Removing stuck air vent from steam radiator

Terran

I'm trying to remove a stuck Dole #1A vent from a radiator. It was installed without any teflon tape or pipe dope and it's stuck on there pretty well. It looks like somebody before me had tried to remove it unsuccessfully and damaged it in the process, because the vent itself was loose and wobbly on the pipe nipple.

Here's what I tried already that didn't work:

• Grabbing the pipe nipple with vise grips (just chewed up the brass)
  
• Applying Aero-Kroil penetrating oil, waiting 4 hours, and repeating the above
  
• Heating the metal around the hole with a propane torch
  

I'm thinking my best bet at this point is to cut the vent body off the pipe nipple with a hacksaw, then file a couple of flats on the nipple (or cut a slot in it) and have one more go at taking it off with a big wrench (or impact driver), and if that fails, drill it out and clean the brass out of the hole with a tap (hopefully the tap will end up chasing the original hole instead of cutting a new misaligned one). I was wondering if anybody could recommend for or against this approach, or had any better ideas.

Tools I have:

• 1/8 NPT tap
  
• Q, R, 11/32 drills
  
• Small files
  
• Hacksaw
  
• Impact screwdriver
  
• Left-hand drill in 1/4" size
  

Tools I haven't got:

• Left-hand drill in 11/32
  

Any thoughts or stories from related experience appreciated.

Fred

The best bet is to cut it off and try to get the piece of nipple out of the radiator. They typically aren't threaded all the way in and you might get lucky and be able to file a notch in the the piece of remaining brass fairly easily and get it out. If you screw up the threads in the radiator, you can always drill and tap a 1/4" hole and install a 1/4"X 1/8" bushing in and mount your new vent.

Paul48

I'd try hitting the pipe with a center punch in a couple spots....up close to the radiator.

JUGHNE

I see a few 1/4 x 1/8 bushings because of the situation you have.
Not too tough to tap, don't get oil in the system. Brass bushing would be best. IMO

Terran

Thanks. I don't currently have a 1/4 NPT tap so I'm going to get one of those and a bushing before I cut off the vent.

RomanGK_26986764589

I was about to create a new thread regarding this issue. The vent I have is too fast for the radiator and I was trying to unscrew it with no luck.
It was installed with a pipe dope last year. Maybe the threads were painted over, I tried picking the threads with a sharp thin knife to remove paint and dried pipe dope, also tried PB Blaster but so far no luck. That vent works well and I don't want to damage it, also don't want to break it off from the nipple. Any suggestions?

MilanD

I was able to remove a nipple stub of a broken off Hoffman 40 with a 1/8 easy out. It screwed itself out after a few gentle turns with a wrench. I would not recommend power tools or impact driver as it may gouge threads.

Big Ed_4

The stem of the vent is broken , snapped of the body of the vent and stuck in the radiator .. Buy an 1/4" NPT tap and the proper drill bit.. Drill size posted on Tap... Drill out and clean threads with the tap

hvacfreak2

Plus 1 here for the easy out. I would pick one up with a 1/4 x 1/8 bushing that you might need anyway.

newagedawn

try PB balst, hit it good and leavie it overnight, i swear it will come out!!!!!!, this stuff has gotten more things i thought impossible out, give it a try, even if you have to hit it twice

Terran

Hi all, thanks for the advice.

It turns out I got lucky this time — I gave it another try this morning and it came right out with no trouble! It seems that 6 hours with the penetrating oil was not enough but 24 hours did the job.

I have a 1/4" NPT tap and reducing bushing on order so I will keep them for some future occasion when I am less lucky.