56 Ford/Mercury Wagon Fuel Tank plug

[AR]

The gas tank on my 56 Merc Wagon starting dripping gas at the bottom plug and thought it should be an easy fix. I was going to tighten the plug but cannot come up with the right tool to tighten it. Looked in the manual with no results.
Any suggestions
Thanks
AR

 

[KULTULZ]

https://store.snapon.com/Double-Square-Bit-Double-Square-2-1-4-Hex-P649120.aspx

I believe HD has this bit also - SCRULOX (as opposed to SCRULOOSE).

 

[Daves55Sedan]

Same plug as on my '55 Courier wagon. I actually made my own tool and should still have it in my special car tools box. Don't remember what I made it out of. Will dig in the box tomorrow during daylight and see if it is still there.
NOTICE: That plug has a cork gasket under it. Mine was bad so I got a new gasket from one of the resto parts suppliers. If your cork gasket is bad, and you tighten it up, the leak might get worse than before.
Will return to this thread tomorrow after I find the tool I made.

 

[KULTULZ]

Same plug as on my '55 Courier wagon. I actually made my own tool and should still have it in my special car tools box. Don't remember what I made it out of. Will dig in the box tomorrow during daylight and see if it is still there.

NOTICE: That plug has a cork gasket under it. Mine was bad so I got a new gasket from one of the resto parts suppliers. If your cork gasket is bad, and you tighten it up, the leak might get worse than before.

Will return to this thread tomorrow after I find the tool I made.

... hmmph ...

I told the OP wrong then. It is factory hardware.

THANX!

 

[KULTULZ]

OK ...

The plug is an OEM part-

PN 353055-S7 -

Never saw one (that I remember). I remember them as being a square head pipe plug.

Now to find the TOOL NO.


EDIT-

You know, a four point (square head) male socket should also fit. Maybe a size selection in the HD plumbing supply section?

Have you tried a 3/8" drive extension?

 

[Daves55Sedan]

See attached photo.
In middle of photo you see the wagon gas tank plug. To the right is a piece of 1/2" square steel bar stock. This will fit perfectly into the grooves in the recess of the plug. Then you can just take a 1/2" open-end wrench and turn it to remove your plug.
Also you see on the left is a machine bolt with a 1/2" square head and a hex nut welded to it. Stick the square head of the bolt into the plug recess and use a wrench to turn the hex nut. Voila!

 

[KULTULZ]

In middle of photo you see the wagon gas tank plug. To the right is a piece of 1/2" square steel bar stock. This will fit perfectly into the grooves in the recess of the plug. Then you can just take a 1/2" open-end wrench and turn it to remove your plug.

So if the correct size is 1/2" square, a 1/2" drive extension should also work?

 

[54vicky]

good for you Dave that is using your noodle

 

[Daves55Sedan]

So if the correct size is 1/2" square, a 1/2" drive extension should also work?

My 1/2" drive extension bars and adaptor are all a little bit rounded off at the corners, so I never bothered to try them for fear that they may strip out the tiny little grooves inside the plug recess.
I went with the 1/2" bar stock or can use the homemade square bolt tool because the corners are very sharp and fit nice and snug into the plug. I figured, better be safe than sorry. Strip out that plug and you are sunk.
Don't forget to check the cork gasket on the backside of that plug. You can still buy that gasket at some of the resto parts vendors.