Guest Recian Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Well after getting my heads back on i've let the car sit to check for a residual coolant leak (not pressurized) and i had 3. One i fixed by tightening the peck cock on the radiator. The other was a bad upper heater hose from engine - heater core. I've got a new one on the way and the 3rd (so far) is the freeze plug.. one of the 2 on the back by the tranny. Has anyone done these without pulling the engine? seeing as the tranny sits infront of the plug. Ive got some JB weld holding the leak for the time being but i hate leaving it like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richard D Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Recian, You are scarring me here. My Reatta is my daily driver with 144,500 miles and so far the engine is completely tight, not a drop of anything. I am thinking of not driving it as much and start putting more miles on the 71 Skylark convertible. What is the best way to keep things like heads, freeze plugs, etc. from leaking? PO did have water pump, timing gears, chain, fuel pump replaced before I bought it.Thank'sRichard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Key is to use the proper coolant and mixture and not tap water (distilled is 78 cents a gallon at Wally World). And stay away from salt.That said I have heard that it is possible to change the freeze plugs, even ones by the tranny, in the car.Just me but when I have an engine out that is one thing I always replace and I replace with brass plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 you gota understand this car has been neglected its whole life. It's like a homeless guy on his last days and im trying to revive him. It has 168k and has had NO work done to the engine exept maybe plugs at some point in its life. And the manifolds have been off but they didnt put gaskets back when they put the headers back on. It was running on water, 1/2 gal of dex cool and stop leak when i got it. It now has 1 1/4 gal of distilled water, 1 1/4 gallon of nissan green coolant when mixed 50/50 has a boiling point of 265 freezing of -55. You couldnt see the interior carpet when I got the car. The floor was filled and even under the seat with trash. Food bags, leftover everything. Even a half bag of mulch busted under the driver seat. It's come a long way as it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Road mister Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 You may be stuck with using one of those rubber expanding crank ones. I recall a thread on this topic here. The rubber ones are fine, if you can dig out the old one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I think digging the old one out will be quite a fight but im sure i can do it. Poke a hole in it and dig it out Is this what i need? just install it and crank the nut down til it's sealed?Dorman AutoGrade 02603 - Expansion Plug | O'Reilly Auto Parts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Road mister Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Correct, How much space to slide the new on in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Road mister Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Again, I know this topic was dicussed before and I remember adding my 2 cents.If you buy one you can crank it down while in your hand and see how it works. it's like two pie plates sandwiching a donut with a bolt in the center. As you tighten they squeeze together and expand the rubber.Hopefully you can poke a hole in the metal one and pry it out. it is easy to knock inside the block if you are not carefull. I would start the hole with an awl or sharpen an old scewdriver, and go at angle in the bottom edge of the freeze plug , not straight in at the middle. Maybe the area where it corroded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mongeonman Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I replaced the 4 freeze plugs,using the wing nut rubber ones and had no problem doing it,just need to be patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I didn't think the 3800 used exhaust manifold gaskets, at least not from the factory. Had one that leaked once but since I had another and no gasket, just replaced the manifold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 No exhaust gaskets used from the factory. Are you planning to pull the flex plate to gain access to the rear core plugs? I have not tried this but I can see where it may be possible to do if the area is cleared anything removeable. I would agree the rubber expanding plugs are likely the only feasible option for replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 didnt know that. i got gaskets in the head kit so i put them on anyway. only plugs leaking are one of the rear ones. ill probably do both rears since the other is terribly rusted. im trying to not remove the engine for the time being lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richard D Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Recian, you deserve the " I saved a hand built car from the crusher award" Have you been taking pictures of your adventure? Before and after? Once you are done I really think you will be glad you went through all the sheet, I mean trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I just got everything back together today.I should be going to youngs this weekend for