leaking freeze plug

[NXRacer]

So I got my hatch back last week but couldn't drive it home because one of the freeze plugs on the back of the block was leaking. Has anybody done this recently? It doesn't seem to be a common problem. I searched around and only found a couple threads about freeze plugs and they were from a long time ago. The good news is the kit is only 6 bucks!

Anybody have any tips/tricks on how to remove them and re-install the new ones?

[Dr_Snooz]

No tricks really. It will be difficult to maneuver in the tight space. The real trick is to maintain your cooling system so it doesn't eat out your freeze plugs.

[lostforawhile]

So I got my hatch back last week but couldn't drive it home because one of the freeze plugs on the back of the block was leaking. Has anybody done this recently? It doesn't seem to be a common problem. I searched around and only found a couple threads about freeze plugs and they were from a long time ago. The good news is the kit is only 6 bucks!

Anybody have any tips/tricks on how to remove them and re-install the new ones?

make sure the ones in the kit are metric first, I had to do one one time and they are not standard size, it's pretty straightforward, one thing to remember, to get the old one out, drill a small hole in it, screw in a lag bolt or something and yank it with some visegrips, if you try to drive it to tilt it out, and it disappears into the block, you are in one word screwed. you'll have to verify the size of the new one, then it gets driven straight in after being coated with hardening sealer, it's tapered so it's driven until flush. don't use rtv, use something like Indian head gasket shellac

[2drSE-i]

If you've got another car, it might be easier to pull the motor out and replace them all at once. If ones leaking you've got a ticking time bomb on the others.

While its out you might as well replace a bunch of stuff, seals, freeze plugs, hoses, etc.

[NXRacer]

The cooling system is hella rusty. I already had problems with the hard coolant pipe on the back rust out.

Now I'm scared to see what else is f**ked up. I guess I'll see tomorrow

[Dr_Snooz]

If ones leaking you've got a ticking time bomb on the


x2 on this. Get ready to put a lot more time and money into your cooling system. I had replaced everything but the heater core by the time I was done with mine.

[NXRacer]

well the hard pipe, water pump and soon the freeze plugs will be replaced. what else is there?

is there an additive that i can put in to slow the rusting of the block? theres gotta be a cast iron rust inhibitor i can use

[lostforawhile]

well the hard pipe, water pump and soon the freeze plugs will be replaced. what else is there?
is there an additive that i can put in to slow the rusting of the block? theres gotta be a cast iron rust inhibitor i can use

you use good quality antifreeze, it's in there already and change it when you are supposed to, 50/50 water/antifreeze mix , a badly rusted system is a sign of neglect, if a car has been properly maintained the cooling system can look like brand new, you more then likely have sediment in your radiator, pull it out and back flush it, ikf you can figure out a way to hook a piece of garden hose to one of the heater hose nipples under the hood, hook it up and let water run through it for a while, when you reassemble the system, a good cleaner run through the system will help

[NXRacer]

Word of advice...putting a screw in and trying to pull it out is NOT the way to get freeze plugs out. I spent 2 hours trying to pry it out, and in the end all I had to do was knock one side in and pull it out with pliers. I'm going to be doing a how to on this soon. I've been getting good pictures of the whole process.

[lostforawhile]

Word of advice...putting a screw in and trying to pull it out is NOT the way to get freeze plugs out. I spent 2 hours trying to pry it out, and in the end all I had to do was knock one side in and pull it out with pliers. I'm going to be doing a how to on this soon. I've been getting good pictures of the whole process.
it's always worked for me, you clamp a big pair of vise grips on to it sideways and lever against it. when you hit it sideways you are taking a chance of it going into the block.

[NXRacer]

There was no danger of these plugs falling in. The water jacket isn't very deep. You'd have to to punch it straight in instead of rotating it to get it to fall in the water jacket.

[DBMaster]

Is it just me, or do freeze plugs just seem vestigial? I think if you put something into your cooling system that will actually freeze you deserve a cracked block. It just seems like an unnecessary vulnerability in "modern" engines. I put modern in quotes because cast iron blocks like ours are not so modern.

[lostforawhile]

they really aren't "freeze" plugs, they are core plugs, the holes are there from the casting process when the block was cast. they are also important because when you hot tank an iron block to clean it, they all come out. it's standard to replace all of them when you rebuild an engine.

[DBMaster]

^^ Now, that makes sense! A portion my automotive education has not been entirely adequate.

[lostforawhile]

^^ Now, that makes sense! A portion my automotive education has not been entirely adequate.

with the new casting processes and aluminum blocks they are getting more rare, it's still funny that if you tried to hot tank a civic engine long engine there wouldn't be much left. :bowrofl:, i remember back in high school in shop class, we had a real hot tank setup with alkaline cleaner, some know it all wanted to tank his expensive bike carb and wouldn't listen to anyone, so the teacher let him, told him to make sure he left it in there for a while

[ecogabriel]

with the new casting processes and aluminum blocks they are getting more rare, it's still funny that if you tried to hot tank a civic engine long engine there wouldn't be much left. :bowrofl:, i remember back in high school in shop class, we had a real hot tank setup with alkaline cleaner, some know it all wanted to tank his expensive bike carb and wouldn't listen to anyone, so the teacher let him, told him to make sure he left it in there for a while

I bet the 4G and later Accord engines would suffer the same fate of disappearing in the hot tank :toilet: they are aluminum after all... by the way, how would they clean those newer engines when rebuilding them?

[lostforawhile]

I bet the 4G and later Accord engines would suffer the same fate of disappearing in the hot tank :toilet: they are aluminum after all... by the way, how would they clean those newer engines when rebuilding them?

they have different ways of cleaning them, they just can't stick them in a tank of alkaline cleaner and boil them anymore