# stuck drain valve on air compressor



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

The drain valve on my air compressor won't close and I'm trying to remove it so I can replace it but everything I've tried is failing.

I put liquid wrench on it and have heated it slightly with a propane torch but the brass just crumbles when I try to turn it with a pipe wrench or vice grips. I then tried to grind two flat sides but the corners still crumble on it when I try to turn it.

Could I just break it out with a chisel?

I've got those left handed bolt removers that you screw into the hole you drill in stuck bolts but I'm remodeling and can't find them in the mess. Would those work better than trying to break apart?


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

if it's that bad off an easy out will probably just ream it out without doing anything productive. I think the square type of easy out would work better than the round fluted type if you wanna try.

I'd look at drilling it out to get a small blade (like something from a scroll saw) in there and sawing to the threads in a couple or three spots then trying the chisel.


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

Did you apply heat to the brass valve or to the boss it screws into? Heating the boss causes it to expand, thus relieving some of the tension on the threads of the valve.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

..............If you can unscrew the center portion you might drill a little bigger hole and try an ease out but I can't see what kind of air release you have . , fordy


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It looked (before I trashed it) like the valve on the bottom of a radiator.

I tried heating the boss. Maybe I should drill it out to just undersize of the threads and then try breaking it into pieces?

Another one of those 60 second jobs that turns into an afternoon.


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

fishhead said:


> I tried heating the boss. Maybe I should drill it out to just undersize of the threads and then try breaking it into pieces?
> 
> Another one of those 60 second jobs that turns into an afternoon.


Worth trying. Use teflon tape or a good pipe dope on the new one.


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