Quick Question- What to do with water choke nipple on Block when converting to DCOE's

[2002Scoob]

Should I just cap it?

Is there a best practice way to do it?

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[Preyupy]

Yes just cap it.  if you really wan to do a nice job you can drill it out and tap the hole for a threaded plug.  Most of the later blocks had that port in the block threaded and there is a blank plug available from BMW.

[2002Scoob]

Good to know I ended up jumping the gun and making a plug on the lathe I can put into a short length of hose.

That way the car can go back to stock for some reason in its future.

Add this to the long list of little details no one will ever see

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[2002Scoob]

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[TobyB]

Looks like yours is the later threaded version (hex flats)

 

I would pull it, and plug it.  I THINK it's even a common bolt size.

 

The problem is, without coolant flow in there, the nipple itself rusts away,

and then leaks, as the corrosion inhibitors break down over the years.

 

Had it happen once, and then looking at parts motors, they 

had a pretty high corrosion rate there.

 

I've also just jammed a 6mm bolt into the metal nipple and brazed it all together.

 

Your way is very sexy- looking.

 

t

[2002Scoob]

Are ya saying the block might be threaded where that nipple is? I'd just hate to pull it out and find out otherwise. Not super excited about tapping a water passage and risk getting shavings into the system. 

 

The corrosion comment seems like a pretty valid concern :/ There's a pretty high chance that the bottom end will be pulled this winter, or the next, depending on how she does with the top-end rebuild this summer, so perhaps I'll stick with my fancy plug till then and re-examine it when I have to deal with the bottom end. 

 

Oddly enough, I finally worked up the nerve to look at the block serial number, which I had never bothered with before. The numerous hack things I've fixed and all the that had been done mechanically to the car before my ownership, I was slightly convinced it wasn't worth checking if it was numbers matching. Lo and Behold, it is!  That made my night.

[colorobo2002]

The block is threaded there. Underneath the layers of grease and dirt, you'll find a 15mm or 17mm nut on the nipple. You can kind of see it in the picture.

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