Form my personal experiences with freeze plugs, once they start to come out
they need to be replaced. Even if it stops leaking for now it could blow
out completely at any time, and if your going down the road this could end
up causing more extensive damage to the motor. If it was my truck and I
didn't want to take a chance of doing any further damage I would pull out
the old freeze plug and replace it with a new one just to be safe. As I
said from my own experiences, I did the same thing you did by beating it
back in place on my 57 Chevy when I was in high school. About a week later
on my way to school (about 15 miles) I noticed steam poring out from
underneath the hood about half way there. It was the freeze plug that I
thought I had fixed and it ended up costing me a new motor because when it
blew I lost all the water. I only drove it three blocks to the nearest
station to check it out but that was three blocks to far. After that I
learned that preventive maintenance is a hole lot cheaper then if it ain't
broke don't fix it.
Joel
-----Original Message-----
From: Jhouse [SMTP:jhouse@ccsol.com]
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 3:59 PM
To: 'Doug Pewterbaugh'; 'Jays Mail'; oletrucks@autox.team.net
Cc: Old-Chevy-Truck - Orginal (E-mail)
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
Thanks Doug and all,
Well I took about 45 minuets to pulled the radiator and water pump. Guess
what I saw. The plug, it was pushed out about 1/4 inch from the block on
the top and dipped into the block about the same space. I took an oak
scrap
of flat wood and placed it over the plug and whacked it a few time with a
hammer. This pushed it back flat with the block on the top and it still is
a litter farther in at the bottom. I am wanting to test to see if it will
leak without putting everything back together. Should I fill it up with
water using the water holes for the water pump and then start it for a
short
time to see if the water is pushed out of the plug? It is cold outside
about 35-40 degrees and I do not think I would do any damage to the motor
running it for under a minute. What do you think?
Should the plug be pushed back in farther on the top?
Is it ok to test it like describe above?
Anything else you think I should try before putting it all back together?
The old water pump internally looks better than the replacement I have.
Thanks,
NHJim
45 Chevy 3104
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Pewterbaugh [mailto:dpewter@msn.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 11:09 PM
To: Jhouse; 'Jays Mail'; oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
What you are looking for is not the cupped, but rather, the flat (or
actually slightly concave) 2" diameter circle just to the right (as
referenced looking at the front of the engine) & partially below the pump,
pressed into the block.
Freeze plugs (or sometimes called soft plugs) were not discontinued, but in
fact are still used today. The misconception that they were created for &
will protect a block when the coolant freezes (hence the name freeze plug)
by popping out when the ice expands, is a false conception. They are
actually used in the manufacture of the blocks; sand is used to create the
water jacket cavity during the metal casting process. The holes are then
used to "shake" the sand out of the cavity space after the castings have
cooled, leaving the space hollow creating the water jacket. Ask an old
auto
worker about the casting plant "shakers".
Regards,
Doug Pewterbaugh
dpewter@msn.com
Denton, TX
49 3104 216 5-window
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jhouse" <jhouse@ccsol.com>
To: "'Doug Pewterbaugh'" <dpewter@msn.com>; "'Jays Mail'"
<jaybaker@ruralnetwork.net>; <old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com>;
<oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 4:53 PM
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
> From what I can read it looks like these freeze plugs were stopped by Gm
in
> 1936. I have a manual that shows a special GM tool that you can wacky
this
> plug back into the block. Is that what he is talking about or is my book
> bad data. I see that Jay stated that I need to remove the water pump to
get
> to the freeze plug. Do you have any idea how to re-insert the freeze
plug?
>
> So far I have cleaned out my used extra water pump and cut two new
gaskets.
> When I looked at the truck for a hole I could see nothing. I felt around
> under the pump and it seem to be smooth. Is this plug directly under the
> water pump or do I need to pull the pump to get at the plug? Even using
a
> mirror and lots of lights I can not see a plug or any type of insert into
> the block. Since my next step is to pull the radiator and swap the pump
I
> do not want to re-fill the radiator to see where the water is coming out
> just to drain it again.
>
> Thanks,
> NHJim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doug Pewterbaugh [mailto:dpewter@msn.com]
> Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 1:33 PM
> To: Jhouse; 'Jays Mail'; old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com;
> oletrucks@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
>
>
> I think he is talking about a freeze plug (flat or cupped & pressed into
the
> block).
>
> Regards,
> Doug Pewterbaugh
> dpewter@msn.com
> Denton, TX
> 49 3104 216 5-window
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jhouse" <jhouse@ccsol.com>
> To: "'Jays Mail'" <jaybaker@ruralnetwork.net>; "'dpewter'"
> <dpewter@msn.com>; <old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com>;
> <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 10:15 AM
> Subject: RE: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
>
>
> > Is this plug on the block or on the pump. I can see no plug. Is it a
> screw
> > or what is the head format?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > NHJim
> > 45 Chevy 3104 (that is not going to the dump today;<)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jays Mail [mailto:jaybaker@ruralnetwork.net]
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 3:52 PM
> > To: dpewter; Jhouse; old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com;
> > oletrucks@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
> >
> >
> > there is a freeze plug directly under the pump? I had to replace one of
> > these in a 41 I picked up one time
> > Thanks Jay Baker
> > 4864 Hyline Rd
> > Ontario Or, 97914
> > 1-208-409-3213
> > www.expage.com/chevylikearock.com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "dpewter" <dpewter@msn.com>
> > To: "Jhouse" <jhouse@ccsol.com>; <old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com>;
> > <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 11:45 AM
> > Subject: Re: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
> >
> >
> > > If it's like the pumps in the later 216's, like my 49 (but not like
the
> > > older 235's, with the fan pellars recessed into the block), then you
> have
> > a
> > > gasket leak EITHER where the pump attaches to the block (two ports, I
> > > believe, in & out) OR the plate that is used to seal the back of the
> water
> > > pump casting is distressed. If you don't see water leaking out the
> front
> > > (hard to see with the deeply recessed pulley that the 216's all have)
OR
> > > hear "scrawling" from the pump bearing/bushing, then the pump is
> probably
> > > not in need of a mechanical rebuild or replacement.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Doug Pewterbaugh
> > > dpewter@msn.com
> > > Denton, TX
> > > 49 3104 216 5-window
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Jhouse" <jhouse@ccsol.com>
> > > To: <old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com>; <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 12:08 PM
> > > Subject: [oletrucks] The cold got to me
> > >
> > >
> > > > Well all summer my 46 1/2 ton was boiling over, after an hour
drive.
> > > > Original 216 with NO MODIFICATIONS, 65,000 miles, one rebuild with
> +30,
> > > new
> > > > head job last summer. It runs great in the winter and below 70
> outside
> > it
> > > > hangs out around 175. So I just add a 1/2 gallon of water as
needed
> and
> > I
> > > > was on my way.
> > > >
> > > > Now that the temp had dropped and I did not have anything in the
> system
> > > > beside water, I now have a stream of water going down my driveway.
I
> > > > refilled the system and started the motor. Well it still is poring
> out.
> > > At
> > > > first I thought it was coming through the driver side of the block.
> > Well
> > > > now I have found it to be coming out the bottom of the water pump.
> > > Between
> > > > the pump and the block. I have both a rebuilt water pump and a
water
> > pump
> > > > rebuilding kit. I am guessing that I should swap it out with the
> > > > replacement and hope everything is ok.
> > > >
> > > > Any input?
> > > >
> > > > It looks like a simple but time consuming job - is it - any hints?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > NHJim
> > > > 45 Chevy 3104
> > > > Hollis, NH (now it up to 55)
> > > > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and
> 1959
> > > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and
1959
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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