[echrisconnor]

Great post! A couple years I did a similar sort of thing with my AAR, only I was just trying to change the amount of opening I got. I was able to open mine and bend the bi-metallic spring a little and make the device close fully.

One thought. Instead of pushing the plug in, you could do a similar procedure for what is done on the WURs. Drill a small hole in the plug and tap it. Then put a large socket, or other spacer with a larger diameter than the plug, over the plug and use a nut on a bolt to pull the plug out. Use a shorter bolt when done to seal the hole.

Thanks for posting this!