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 Post subject: Freeze plug
PostPosted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:39 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:20 pm
Posts: 210
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Hi Guys........Came limping home today with a hole rusted through the freeze plug in the rear of the head on my 77 LUV. Looks pretty tight between the head and the firewall. Has anyone managed to change out that freeze plug without removing the head or, the whole engine? If so, how did you do it? Thanks for the information cause I need it!


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 Post subject: Re: Freeze plug
PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 3:50 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:20 pm
Posts: 210
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Well, I decided to try the freeze plug removal without pulling the head nor pulling the engine. It was complicated but it worked!! If anyone is interested, here's what I did. First, I decided that if I took out the motor mounts, I might have enough room to lower the front of the engine and get a dremel tool in the area behind the head and be able to scarf the freeze plug enough to get a hole in it. I removed the radiator and fan blade first. I jacked up the engine at the front of the oil pan and lowered it till it hit the front crossmember. I had to separate the heater water hoses from the firewall. I pulled the power brake vacuum line too. The space did open up to about 2 1/2 inches. I began cutting with the dremel metal cutting wheel and got a hole cut about 3/8" long in the freeze plug. Next I was able to start a 1/4" self tapping hex head screw with the 1/4" ratchet and socket. Next I stepped up to a 5/16 self tapper, then to a 3/8, then to a 1/2" lag bolt. Each successive bolt only enlarged the hole in the plug. Then I changed dremel bits to one of those metal grinding/cutting bits about 5/16 diameter. By laying the dremel down alongside the body of the bell housing, left side, I could reach the plug hole and begin enlarging it by grinding away material. I also used the dremel 1 1/8" cutting wheel to cut more lines in the plug. Pretty soon, I had a sizeable hole out of the middle of the plug and was able to get small pry-bars and screwdrivers into the hole to make it even bigger. Finally, I was able to twist a 5/8" open end wrench into the opening and get it situated so I could use another pry bar get real leverage on the wrench. I pried against the firewall and the 5/8 wrench and it suddenly popped out!..Yea! The bad thing about all this is I had to work using a mirror up against the firewall so I could see what I was doing. That was tricky in itself. Next I hand/finger sanded the plug hole in the head to get it smooth. Went down to Checkers and bought one of those rubber freeze plugs for about 5 bucks and installed it. Put everything back together and the rubber plug works great. No leaks! Hope no one had to do this but, if you do, this is a way to get it done without pulling the head or the whole engine.


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 Post subject: Re: Freeze plug
PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:03 am 
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:41 pm
Posts: 6289
Location: Camarillo, CA
I blew that same freeze plug on my old truck around 1988. It was towed home and I had to leave for college so my dad fixed it. He did a hole saw in the firewall, replaced it then used a electrical plug with some RTV to seal it up.

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 Post subject: Re: Freeze plug
PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:26 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:20 pm
Posts: 210
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Well, it has been exactly one year since the freeze plug affair and I'm glad to say that the rubber freeze plug is still working perfectly, no leaks!! :D


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