I was changing my P/S pump and noticed some gunk on the front drivers side freeze plug - located behind the pump. I poked at it with a screwdriver and it sprung a leak - Doh! This is the second one I've had to replace in the past 2 months. The factory plugs are thin gauge metal. The replacements I use are a bit thicker brass units. They seem to seal well. I use a thin bead of gasket sealant around the edge just for the hell of it. I thought I was going to have to remove the alt/PS bracket to get at it. But was lucky as I could get to it with just the P/S pump removed. So why didn't they use brass at the factory??

 

GM wanted to make our cars as sheap as possible, why didn't they use brass nuts and studs on teh exhaust?

 

partly too if the antifreeze is "fresh" or changed as it should be the likelyhood of a freeze plug rusting thru is pretty remote. the freeze plugs aren't "freeze plugs" in reality but rather core plugs, they seal the hole used in the casting process. it doesn't sound like much but if they save 1 cent over brass it adds up when you build millions of cars each year.

 

Hey I have an idea: Why don't they charge the buyer an extra
12 bucks. I mean come on, if any new car I bought offered brass freeze plugs even as an option, I'd buy it because with my luck they'd blow out like these did. And also the package containing the new plugs was labeled "freeze plugs" so I guess the manufacturer is unedumacated too. But everything is back together now, and I didn't smack the radiator fins on the backswing of the hammer when I put the new one in - so I'm a happy camper.