Freeze plug leaking

[Guest wayne2reattas]

I noticed anti-freeze under my car the other day. Just got done checking it out and it is a freeze plug leaking. It is the one closest to the firewall. Is the only way to replace the freeze plug by pulling the engine? I would appreciate any help. Thanks

[padgett]

That is the hard side. I have heard that it can be replaced in the car but have never tried myself. It may require using one of the expanding rubber plugs (prefer brass myself but might be impossible to seat in the car).

[NCReatta]

You might try some stop leak before you spend too much time on it. I had one leaking on the back. Stop leak has been working for the past 7k miles.

[Guest mongeonman]

I have installed 4 rubber ones 3 years ago and i am very sarisfied,it looks more difficult to do than it is,d ont get the engine out unless you need to do something else that needs the engine to be taken out.

Edited April 17, 2012 by mongeonman (see edit history)

[Guest crazytrain2]

I managed to "fix" mine by draining system, cleaned it with degreaser, rag and a wire brush. Heated it up a bit with propane torch (to insure totally dry) Then smeared JB Weld acoss it. I emphasize 'smeared' because I wanted it to go through the hole and form a mechanical bond via the epoxy running down the interior cavity a bit. Has held up for 2-3 years now knock on wood. Make sure you use distilled water and coolant mix to slow any additional rusting.

[Guest wayne2reattas]

Thanks to everyone for all the info. So if I am understanding correctly, I do not have to pull engine or transmission if I use an expandable freeze plug?

[Machiner 55]

Hello,

I had a leaking freeze plug on the firewall side in my 89 Riviera. No matter how hard I tried wrapping my brain around a way to replace it without pulling the engine, I couldn't. I even took it to a local garage that came highly recommended. He said pulling the engine was how he would do it. He estimated it'd cost about a grand to do it. I decided to do it myself with help from my son. The other thing I considered was that the chances were good that if one of the plugs was leaking, the others weren't far behind. So, I pulled the engine and removed all the plugs and sure enough, there were others that weren’t long for this world. So my advice is to replace them all and be done with it. Also, since I had the engine out I bought a full gasket set and replaced them all, except the inner crank oil seal.

I took pictures of the event including shots of the plugs. Don't know where they are right now but if I can find them, I will post them. But, don't hold your breath. I did this about five years ago so the details are a bit fuzzy.

[Guest mongeonman]

Do the expandable ones and do all 4 !!!!2 hour job.Use a big flat screwdriver and hammer to knock them out,clean the hole,install the rubber plugs,d ont forget to drain some coolant before.

[padgett]

Agree, the real fix is to pull the engine & replace all with brass and might as well replace the timing chain and slippers at the same time. But like my 30 minute cam magnet replacement, sometimes you just need a quick fix.

[handmedownreatta]

On 4/17/2012 at 12:29 AM, NCReatta said:

You might try some stop leak before you spend too much time on it. I had one leaking on the back. Stop leak has been working for the past 7k miles.

what brand?

[BlakesReatta]

I'm going to have to replace one of these soon. I hope I can do it without removing the engine.

[Barney Eaton]

Bar's

[Ronnie]

Bar's Leaks is good. Over do it and you run the risk of clogging your heater core. I did that once.

[EmTee]

I have used these and they are endorsed by GM (approved for the Cadillac 4100 engine).  The Bar's product seems to be the same as the GM packaged product.

 

The 'secret ingredient': Ginger root!

[padgett]

Both used in excess can clog systems. One is enough. Most freeze plug leaks I have seen have been from corrosion and just get worse. If an engine is out I always replace with brass (marine) freeze.plugs. If not pulling the engine, the rubber expansion plugs (hex nut on top) work well but do not use sealer, install in a cleaned hole dry.

[Barney Eaton]

Around 1996 I purchased a pick-up to haul "stuff" for a house we were building.   It was a '88 GMC and I quickly discovered 

coolant was leaking about as fast as you could pour it in.    I pulled the radiator and had it serviced and checked for leaks. 

that helped some.    I purchase a can of the Bar's liquid one day at lunch.   Read the label when back at work and called the 800 number. 

The tech person said it would work, and was guaranteed not to plug radiators and heater cores. 

He also claimed that all the new car manufactures added it to new vehicles.... saying it eliminated those small leaks that might occur even 

on new vehicles.    My options was try this can of miracle stuff or maybe rebuild the engine at a cost of more than the vehicle was worth.  

The GMC stopped leaking, lasted for a year build the house and another year of cleaning up and landscaping.    It did its job for 2 years

without problem. 

[padgett]

Bought a new Buick GS in 1970. Was delivered with so much radiator sealer the engine had to be flushed and the rad replaced before I took delivery because it overheated in the lot.