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Car Forum / Antique and Collectibles / Studebaker / August 2005Engine water plugs rusted out, now what?
I'm trying to get a 56 President Classic running again and I've run into a problem. I got the car up on jack stands and put a wrench to the crank bolt and it turns. It didn't take much pressure to make it turn. So then I pull the drain on the radiator and a few drops of water came out, hmmm. I put a hose in the filler neck of the radiator to flush it out and I hear water streaming from under the car. After closer inspection, I find that the water drain plugs in the block are rusted out. So what do you think I will have to do with the drain holes? Just clean it out carefully with a wire brush and try to not get any debris inside? Since it is already up on stands... Remove the battery cables and take out the starter. Remove all the side freeze plugs and the two side drain plugs. Get your snorkel mask, a coat hanger, and your hose (a pressure washer would be better....) Give the thing a thorough wash/spray/douche... Poke the hanger in there to pry/prod/prick/scrape the gunk out of there. Go to your flaps and get the good Dorman bolt in metal freeze plugs and install them. (The rubber bolt in ones work good too, but their lifespan is shorter..) Flush out the radiator real well also. Hang in there, you'll get it all right... Jeff "Tim Ulrich" wrote... > I'm trying to get a 56 President Classic running again and I've run into a > problem. I got the car up on jack stands and put a wrench to the crank [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > =---- Thanks for the quick reply. How many drain plugs are there on this 289 block? What are the "freeze plugs" you mentioned? How many are there and where are they located? > Since it is already up on stands... > Remove the battery cables and take out the starter. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > > =---- Freeze plugs (sometimes called 'Welch plugs', or 'casting plugs' are the three big round holes in the side of the block halfway between the cylinder head and the oil pan. They will corrode through after many years... There are two smaller pipe plugs in the sides of the block toward the rear of the block. They unscrew and are re-used. You will need to buy six. Do yourself a favor and only buy the bolt in style, especially if you have not done this type of repair before. It's not hard, but there is definitely a procedure to use. You can do it! Jeff > Thanks for the quick reply. > [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > =---- I've seen the pipe plugs rust to the point where they fall off. > Freeze plugs (sometimes called 'Welch plugs', or 'casting plugs' are the > three big round holes [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] >>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption >>=---- I had to replace the drain plugs on my '63 block in the '55; all I could find were brass, but they seem to work OK. If you wanted to be real slick, they appear to be the same thread as a radiator petcock. nate > I've seen the pipe plugs rust to the point where they fall off. > [quoted text clipped - 80 lines] >>> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption >>> =----  Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel The later blocks use the "cup" style plugs which are much more durable than the earlier disk type. The bolt on type sounds like the best solution for driver cars.. JT > I had to replace the drain plugs on my '63 block in the '55; all I could > find were brass, but they seem to work OK. [quoted text clipped - 92 lines] > replace "fly" with "com" to reply. > http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel Yep, me too. JT > I've seen the pipe plugs rust to the point where they fall off. > [quoted text clipped - 75 lines] > >>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > >>=---- Yep, me three. <G> And, strangely enough, the threads in the block were still OK. Just ran a 3/8" pipe tap through to clean them up. Gord Richmond I saw the plugs you are talking about. They look like plastic caps. How do you get those out? There is nothing to grab onto like a bolt head or a screw driver slot. I'll pull the starter later to get access to the left plug hole and clean that out. Update: It was a busy, hot day but I got quite a bit done. - Removed the radiator, flushed it and cleaned it off. It looks pretty bad inside and I think it might even be leaking. - Removed the fan assembly and pulley to get them cleaned up. - Removed the alternator to get it cleaned up and snapped a bolt on the F connector. - Removed the upper air deflector and top bumper rail for cleaning, derust or replace and rechrome. Thanks for all the input. > Freeze plugs (sometimes called 'Welch plugs', or 'casting plugs' are the > three big round holes [quoted text clipped - 66 lines] > > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > > =---- Just hammer a screwdriver through and lever them out. If they are weak and leaking it shouldn't take too much effort. good luck nate > I saw the plugs you are talking about. They look like plastic caps. How do > you get those out? There is nothing to grab onto like a bolt head or a [quoted text clipped - 111 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 =---- Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel After some years those pipe plugs rust away to nothing also. As has been mentioned, replace the Welch plugs with the expandable copper type. Dorman makes them, they should available at any auto supply. Make sure that you get the style which has the part facing the water made of copper. Run a 3/8" pipe tape through the drain plug holes to clean the threads, then install hex drive stainless steel or monel 3/8 pipe plugs. These should be available from your local Crawford fitting supplier, or McMaster Carr. Let me know if you want part numbers. BTW, this is one extraordinarily messy job.............. -- wf. > Freeze plugs (sometimes called 'Welch plugs', or 'casting plugs' are the > three big round holes [quoted text clipped - 66 lines] > > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption > > =---- Signaturewf. Wayne Flowers Randee Greenwald randee@zianet.com There are two, one at each bottom rear corner. The driver's side is hidden behind the starter, you will need to drop that. There are three freeze plugs on each side as well. good luck, nate > Thanks for the quick reply. > [quoted text clipped - 51 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 =---- Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel Don't sweat the debris, it just goes into the water jacket with all the other crap that's already in there. I'd pull the fresse plugs dig all the junk out with a piece of wire while you are at it. > I'm trying to get a 56 President Classic running again and I've run into a > problem. I got the car up on jack stands and put a wrench to the crank bolt [quoted text clipped - 10 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 =---- SignatureJP/Maryland Studebaker On the Net http://stude.com My Ebay items:http://www.stude.com/EBAY/ 64 T cab truck 64 R2 4 speed Challenger (Plain Wrapper) 64 Challenger (Plain Wrapper ?) 63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk 63 GT Hawk 61 Hawk 54 Starlight |
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