Unwinterizing: Tightening the Hex Nuts on Block

[mvermeer]

Fellas

It is finally getting to boating season up here in Iowa.  I got my boat out of storage the other day and tried to turn the hex nuts back into the block so water will not drain out of the drainage slot.  But to my surprise, I had a heck of a time getting that nut to start.  I put some WD40 on the 10mm nut and finally got it started and in.  But the 14mm nut on the passenger's side will not start.  I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if they did, what they did to get the nut started.  If not, wondering if anyone has any suggestions?  Could I shoot WD40 up the drainage spout to get is to drain on the inside end of the nut or would that cause problems?

I also just looked back at the winterizing procedure in the How-To section and noticed that I forgot to drain the  lower oil cooler water hose when I winterized it last winter.  Wondering if that is going to cause me problems or should most of the water have evapurated out of the drainage  spout beings I left it open all winter? 

Please let me know any information you can provide me on either of these situations.  Thanks

[mvermeer]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE!!!! GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON THESE TWO TOPICS?

[Bitzco]

Mechanical idiot here. Just tighten the whatchamacallit with the thingamajig and throw is a little of that squirty stuff. Say a prayer, drop the boat in the water, watch it start to sink and call the repairman. That's what I'd do. Sorry to be of no help whatsoever.

[cyclone]

You could squirt WD40 in there all day and not hurt anything, that'll probably do it. If you can't turn it, you could remove the whole piece from the block to work on it. Be very careful not to snap it off in the block, that would require some work with an easy-out.  You could replace the whole assembly with a plug, it's probably metric so measure the threads before you try to jam something in there. I'm sure you could get a new one from Toyota.

I think some penetrating oil will loosen that thing right up.

The lower oil cooler hose having water in it shouldn't have hurt anything. Just check for leaks when you get it back in the water

[cyclone]

I happen to see a box containing six or eight of the aforementioned petcocks at Skimasters. Price was around 10$, give them a shout. They are in Kenmore, Washington.