It has been over two weeks since I finished rebuilding the 4.3 in my 98 bravada. However, I haven't been able to put finishing touches on the motor due to the absence of one of the ball plugs upfront.

My old ball plug shot off into oblivion when I removed it, and there's no resource on the internet that would let me in on the part number.

If anyone out there would be so kind as to point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate the gesture. Moreover, through much research, I have come to know that the Dorman 555-006 expansion cup will fit the application just right. However, there's a significant chance that the cutesy cup would pop-off under pressure.

For reference purposes:

photo courtesy: Bowtietalk

 

Glad that's not a pic of your engine. The 4.3 and the 350 have a lot of common parts. Maybe the ball plug for a 350 will work.

 

I know I made a boo-boo posting that pic, but I just wanted to show the location of the said ball plug.

I actually ordered the entire kit for the same circa 350, and guess what? Oil galley plug sizes are different. Moreover, I wasn't even able to find ball plugs for the 350; the kit only came with expansion cups of all sizes.

Let me slip into my garage and get my own pics to make things clearer for readers. Hold on.

EDIT:

 

A ball has to be the right size for the press fit, else the front of the could look like the first picture. A freeze plug can compress the fit the hole. If you are worried about the plug falling out, some gentle taps on the dome side will expand the plug. Still worried? Stake the block after installation.

 

This is getting beyond insane. 555-004 is too small and 555-005 is too big. Therefore, nothing in Dorman catalog will fit. Am I just plain out of luck?

 

Www.grangers.com gage ***** come in every 0.001 what size is the hole?

 

Problem solved.

Thanks for your time everyone. I came across a 1/4 NPT pipe thread plug in my spare parts drawer, and just tapped the galley opening with a 1/4-18 tap. 7/16 drill bit isn't needed since the bore is of perfect size already.

If you havn't tapped a bore a single day in your life, then make sure you let the tap go in about half the way, because a tap converges in the nose and it would put on shallow threads otherwise!

After tapping the bore, I collected any collectable metal particles with a Neodymium magnet. Thereafter, I used my Proform oil pump primer to shoot out every impurity in the bore right into a container.

Final product:


Appeal: Please update your thread with whatever worked for you before walking off into the sunset.