Blown freeze plug

[MickyD]

Had a lousy day today. Opened the garage to start my 64 TBird. Dead battery. Charged battery. Started car and blew a freeze plug. I was intending to put in my dual master brake cylinder. Hope the days get better when it gets warmer. My question is do you think I should replace all the freeze plugs or just that one?

 

[darrell]

thats just up to you.you might go years without another or next month.that would not be an easy car to work on if i remember right.

 

[MickyD]

I had my 390 engine rebuilt in 2006. I don't think I have even put 1000 miles on it. Just last year or two have I had a chance to drive and enjoy it. If I were younger I could replace the blown freeze plug. I will try and if I can't I will try and find someone who can. It's by the passenger side front motor mount. Getting old sucks. I turn 75 next month.

 

[SnovaBob]

Michigan here. With this cold weather,have to make sure we have the proper antifreeze mixture for the freezing temperatures we are experiencing.Otherwise freeze plugs do as intended and pop out . Too much water in coolant mix and it turns to ice.Water expands as it freezes. In younger my days, I had to replace freeze plugs in a Torino, during winter because of thermal expansion one cold winter.

 

[40 Deluxe]

Michigan here. With this cold weather,have to make sure we have the proper antifreeze mixture for the freezing temperatures we are experiencing.Otherwise freeze plugs do as intended and pop out . Too much water in coolant mix and it turns to ice.Water expands as it freezes. In younger my days, I had to replace freeze plugs in a Torino, during winter because of thermal expansion one cold winter.

What we call "freeze plugs" are in reality "core plugs". They are openings in the casting to hold the sand cores in place during the pour of molten cast iron. These openings are machined during the finishing process and plugs installed. It's a side benefit that the customer might get away with letting his engine freeze.

 

[Ole Don]

If there is one hard to get to, think about putting in a block heater. No hammering, just wipe the hole clean, stick in the heater and tighten a screw with a small socket. Yes, it will cost more, but you save on tow charges and labor costs.

 

[KULTULZ]

Now this is MICKEY MOUSE - aka MR.GOODWRENCH, but if you just want to patch it to drive it to a repair shop -

Check the block skirts for any cracks and if there was any corrosion on and/or around the plug. If the coolant becomes alkaline, it will eat a core plug. And as mentioned they are not freeze plugs.

 

[JimNNN]

Michigan here. With this cold weather,have to make sure we have the proper antifreeze mixture for the freezing temperatures we are experiencing.Otherwise freeze plugs do as intended and pop out . Too much water in coolant mix and it turns to ice.Water expands as it freezes. In younger my days, I had to replace freeze plugs in a Torino, during winter because of thermal expansion one cold winter.

[FONT=&quot]It was 27 below fahrenheit here the other night, and for some reason when I checked the wagon's anti-freeze in late fall it was protecting down to only 30-35 below. I changed the coolant last spring, but I suspect that some of the evaporust I used in the coolant system before that didn't get entirely flushed out, and that may have compromised the protection. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Anyway, I didn't think I had anything to worry about with 35 below protection because it almost never gets that cold here, so I did nothing...Then last week happened. No problem... before the Arctic air hit, I put three 75 watt bulbs in the engine bay under a rubber mat, hood closed. If you don't have any air movement through your garage or barn, that will raise the temperature of the engine and bay about 20-30 degrees, based on my experience and according to an infrared thermometer. You'll need several hours before the lights can warm things up, but when a car is in a garage, it will also take several hours for a cold snap to chill things down.[/FONT]

 

[Alaska Jim]

Most anti-freeze is sold as a pre-mix 50-50. and is good to about -35*F. If you want more , or less freeze protection, you can buy straight non mixed antifreeze and mix it to your desired freeze protection. most of the non mix containers have a chart printed on them on how much water to anti-freeze to mix to get your desired freeze protection. when I worked at a GM dealership in the '70's the factory antifreeze was only good to -35*F

 

[JimNNN]

Most anti-freeze is sold as a pre-mix 50-50. and is good to about -35*F. If you want more , or less freeze protection, you can buy straight non mixed antifreeze and mix it to your desired freeze protection. most of the non mix containers have a chart printed on them on how much water to anti-freeze to mix to get your desired freeze protection. when I worked at a GM dealership in the '70's the factory antifreeze was only good to -35*F

Thanks for the input, Jim. That's interesting...it seems that some of the new anti-freeze I use tests down to 45 below or better, but I honestly can't remember if that's pre-diluted or concentrate. I know I use both types of different brands - whatever is available or on sale - so that could make a difference. So it turns out my Wagon's anti-freeze may not have been compromised after all. I'll still change out the coolant this year, as I can see remnants of the evaporust. I'll use Prestone concentrate...I think I remember being able to get that to protect down to -45 or better.


BTW, how cold does it get in Palmer, AK? Do you ever get temps that no anti-freeze will protect against? And if so, what do you do?

 

[Alaska Jim]

Jimnnn, I think that Prestone concentrate , if tested with a good tester, will show that it will be good to past -60*F. However, it is not recommended to use it straight without some water mixed with it. I Usually mix my antifreeze solution to -50-60*F. where I live it usually does not get much below -20-25*F in the winter, and that usually does not last much more than a week at a time. It does sometimes get colder her, but not very often. Now the interior, and northern part of the state is a different matter altogether. I check the antifreeze in all my vehicles with a refractometer , I only have this as I am a retired mechanic, and still have all my tools. The testers that use the floating balls, is usually accurate enough. I do not have any experience with weather that anti-freeze would not protect the cooling system, however almost all vehicles in Alaska have electric engine coolant heaters on them and are plugged in when the weather gets much below 20*F. , this is to reduce wear and tear on the engines by keeping frost from building on the internal parts and also helps reduce cold start emission's. It also helps to some degree, to keep the oil from getting to thick. This makes them turn over easier, and start easier. For the area's of the state with the severe weather we also have heaters for the transmissions, differentials, and batteries. hope this info is helpful.--- Jim