Exhaust Manifold AIR Plugs - 85 Burb 454

[gofast321]

I have an 85 Suburban with a 454 that I recently purchased. The AIR ports in the exhaust manifolds have been pluged with fittings that have a pipe thread to them and a flat top that allows me to tighten them down like a large screw. Recently one of those plugs has backed out and was lost. I have replaced it with an NPT fitting. The problem with the fitting is that it will not allow me to tighten it down because it has a continuous thread and consequently it keeps backing out and I have to constantly replace it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to either keep the NPT seated or where I could find a plug similar to my other ones with the flat "screw type" top?

Thanks for the help!

[motornut]

try plumbing store
then tac weld em if yer never gona usem again

[gofast321]

Thanks for the suggestion, but walking around the plumbing department of Home Depot last night I came up with a solution. I ended up buying a 1" piece of 3/8" iron pipe that isn't threaded all the way through. Then I also bought an iron cap for the pipe. It screwed right into the open port and since it wasn't threaded all the way through I was able to tighten it down. Plus the 1" piece sticks out just enough to give me a good grip to tighten it by hand.

[motornut]

good idea