Freeze plug replacement

[thethee]

While under the car checking for oil leaks I noticed that the freeze plug between no 4 and 6 cylinder is leaking just a little bit. Not a noticeable drip, more like weeping slightly. Even with engine warmed up and idling there is just a trace of coolant on the side of the block. Still, it's best to fix it now I've noticed it.

I don't have the means to pull the engine nor do I want to pull it. Is it possible to replace the plug with the engine in the car? Or is possible to patch with some JB weld or something, since it's just a tiny pinhole?

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Yea you can do some side block plugs by removing and dropping stuff, even the ones you can get out but are a PITA to push back in you can use the rubber expansion type replacement plug. With a little detective work I take it this is for the 1975 "pretty rough shape" Imperial? Well if your just intentions is to pass the car along, fixing one freeze plug I guess will work, but if your intentions are longevity in driving many miles from home worry free I'd pull the engine and do them all.
I had a few side block ones weeping on a 1968 Fury III, replaced them, then the back of the block ones started weeping...

and it wasn't till the left cylinder head rear one blew out big time at high speed that I pulled the engine and did them all.

Oh and BTW when you have the engine out with all the plugs out you can really get into the water jacket of the block and remove all the crud that settles in the bottom of the water jacket that all the 'Super Flushes' miss. I mean , use pressure washer, rifle brushes, poking rods etc. to get the crud out. Next best thing to hot tanking the block.

.

 

[halifaxhops]

I would replace all of the ones you can get to. If one is starting the others will follow if they are steel. Once out try to flush a the rust out of the bottom of the water passages, it is a mess to do better off outside. This tool is your best friend now. Not to expensive if you want to buy it and some parts stores will lend it to you. Just my 2 cents.

 

[thethee]

Yea you can do some side block plugs by removing and dropping stuff, even the ones you can get out but are a PITA to push back in you can use the rubber expansion type replacement plug. With a little detective work I take it this is for the 1975 "pretty rough shape" Imperial? Well if your just intentions is to pass the car along, fixing one freeze plug I guess will work, but if your intentions are longevity in driving many miles from home worry free I'd pull the engine and do them all.
.

Yep, that's the one. It's never going to be a long distance cruiser, just something for everyday use without breaking the bank. Rough shape is mainly body-wise, mechanically it's pretty sound. I'll look into the rubber expansion plugs, probably just the one for now. Hopefully that will last till I have the means to pull the engine.

 

[CBODY67]

Many of us know that "someday" never comes late enough. Unfortunately. But I also understand the "do the rest later" orientation, too.

It might help to put the car on an overhead lift and remove the front wheel(s) to gain better access to the freeze plugs. Possibly doing them two at a time rather than individually?

Using an external "sealer" is a very short-term fix, at best. First thing is getting the stuff to stick on the coolant-impregnated surface. Second thing is that that pinhole on the outside has a much larger corroded area behind it. Use that pinhole to get a better "grab" to get the old one removed.

NOT a "clean" job with some hazzardous liquid to deal with, but one which is best done anyway. Might consider a haz-mat suit to keep YOU cleaner? But in the "old days", we never worried about those things, especially if the job was done at a service station with a drainn sump under the lift.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[mopar440]

Use the bars leak pellets, GM uses them, crumple up 4 of them, then drive. Problem fixed, and doesn't plug stuff up

 

[BigblueC]

Since it has been mentioned, I will say that I have used Bar's products and BlueDevil in the past as a temporary fix. Both did the job for a few months until I was able to address the problems, one of which was a failing water pump gasket. If you need a little time these will get you down the road for a while, but you will need to properly address the issue and replace the plugs eventually.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Since it has been mentioned, I will say that I have used Bar's products and BlueDevil in the past as a temporary fix. Both did the job for a few months until I was able to address the problems, one of which was a failing water pump gasket. If you need a little time these will get you down the road for a while, but you will need to properly address the issue and replace the plugs eventually.
View attachment 448700View attachment 448701

Wasn't there a post recently about someone bitching about a car that the previous owner(s) dumped about 5 bottles of that crap in it.
In my experience over the years is that over use of Bar's leaks little black pellets can plug up your heater core and were probably most of the black junk that I had to flush out of the water jackets with the 318 in my previous post. I mean really the stuff was more than half way up the water jacket on both sides of the block.
People just keep pouring that stuff in until they realize that they need to replace the water pump to fix a leaky seal.