more under-hood parts and a driver door handle since mine broke sunday. Earlier I rebuilt and repainted the altenator and installed it. Got the pan back on and exhaust tightened down. Learned the timing cover's 3 bolts for the pan are diff threads than the rest so i'll have to find new bolts for that. I lost 2 of em. I'll take some pics tomorrow. All im waiting for to drive the car is the cam sensor. cant put oil in it and run it without that to plug the hole. Once i get that i'll slap the belt on, add oil and cross my fingers and soak the car in holy water and pray it starts and runs ok lol I just put the car back on the ground so i'll take pics of the freeze plugs before and after. I dont wana get back under that car until it's moved. Some dog decided to come into my yard yesterday and lay a dump RIGHT under my oil pan. and i mean in the dead center of the engine on the ground in a rut where my jack had dug a hole. Even after i pooper scooped the crap out from under the car it stank to be under there. I still need to finish my brake work also. Ive got the rear rotors and pads in the house just procrastinating seeing as ive got priorities atm. The dust shield on the driver side is rubbing the rotor badly but it's been sitting so long there's spider webs all inside the wheel. Monday at work I changed brakes on a car and when i pulled the rotor off i almost got bit by a black widow that was hiding inside the rotor by the hub so im not taking chances im gona drive the car before i get back in my brakes and i'll be keeping a can of brake cleaner and a lighter handy when i do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Sorry Recian, I misunderstood which plugs you were meaning to replace. I ASSumed you were talking about the two inside the bellhousing area since the transaxle was mentioned. I know you are a handy guy, judging by the work you are doing, so I was interested to see if it was possible to replace those in the car. I didn't see how it was possible, but I thought maybe you had figured it out. Ooops! Regarding the exhaust manifold gaskets: many gasket kits do include them, assuming the surfaces will be eroded and/or warped, but they are not used from the factory on these engines. I have used them in the past as well, but they don't play well with a turbo installation. The heat and high exhaust pressure tends to blow them out. I file the manifold flange flat before installation without gaskets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 im handy but not that handy lol. i put the gaskets on for extra protection. i dont intend to do turbo or supercharger on this engine. if i want power im gona do series2 supercharged since im familiar with that engine or the 5.3 impala ss swap. the engine seems to be holding coolant now. the freeze plug is minor leak so it should make it to work to change those out. that job can be done in the yard but i think ill use a lift due to the growth of nasty under the car since its been sitting. im curious if this engine has air pocket problems? i know the nissa fwd v6s do. when i top it off it leaks down very slightly over time. i kept topping it off til it seemed to be holding then went in for the night. ill check it when i get home tonight. i fixed all the external leaks and with the pan off there was no coolant leaking into the pan so the block is ok and if it was going into the combustion chamber via warped block deck itd bypass the rings lightly and id see it leak into the pan but that much was all dry. the freeze plug is dripping on the tranny but i see a clean spot from the drips thats rarely wet so its not a major enough leak to cause the level to drop like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I have never heard of air pockets but fill both the engine and the resovoir - I would expect any air to wind up pushed to the resovoir after a few hot/cool cycles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 thats what i was thinking but when my head gaskets were bad and it burned it all out and overheated my resevoir was full and never got sucked in. could be cuz combustion gasses were overpowering the suction from the resevoir? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Other side of the cycle. Normally as the coolant (and air) cools, it contracts creating a vacuum that sucks coolant out of the resovoir. With a blown gasket the vacuum leaks down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Recian Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) makes sense. It appears the level hasnt dropped today while the car sat. Only very slightly because of the freeze plug. Also for richard i took some pics today. Here's the before during and afterBEFORE: DAY OF BUY. Engine bay cluttered. Fuse/relay box all over the place, ugly colors, worn out everything. Take a close look. The more you look the more you'll see how many things are out of place, the coolant resevoir and washer tank (wrong location) are painted black. The fuse box mounting plate is gone. Im sure there's more AFTER I REMOVED THE HEADSEVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER (minus belt since i havent got the CMP sensor yet) and i got the brackets and everything to remount the fuse box and a new cover for between the headlights. Edited July 20, 2011 by Recian (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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