how hard to replace freezeplugs?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,092
Likes: 0
From: LIC NY USA
how hard to replace freezeplugs?
i took her out today and enjoyed the drive until i started smelling coolant and saw the temp rising rather quickly.i popped the hood and noticed the steam coming from below the header area.since i didnt want to crawl under the car in my "sundayclothing" i assume one of the freezeplugs let go.of course i hope i can get relativ easy acces to the plug .i am not looking forward to taking the engine out.has anybody done that with the engine in the car and do i need any special tools,sealants etc?
thanks for the help
thanks for the help
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,685
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
To do the job right you should pull the motor. There are some in the back that you can not get to without pulling it. To remove them is easy. Take a screw driver and hammer and punch a hole in them and wiggle them loose until you can grab them with a pair of plyers. To install new ones you will need some type of sealer and a big socket. Tap the socket, not the plug, holding them as striaght as you can untill you see the edge of the plug is about a 1/16 of an inch inside the edge of the block.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,206
Likes: 0
From: WANTED: '68 rear valance with b/u light assemblies IM, e-mail, or PM me here. Thanks!
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
I wouldn’t try it with the motor in the car. While absolute perfection is not imperative, it is important to properly align the new plugs and I don’t see that happening with a motor still in a Corvette engine compartment.
I'd take my time to do it right and take advantage of the opportunity by replacing/restoring/refurbishing other items in the process.
I left out the obvious... replace all the freeze plugs while the motor is out.
[Modified by 63Banshee, 4:45 PM 1/12/2003]
I'd take my time to do it right and take advantage of the opportunity by replacing/restoring/refurbishing other items in the process.
I left out the obvious... replace all the freeze plugs while the motor is out.
[Modified by 63Banshee, 4:45 PM 1/12/2003]
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 0
From: Manassas, VA, USA
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
Are you sure it's a freezeplug that's the problem? Could be a head gasket.
Assuming it's a freezeplug, however:
IF (and that's a big if) you can get to it, you can replace a freezeplug with the engine in the car. You'll need some Permatex #2 sealer, which you apply around the outside edge of the plug (i.e., the part that contacts the engine block) and a freeze plug installer tool. The tool is a lifesaver - it has different size drivers to match up with the size of the freezeplug, and a bent arm to hammer on to drive them in - the bend is a big help. The drivers are sized so the plug is driven in to the proper depth.
In short, it can be done, but it's often a bear to do. :crazy:
Assuming it's a freezeplug, however:
IF (and that's a big if) you can get to it, you can replace a freezeplug with the engine in the car. You'll need some Permatex #2 sealer, which you apply around the outside edge of the plug (i.e., the part that contacts the engine block) and a freeze plug installer tool. The tool is a lifesaver - it has different size drivers to match up with the size of the freezeplug, and a bent arm to hammer on to drive them in - the bend is a big help. The drivers are sized so the plug is driven in to the proper depth.
In short, it can be done, but it's often a bear to do. :crazy:
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Weatherford TX
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
There is a way to do a Bubba fix until you have the time and money to do it right. There is a rubber freeze plug with a bolt running through the center of it. You put the rubber plug in and then tighten up the bolt. That causes the rubber to expand and seal the hole. I would suggest looking for the reason the orginal plug started leaking. If it's corrosion, you'll have a plugged radiator and run hot when the weather warms up. Do you have enough antifreeze in it? Did it get pushed out by frozen water? :eek:
You did not say which side it was on. If it was on the passenger side it could be a heater hose
[Modified by bn7035, 5:22 PM 1/12/2003]
You did not say which side it was on. If it was on the passenger side it could be a heater hose
[Modified by bn7035, 5:22 PM 1/12/2003]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,092
Likes: 0
From: LIC NY USA
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (bn7035)
You did not say which side it was on. If it was on the passenger side it could be a heater hose
i just didnt want to go to the garage today and crawl underneath.
thanks for all the advice.if i can get to it,i am not going remove the engine. :smash:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,662
Likes: 7
From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
It's tough to do right with the engine in the car, but it can be done. Just make sure the hole is clean and you put sealant around the edge. If you can't get to it to tap it in, then you either have to use a bolt plug or pull the engine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Bradford,Mass.,USA
Re: how hard to replace freezeplugs? (java0881)
java, sounds like it's the same plug that was leaking on my 396, the one behind the starter.
Remove the starter, and pry the old one out. I used a slide hammer to get mine out. Then get a BRASS new one, not steel, as the steel corrodes. Any high-end machine shop (marine especially) should be able to supply one.
Consider yourself lucky, as the other freeze plugs aren't nearly as accessible.
Remove the starter, and pry the old one out. I used a slide hammer to get mine out. Then get a BRASS new one, not steel, as the steel corrodes. Any high-end machine shop (marine especially) should be able to supply one.
Consider yourself lucky, as the other freeze plugs aren't nearly as accessible.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski