Coolant plugs on 305 block...
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From: Southern Wisconsin.
Car: BMW 330i ///M Sport
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Coolant plugs on 305 block...
where are the coolant plugs on the block of an lo3 305? need to know asap thanks!
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From: Adrian, Mi, USA
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
two or three on each side of the block, two on the front, two on the back. you should be able to see all but the two on the back. i don't remember if there are any in the heads..... I don't think so, but, that doesnt mean there aren't any......
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Southern Wisconsin.
Car: BMW 330i ///M Sport
Engine: M54 DOHC I6
Transmission: 5 speed
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
are they on the bottom of the front of the block? what do they look like?
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Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Adrian, Mi, USA
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
they should be around the water pump somewhere, I think. been a while since i have had to deal with them. the are just aluminum, or brass "cupholders" is the best way i can think to describe them. have a look at the side of the block, probably have to be underneath..... and they will be obvious.
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,556
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From: Adrian, Mi, USA
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
Are you looking for Freeze Plugs? Or the coolant temp sensors? (I was tired when I posted last night....)
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From: NWOhioToledoArea
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Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
IM bettin he wants to drain the block, which is not easy to do with it in, you can however drain enough so that any water freeze in there can't hurt much as it has room to expand.
Though a $5 jug of antifreeze would be easier to put in there to change the freeze plugs.
They are hidden being the exhaust stuff, they look something like this.
A dished plugged hole.


you just knock them out with a hammer n screw driver but don't knock them inside the engine, installing new brass ones are not easy with an engine installed, so you use expanding rubber ones.

Though a $5 jug of antifreeze would be easier to put in there to change the freeze plugs.
They are hidden being the exhaust stuff, they look something like this.
A dished plugged hole.


you just knock them out with a hammer n screw driver but don't knock them inside the engine, installing new brass ones are not easy with an engine installed, so you use expanding rubber ones.

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From: Lexington, SC
Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
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Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
There are two coolant drain plugs on the short block. One will be occupied by the knock sensor on the passenger side. The opposite side should have a regular, short threaded bolt in it. The heads will have a 'drain plug' as well. One will be occupied by the temp guage sender, the other by the fan temp switch.
Gratuitous photo of my new engine and engine bay (I'm very proud):
Gratuitous photo of my new engine and engine bay (I'm very proud):
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From: SoCali
Car: 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: V8 5.0 305 TBI
Transmission: 700R4 with B&M MegaShifter
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Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
I think a coolant plug is leaking? Replaced entire cooling system and flushed in twice. Compression was good, temp running perfect, no leaks. Then this morning there was a slight leak under the engine. No knocking no over heating, nothing too crazy. Is it a Coolant Plug?
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Re: Coolant plugs on 305 block...
Who knows?
We can play "maybe it's this, maybe it's that" over the Internet all day long; and maybe somebody will guess whatever it actually is, and maybe not.
Get up under it and see where it's coming from. Otherwise you'll never even be able to tell us whose guess was right.
It's not rocket science you know, it's just a car... if the fluid falls out, get underneath it and look for the hole. Not too hard to figure out really.
We can play "maybe it's this, maybe it's that" over the Internet all day long; and maybe somebody will guess whatever it actually is, and maybe not.
Get up under it and see where it's coming from. Otherwise you'll never even be able to tell us whose guess was right.
It's not rocket science you know, it's just a car... if the fluid falls out, get underneath it and look for the hole. Not too hard to figure out really.
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