I bought a 97 4x4 from a guy I went to school with years ago. I knew tranny to be bad, but it had a used motor with 80K installed just before tranny died. Long story short, I got it to fix an sell, but my 17 year old son took interest in it. So, we rebuilt the tranny (had to pull it twice due to my error of not changing the ONLY bad seal in the tranny).

Anyway, we had to get tranny going to see what else might be an issue. Well, the Heater tube assembly (seen here Dorman® OE Solutions™ 626-229 - Heater Hose Assembly | O'Reilly Auto Parts) was leaking profusely in the 90 degree bend. While removing the hose the whole thing broke off in the head. I'm wondering if I can plug the hole and tab into the water jacket elsewhere so that I don't have to pull the whole intake! Anybody done this? If not, i'll just start turning wrenches again.

 

I have further investigated the situation by taking the throttle body off. The good news is that the tube broke just above the flange that is pictured in the link in the previous post. With the throttle body off, I may be able to get something down in there to pull it out. Any suggestions on what I might be able to use to pull it up out of the head. Otherwise, i'll wind up with the intake off and something like a reamer to cut it out if a pair of vise grips won't spin it out. I'm thinking it so rotten it won't twist out without breaking off again. I tried to upload a pic, but photobucket is on the blink.

 

On older engines I have had good luck with carefully "peeling" them out. Since they are pressed in, the compression of the interference fit holds them in. If you can cut/bend/peel down one side of the insert, then the compression in the bore is lost, and they will come out. I've used a screwdriver and a chisel to carefully cut down and bend inwards as I go down. With aluminum, you have to be careful not to gouge. Once cut or bent inwards, if its still stuck in the bore, then it's electrochemical bonding holding it, and you will have to wrap it around a pair of stout needle nose pliers to get it out.

Once, changing ATF and filter on a GM FWD trans, the metal sleeve would not come out, and I (very!) carefully had to saw lengthwise through the sleeve with a hacksaw blade, and then peel it out with a screwdriver out of the recessed aluminum bore, all working with limited clearance upside-down as the outside temp dropped fast and wind whipped up, besides getting dark. I was determined not to mess it up. Was successful because I did not hurry nor just manhandled it.

 

Yeah, manhandling or getting in a hurry usually cost you more time and lots more money. I had already punched it from the side carefully with a long screwdriver and hammer, but it just pealed the top and left the inner part still tight against the bore of the hole.

I don't have clearance from the top to hammer on it at all with a chisel or screwdriver. My thoughts have been a pair of needle nose vise grips or finish collapsing it to see if I can peel it out. Gonna keep working at it I suppose. I couldn't believe the silly part is $34 plus tax.

 

How does that go back in and what holds it.....just the fit?

 

Yeah, its just a friction fit. Not a lot of pressure. I had one on a cummins 4bt that I just used a small freeze plug to cap off and tied into another port as it was in the way.