Freeze Plug Question/Help

[flashback87]

My car will occasional leak some coolant and i saw it dripping down where the oil pan meets the block. it was leaking at the end of winter/begginning of spring but when i started driving it this summer it stopped. i had it out this weekend and got on it a little and i noticed the little puddle under my car again. i jacked it up and only saw it dripping off the frame and location mentioned above. i looked in the engine bay and felt around under the headers and i think i found a freeze plug on the driver side toward the front of the engine. it is to the right of the oil filter. it seems there is a little bit of coolant oozing out of it.

is this freeze plug difficult to replace? can i do it with the motor in the car? do i need to remove the headers. i already had the one on the rear driver side of the engine replaced. that one was rusty and so i think that is why it started leaking. i tried that one on my own and an hour later i had a face full of coolant and i just put a hole in the freeze plug.

also, does anyone know why it leaked at the end of winter, stopped and then started again this weekend?

any help will be greatly apreciated, thanks

 

[Noobz347]

It sounds to me like they are corroded and finally bad enough to require replacement. Were it me, I'd pull the motor and replace them all. Be done with it.

 

[flashback87]

i really don't have the means to pull the motor unless i take it to a shop. is it possible to do the one i am referring to with the motor in the car?

Thanks

 

[flashback87]

Anyone else ever dealt with this plug and have any advise/insight?

Thanks

 

[TenorPlayinGuy]

I have only done a few on the car, it is difficult because of the space you have to get it in there straight. The stock ford one is a little narrow in my opinion. You can get deeper ones from behind the counter at most parts stores. Ask them for the kit on your car, and match the diameter to one of yours but will a deeper lip. This will help them stay straight and more secure. I've had luck using a rather large 1/2" socket that fits inside the Freeze Plug, connected to a U-joint and short 4-6" extension works well in giving you a different point to impact the plug into the hole.


Oh yeah... Make sure you drain your cooling system first , if not the water in the block will flow like a rapid into your face again. That is of course the water jacket surrounding the cylinders.

 

[flashback87]

I have only done a few on the car, it is difficult because of the space you have to get it in there straight. The stock ford one is a little narrow in my opinion. You can get deeper ones from behind the counter at most parts stores. Ask them for the kit on your car, and match the diameter to one of yours but will a deeper lip. This will help them stay straight and more secure. I've had luck using a rather large 1/2" socket that fits inside the Freeze Plug, connected to a U-joint and short 4-6" extension works well in giving you a different point to impact the plug into the hole.


Oh yeah... Make sure you drain your cooling system first , if not the water in the block will flow like a rapid into your face again. That is of course the water jacket surrounding the cylinders.

Thanks, it seems like the one that is leaking now can only be accessed from above the engine. you can not see it from underneath the car. i can only kind of see it when looking in the engine bay but i can feel it when i jam my hand in between the headers.

are you familar with this one? is it possibel to do to turn it side ways with the engine still int he car?

Thanks again,

 

[Noobz347]

My friend, you are in an uphill gunfight carrying nothing but a Popsicle stick. If you want it fixed, you're going to have to either put the labor into it or pay someone else to put the labor into it.

This is simple... You already know what you need to do but you're in denial.

You have basically two options:

1. Remove the components that are in the way of you getting a straight shot at the offending freeze plug.

--or--

2. Pull the motor and do them all so that you're not right back to where you are right now for the next crappy freeze plug.

Either way, you need tools, time and elbow grease... or a fat check book.

Good Luck.

 

[flashback87]

My friend, you are in an uphill gunfight carrying nothing but a Popsicle stick. If you want it fixed, you're going to have to either put the labor into it or pay someone else to put the labor into it.

This is simple... You already know what you need to do but you're in denial.

You have basically two options:

1. Remove the components that are in the way of you getting a straight shot at the offending freeze plug.

--or--

2. Pull the motor and do them all so that you're not right back to where you are right now for the next crappy freeze plug.

Either way, you need tools, time and elbow grease... or a fat check book.

Good Luck.

well put, thanks

 

[Rick 91GT]

You want to clean the area really well and use Permatex #1 on the plugand block surface, them tap itin past the fillet edge on the block.

Like mentioned above tou can use a 13/16 socket, 1/2" drive and extension to tap it in....

 

[jedi603]

Hey guys. I'm in the same boat as this poor guy. Would any of you happen to have a diagram of where all the freeze plugs are located on a 97 mustang 3.8L engine? I'll probably be pulling the engine or at least lifting it and changing all of them myself.

Any advice or information is much appreciated.

 

[rd]

FWIW, they make rubber expansion type plugs that you put in the hole and tighten a bolt to expand them. No recommended long term but a good temp fix. Recommend addressing them as soon as possible. They will only get worse and leak more when you least expect it.