The time has come to buy this tool. I'm tired of trying something makeshift that ends up leaving the plug mangled and damaged. Who has bought one and what brand/model do they recommend?

Rebuilding the 1960 170 right now. The camshaft 'welch plug' or freeze plug in the rear of the block is acting very stubborn and doesn't want to be installed, no matter what I try. At first I thought the plug was the wrong size. It's stamped with 2 9/64. Measurement OD is 2.14. But the hole it's trying to squeeze into is checking out at 2.09. Hmmm! Anyone have a good suggestion that doesn't involved a socket or somesuch nonsense? The plug just slides around and doesn't compress enough to install.

You can resize the plug in a vice. Take your time....rotate the plug....keep the sides square.

I resize till I can drive it in with a socket....

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Thanks for that suggestion. But that's exactly the kind of approach I want to avoid. I don't see a failsafe that would prevent me from accidentally compressing the plug to out-of-round, trying to make it smaller.

Is there anyone that can positively ID the correct size for this plug on my '60 170? It's Chrysler part #1947 786. Thought it was the same as my 225 cam plug but the more I try to get this one to fit, the more I'm convinced it's just slightly too big. I've always been able to get them to fit even with makeshift drivers, but not this one. It's not trying to catch and squeeze in, even with hard pounding.

The closer to the ID that you can get the driver to fit, the better it will go in, and not collapse the plug. They usually have about an .008"-.010" interference fit with the hole they go.

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There's no such thing as too much cam....only not enough engine!

Stick it in the freezer and see if it shrinks...........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

That could help a little, but the key is having the right tool for the job.

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There's no such thing as too much cam....only not enough engine!

Seems like more than that on this plug vs. the cam hole. And I've already managed to get the new cam plug out of round just by trying to pound it in, so something is definitely not right.

Would something like the K-D Tools Wheel bearing cup driver kit work? Turn the bevel upside-down?

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"Louise", a 1976 Dart Custom project, (now sadly reverted to being just an "organ donor" to our other project Darts.)

Looking at your initial post, it sounds like you have the wrong plug. A 2-3/32" one would be more suited for the size hole you listed of 2.09".

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There's no such thing as too much cam....only not enough engine!

I can tell after careful examination of this freeze plug and the cam hole that the plug is slightly too big. Maybe the plug hole for this first year Valiant 170 was slightly smaller than the years after. It wouldn't be the first thing about this engine that stands apart from all the years after.