seal it inside the crank after cleaning the crank. Then use some gray rtv on my finger to smear on the edges just for extra weepage insurance.

In other news, the rear main and cover seal are nice and dry after replacing them. Props to Sac City and their awesome alignment tool.

Thanks to all who have helped in this thread.

 

Glad you were successful. Sounds like you dodged a bullet on this one. Any idea how it got that way, did the PO use grease to remove the pilot bearing?

 

I have no idea how it was there other than it wasn't by just coming loose on its own. There were indentions on it like it had been struck with something and pushed. Has it been poorly replaced? Was there a botched pilot bearing job? I dunno. I just know that now it will be fixed correctly.

 

Well, I ordered 2 of those little plugs. 1.0114 diameter deals. Gave them the 24502262 number and it came up as something else. The guy did some searching and found the plug. Described it to me a 1.0114" diameter stainless. I said "That's the one. He read off the part number.... 24502262 Oh well, so that number is still good.

Ran across these on Rockauto in case the GM plugs are discontinued at some point. Probably would do the job:

DORMAN 555018 {Click Info Button for Alternate/OEM Part Numbers} Intake Manifold; Nominal Dia.: 25.73mm SC; Metric Dia.; 25.73mm SC; Steel; Height: 0.250"; Open End Dia.: 1.021" Info
1 In. Shallow Cup

 

Great info, this thread really helped me out. Thank you for posting!!

 

This thread has saved me from my biggest fears, with what seems like a bigger issue which is plausible to happen, it’s such a relief to find a thread that addresses this problem, i made the mistake of using the hydraulic truck to try and pop that pilot bearing out, had me super stressed till i came across this, praying i didn’t push that plug too far in because i did use bread… but if not, gonna pull that pilot bearing out and scoop/clean the bread and pray for the best that i can do the drill method and that the plug isn’t too far in, and not dropping into the pan, wish me luck!