Ok so a few months ago I got a rubber freeze plug put in front driver side of my 350. The car has just sat with no coolant in it for the most part since. I got the thing legal a few todays ago so today I take it out and go WOT from a dead stop. Temp gauge started rising so I pulled over and checked it out and there it was, freeze plug had just popped out. What would have cause this? Is it probably just that the guy didn't tighten it up enough or can something else be to blame?

 

Improper installation would be first on my list. The cooling system is pressurized so you can guess what happened.

Personally, I don't trust those rubber plugs. Have a proper plug installed this time.

 

Well I put the plug in yesterday, got in the car and drove about a block and now one on the passenger side is pouring. Since putting this car together I've had to replace 2 on the front of the block and 1 on the drivers side behind the motor mount. Is it pretty much a sure thing that they're all gonna go? How many is it, 7, 8? I really don't want to pull the engine or tranny. I just put them in less than 4 months ago. Looks like I'm probably going to have to though.

 

Corrosion happens on all of them at about the same rate. When one of them goes, the others are rarely far behind.

 

Damn. Big let down. Spend all my money getting this thing legal now I can't keep it on the road. And this is my only vehicle. Guess the only thing to do is get to work tho.

 

Just put in the one on the side and just like I figured, now it's pouring out the back. What's worse than that is I can't use the shop and I had planned on using to pull the engine. Guess the old sayin is true, when it rains it pours.

 

You can pin them in place (the metal ones atleast) by drilling a small hole on either side and tapping a pin into each hole, but it sounds like you have real issues here.

 

Well, they're all rusted out. I'm just gonna have to borrow a hoist from someone or something and just do it in the front yard eventually. Man I can't believe I've spent all this money just to have to let it set up for something like this.

The engine got rebuilt and then I parked the car it was in like 5 months later. Left water sitting in the block all summer. I guess that's what got 'em. Definitely learned my lesson on that.

 

Head down to the parts shop and get a low pressure (7 lb) radiator cap. The stock 15 or 16 lb cap is pretty brutal on old freeze plugs.

 

Thanks for the advice man I'll keep that in mind later on. The damage is done though. All the plugs are rusted out. I'm just gonna pull the engine and replace them all with brass. Got the front end jacked up this evening and I'm gonna get to work tomorrow.

This is my first time pulling an engine by myself. I've pulled engines from this car and my old thirdgen with assistance from my uncle(mechanic) before, but never by myself. His health has gotten pretty bad so it's all up to me this time. Anybody got any advice to help me make as few mistakes as possible? Any certain order I should work in to speed things up?