I am currently in the processes of restoring and rebuilding a 218 for a friend of mine. The machine work on the block has been done and i have all the new parts but the only thing I need to do now to start putting the engine back together is remove the old, corroded water distribution tube. I have been soaking it with PB blaster and am using a pair of new needle noose locking pliers to try and break it loose and pry it out. The only portion of the tube that's left is about 6 to 8" long, the rest of the tube is gone from what I can tell through the water port and the head bolt holes. The front tip of the pipe is loose but I cannot get the rest of the tube loose. What do any of you recommend to try and do to take the remaining piece of tube out?
We replaced the tube in a 230 Dodge with parts from Kanter IIRC. The new part came with a stamped, tapered hook tool for removing & installing. It's a straight shot back thru the jacket, so make a sharp hook shaped tool from 1/4'' rod & go at it. Damn ... just looked at the pics again - you'd better find a shop with a bake oven for that one.
If you go to this site and do a search for "water distribution tube", helpful info will come up. There have been many posts regarding these tubes. John http://p15-d24.com/forum/4-p15-d24-forum/
Find a long flat piece of metal and hammer it into the block between what is left of the tube and the block itself. Make sure it is long enough that a good portion is still outside the block so you can get a good grip on it to pull it out. Then do the same on the other side of the tube. That is what I had to do to mine to eventually get it out of the block. When you put the new one in try to use a br*** tube rather than a steel tube so that if you ever have to replace it again it will be much easier to remove. Also with that much corrosion I would suggest getting some long handled small wire brushes and clean out the block through the freeze plug holes especially the bottom ones while running water through the block from the water pump inlet and thermostat housing. You will be surprised how much crud will flush out even if the block has been tanked. I know I was.
hkestes is right,that block is seriously plugged up.It looks from your photos like the water tube p***age is plugged solid.I would get my cordless drill and a small drill bit-1\8" or so and start drilling holes in the crud around what is left of the water tube.Drill lots of them about an inch or so deep then break the crud out using something like a modified (junk) screwdriver.Once you get as much out as you can do it again until you can get the remains of your tube out.That block will really need to go to a shop that can shake and bake it or you are going to have to spend a couple of days digging the crud out of the water p***ages.Good luck with your engine.
Some where in Texas there should be a "Strip Clean" you can bring the block. Every racing GMC I build starts wit a spotless block and head. All scale and rust will be gone and the case iron will look as original. It's a caustic type bath/soak. Funny but the cam bearing are not hurt. Gook luck.
Try clamping the end with vise grips and prying it out. If you can rig up some kind of slide hammer all the better.
I had a similar problem with the tube in a 230 engine, ended up using a pair of the largest flat blade screw drivers, about 15" long wedged in from each side against the flattened tube and pushing down on each screwdriver which jammed the blade into opposite sides of the tube and gently and slightly raised it out of its hole until it was able to be pulled out easily(this was an otherwise bare block with the rear of the block on the garage floor) ............apart from flooding the tube with whatever lubricant, ie WD40, oil, etc from the front you can also see the tube through the intake/exhaust manifold stud holes and can squirt WD40, oil etc into the area thru these holes.....you can also gently tap against the tube thru these holes to hopefully loosen the tube..........I was able to attack the tube with the engine out of the car which made overall access easier but it was still a ****rel job..........much cursing, discussion of the water distribution tubes parentage and invitations to various gods and dieties to ***ist were made........as others have said........use a br*** or copper replacement tube........whoever thought that a normal steel tube would be fine should have been castrated..........lol...........ain't old cars fun?..........regards, andyd
I have the proper tool designed for the job. I used it on my 218 and it worked great. pm me if you want to buy it. I will sell it cheap. I have no use for it any more.
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