.

 

[BigblueC]

Wasn't there a post recently about someone bitching about a car that the previous owner(s) dumped about 5 bottles of that crap in it.....
People just keep pouring that stuff in until they realize that they need to replace the water pump to fix a leaky seal.

I don't recall it, but with 5 bottles I would expect problems. I think the instructions say something like don't use more than 2 bottles. When people use stuff like a leak stopper as a on-going, "permanent" fix, they're just asking for more problems. We all know those people who just continually put band-aids on their problems and get mad when it doesn't actually fix the problem.

 

[3175375]

I have used K&W Block Seal. I had a 65 Polara demolition derby car that had a head freeze plug go bad in the pits before the event. I dumped this in and never had a leak.

 

[mopar440]

I've used the pellets for 20 years, never had a problem. Gm techs used them on any cooling system repair. I've hever seen them, when used correctly, plug anything up I can't talk about the other products tho

 

[Big_John]

In my experiences, the leak stoppers, like Bars Leak, let you get home or through the last couple months of winter... Not a permanent repair by any means and for a leaking core plug, I'd expect it wouldn't do much but put the problem off for a few weeks at best, if it worked at all. It also tends to plug heater cores and just make a general mess. I've used it on cars that i didn't want to spend another nickel on because their time left was getting very short.

I've never used the GM pellets, and they may work a lot better, but IMHO, it's still not a real fix for this problem.

I'd figure on having to replace all the plugs eventually, as mentioned, but sometimes you might get lucky and the others don't leak for a while.

A rubber plug replacing the leaking plug is a decent solution and if you can get to any of the other plugs easily, I'd consider changing those. I'm assuming that you have looked at the leaking plug and determined that you can reach it well enough to knock the old plug out and install a new rubber plug. Really, that's the determining factor... and while we can all make educated guesses, we can't look at it from here.

 

[Big_John]

These Dorman copper expansion plugs are supposed to work real well too. Lots of boat guys use them from what I'm told. A step up from the rubber, but still not have to drive in new plugs. You'd probably have to buy them by size rather than application and I wouldn't expect the local Advance Pep Zone to have them on hand.

 

[Polara_500]

These Dorman copper expansion plugs are supposed to work real well too. Lots of boat guys use them from what I'm told. A step up from the rubber, but still not have to drive in new plugs. You'd probably have to buy them by size rather than application and I wouldn't expect the local Advance Pep Zone to have them on hand.

View attachment 448705

Never seen them before, they look interesting.

 

[thethee]

Went outside for a quick pic, this is it. As you can see it's barely there.

I feel like I could replace it with a genuine brass one if I go through the wheel well.

 

[Polara_500]

Went outside for a quick pic, this is it. As you can see it's barely there.

I feel like I could replace it with a genuine brass one if I go through the wheel well.

View attachment 448726

That's about as easy for in car replacement as you'll ever see.

 

[Big_John]

Never seen them before, they look interesting.

I bought some for another car and never used them, but at the time, I was told that the boat motor builders preferred them. I think it has something to do with corrosion, but I also seem to remember something about not failing as often too. Taking on cold water from a lake on a fast boat may make for some challenges to keeping the core plugs sealed, but I'm just speculating.

In a car, it probably wouldn't make a difference, but I really think I would use one instead of a rubber plug, especially if I felt that it was going to be a permanent repair.

They were used in this thread. I don't know as all the sealant was needed though.... Leaking freeze plug on 67 383 I think a couple other guys have used them too.

 

[thethee]

New freeze plugs were delivered this morning. Ended up choosing a brass set from Melling, gotta love rockauto. Although I have yet to receive a C-body magnet from them. Will try to replace this plug in the weekend.

 

[thethee]

Quick question, do these plugs go in dry or do I need to apply some kind of sealer as well?

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Quick question, do these plugs go in dry or do I need to apply some kind of sealer as well?

I goop them up.