Ever replace a Freeze Plug?

[Zack]

Me, never....
until tomorrow....

Just put my new beater 94 beater Town Car on the lift to find the coolant leak......

I found it.....


its a freeze plug.....

no wait......

ITS ALL 6 FREEZE PLUGS LEAKING. WTMFF?

Guess my Sunday is planned out. :puke:

[ImpalaSlayer]

dont you like poke a hole in em to get em out? or is there a tool?

[Blk Mamba]

yeah; poke a hole in them with a screw driver and hammer, ( sometimes they are rusty enough to just poke the screw driver through by hand) then pry them out. Have to do a good job of cleaning up the mating surface, get rid of all the rust (corrosion). There will be some freeze plugs behind the motor mounts, I usually put in the rubber expandable ones in there just for the problems with access. I don't know of a removal tool, but there is an insertion tool, looks a lot like a seal installation tool.

[finster101]

Zack, it is more work getting them out. I poke a hole in them and use a "lady finger" to pry them out. It would be worth the 30 bucks or so to buy the installer at a FLAPS. Makes getting them bak in much easier and the flange will keep you from driving the plug all the way into the block. Be careful of that when removing them too. I like to put a little anerobic sealer or brush tack around the edges of the new plug. It helps them go in a little better and also give you a little extra protection. Most of the time......they ain't fun.

[justbob]

I've had better luck from under the car or thru the wheel well on the ones i've done. I've had great luck just using a 2'or3' 3/8 ext. or steel sock and a hammer and just work my way around them untill fully seated. Keep in mind this is on older chevy blocks though and with a lot more room to work.

[252life]

dont you like poke a hole in em to get em out? or is there a tool?

There is a tool to remove the freeze plug , I've used it many times when installing engine block heaters when I worked as a mechanic. It's a great tool specially in tight spaces when you cant use a hammer.

[O's Fan Rich]

There is a tool to remove the freeze plug , I've used it many times when installing engine block heaters when I worked as a mechanic. It's a great tool specially in tight spaces when you cant use a hammer.

Oooooooo... I want one! Where might I find one on this suide of the world?

[larryo340]

I like to put a little anerobic sealer or brush tack around the edges of the new plug. It helps them go in a little better and also give you a little extra protection. Most of the time......they ain't fun.

I use Indian Head Shellac

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/images/PRODUCT/large/PTX-20539.jpg

I like to replace them with brass plugs instead of steel when they're available.

[Zack]

Bought 6 of these from NAPA:

http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/226838.jpg

It will get fixed tomorrow :up:

[finster101]

I hope it holds. I would never use one.

[KillJoy]

I hope it holds. I would never use one.

He's not using one. He's using SIX!!!

:beer:

KillJoy

[FordNut]

I've used those, they work good and are pretty easy to install.

Why are they all leaking? Maybe somebody was running plain water instead of anti-freeze so they rusted through. Or maybe too much road salt so they rusted through from the outside in?

[Blk Mamba]

could be dis-similar metal corrosion.

[Zack]

After 8 gleeful hours in the garage, and amazingly ZERO coolant on my head, its done!

I had the car up on the lift, and it was immediately apparent I would need to remove the motor mounts to do this job.
No prob... a 2x4 cut to 76" (between the floor jack and harmonic balancer) got the engine lifted just enough :up:

Sadly, I had to 'lose' my AC refrigerant :bigcry: cause the compressor needed to be removed.
Got all 6 in, then filled it with coolant. Found 1 of the 6 were leaking ever so slightly, but luckily it was as easy as snugging the plug up.... thank god!

The freeze plugs had rusted from the inside out, and I dont think I will ever run across this freak of nature again.

[KillJoy]

Are you able to Loctite these? Any worry of the bolts loosening?

:dunno:

KillJoy

[Zack]

Are you able to Loctite these? Any worry of the bolts loosening?

:dunno:

KillJoy

The bolt is only there to draw the copper disk in and outward to make the seal.
Trust me it wont loosen up.

[justbob]

That sig is too cool!

[finster101]

Now you are good to go...............till the two on the back of the block start leaking. :lol:

[Blk Mamba]

three under the front timing cover?