Feeze plug??

[billison]

i have a 85 5.0 cfi and it has a water leak, i got under it and had the wife put water in, and on the passenger side under the motor mount is a round hole a little bigger than a silver dallor" I guess", is this the freese plug? and what is the easiest way to change it, thanks

 

[vristang]

Easiest way to do it is on an engine stand, but I doubt you want to pull the motor. If you have access, you may be able to tap a new one in place?

Is the old pug in the block? If it is it could cause some coolant flow issues.

 

[PRO50SC]

i have a 85 5.0 cfi and it has a water leak, i got under it and had the wife put water in, and on the passenger side under the motor mount is a round hole a little bigger than a silver dallor" I guess", is this the freese plug? and what is the easiest way to change it, thanks

There are tools made specifically for installing them. If you can get your hands on one it will be a big help. Otherwise it will be a struggle.
Tool looks like this, not a very good picture though.

View attachment 485320

 

[billison]

so is that where the freeze plug is located, on the passender side under the mount? i always thought it was behind the block between the block and tranny,

 

[Vipersix]

Plugs. Plural. There are numerous freeze plugs in various places along the side of the cylinder walls depending on block model and manufacturer and normally a small one by the distributor.

 

[Mustang78]

and at least one or two on the front and back of the motor..i use the biggest socket i can find that will fit inside the plug, and tap it in evenly with a hammer..dont forget to use some heavy duty gasket maker/sealer around the plug beofre installing..i use the permatex brand without problems, and brass plugs are superior to the normal steel ones, they corrode much less, good luck

~Mark~

 

[billison]

thanks guys, so are all the plugs the same size? i don't want to buy one and end up with the wrong one, i'll have to try to do it with the block still in the car, due to i just don't have the means to take it out right now

 

[vristang]

thanks guys, so are all the plugs the same size? i don't want to buy one and end up with the wrong one, i'll have to try to do it with the block still in the car, due to i just don't have the means to take it out right now

I take it you never found the old plug then? It is very unlikely that it fell into the block, but stranger things have probably happened (they definately have happened to me). Finding the old plug would be ideal. Other than that you can measure the hole with calipers OR most of the good engine shop machinists should know the plug size off the top of their head.

I always used a big socket, but when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!

 

[billison]

ok, i got the one changed ,but after i ran water i found that the drivers side plug is gone aswell, what would cause both sides to pop, it's been sittin for 3 years, maybe that? thanks

 

[billison]

well now, i thought i was doing good, i got two freeze plugs done will the block still in the car, i was like i'm the man, then BAM another plug on the drivers side like 3 inches apart, this sucks, why did i blow 3 or even more plugs, this sucks

 

[90_Red_LX]

Did you have water or antifreeze as coolant? Did it ever get cold during the time it was stored? If it was water, it probably froze one winter night and popped the plugs. If it's antifreeze, it'd have to get pretty cold to get it to freeze, obviously.

 

[billison]

it was water, i live in illinois, and we got bitter bitter cold winters, could all of them poped?

 

[90_Red_LX]

Very possible. Just in case you didn't know they basically protect the block from cracking in the event that the coolant froze. And since you had straight water in there, thats most likely what happened. All of them may not have popped out, but I'd consider replacing them, and I'd be sure to use antifreeze once I got it fixed.

 

[billison]

Yeah i did'nt think about it, cuz when i parked it, it had been leaking water so i thought it was dry, but now i feal like a dummy, Does anyone know how many plugs a 85 5.0 would have? and where, just so i can be prepared, my goal is not to take the block out, i don't have a cherry picker,

 

[billison]

also looking for a easy way to check for the blown plugs, after i changed the first two, i put a hose in the radiator and ran it, water came out just the one spot, and i covered it whith my hand and the water came back out the radiator, so i think it's just the one left, " i hope i hope" all of this will still in the car i might add, any help is great

 

[billison]

ok, last update, i used rubber plugs, a cool idea, made it totaly easy, once i got to doing them all, i got 3 plugs done in about 2 or so hours, now i have to find the little leaks, so new post it is