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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / January 2006Freeze Plug Replacement
I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the replacement. Had to make a drift of a large dowel rod and it took numerous attempts before I was finally able to drive it in flush. Reaching in from above the upper control arm, was perhaps 20 degrees from perpendicular. Wasn't sure I was going to make it. A couple of months later and the same plug on the opposite side of the block has rusted through and needs replacement. Any of you have any tricks or pointers that would make the process easier? I rebuilt a few engines back in my youth and this is trivial with the engine removed but installed - what a bugger! Thanks. > I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the > tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. There is a special tool for this procedure; an alternative might be a socket sized to fit on a "wobble" extension. Alternately I have had to resort to the rubber expandable plugs on some of my cars where I just can't get a good shot at them, especially the older ones that use the "disc" type freeze plugs. I've also heard that there's copper cup type plugs that you set in and expand with a wrench, but my FLAPS looks at me like I'm speaking in tongues when I try to describe this to them. nate Sounds like a repeat process ,but this rusting the plugs hints of poor cooling system maintenance and this may continue to happen. > I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the > tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. > Sounds like a repeat process ,but this rusting the plugs hints of poor > cooling system maintenance and this may continue to happen. I flush the system annually for him and install new 50/50 Prestone. >>I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the >>tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- Although, Shep, I have seen them rust from the outside-in, espoecially where they're getting nailed with salt-spray. Scott, if you don't mind the thought you may have to do it again in 5 years or so, there is a rubber core-plug with a nut that you insert into the hole, tighten the nut, and the plug expands. Especially useful for clunkers where pulling the engine is too much work for the worth of the car. -Dave Disconnecting the motor mount on the affected side MAY allow you to jack the engine an inch or more, giving you a straighter shot - or a slightly better angle - on driving in the new plug....... Be careful about hitting plastic/easily broken things against the firewall, etc...... I stopped using metal plugs just because of the problems you describe.Been using rubber plugs that expand with a nut on the outside for years, Easy install and they DO last . They also pop out when they're supposed to. A little more expensive but compared to the time factor , really cheap . ( Reduces the "frustration factor" by a considerable amount and they don't rust out) Will > I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the > tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. Use a block heater for a plug...nothing says you have to use it :) Doesn't have to be a block heater. They make rubber expanding plugs for this purpose. > I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the > tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. There are expandable rubber sealed plugs that are a bit easier to get in. I normally have a cheapo socket wrench that I use to drive in the Welch plugs. But in those tight spots, you just have to take it easy, align them the best you can,and tap them in with as big a hammer as you can get in there. As someone else said, you can, at times, remove a motor mount completely or simply disconnect it and jack up the engine. When you get that SOB out, feel down in the block with your finger to see if it is clean, or if there is stopleak mud lying down around the plugs. Be sure your coolant recovery system is working, to keep out as much air as you can, and continue to refresh coolant on schedule. >> I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the >> tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > I normally have a cheapo socket wrench that I use to drive in the Welch > plugs. >snip< Add an extension which has the wobble-feature ground onto the sides of the socket-holding end--may help further. s > I replaced a freeze plug in my son's 1992 S-10 2.8. Had to remove the > tire and still couldn't get a straight shot at it to drive in the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc4603.html articulated installation tool, works at odd angles. To make it even easier, you can buy an adaptor for an air chisel that fits the end of the tool handle that allows using your air chisel as an installation tool. |
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