heads up on oil in water 2.2l engine

Hi everyone,
I am here to inform you of a problem with the Daewoo 2.2l engine.
This problem occured in my Leg, and I have now found three others with the same problem.

The problem will start with oil showing up in the water overflow tank or water in the oil.

If the engine runs normal then the problem is NOT the head gasket, nor is it a cracked block.

Behind the water pump is a 1/4 inch oil galley plug. This plug is 1/2 inch long and is threaded with 1/4 inch pipe tap threads. It has a sunken hex head. It screws into a oil galley drilling access hole approx 3" deep. This channel runs down the block to the center pipe of the oil filter.

This plug is completely rusting away. Mine was the size and thickness of a dime. When you change your timing belt, pull the water pump and check this plug. Daewoo claims it will rust out due to acidic anti-freeze, however, there are other theories out there.

This plug is made of iron with cad plating. You should replace it with one made of stainless steel.

Daewoo states the block must be changed if this happens.

Help spread the word
John

Ew, sounds nasty! Sorry to hear your car has fallen victim to it. I just bought my wife a Leg (lol) a few weeks ago, it's in my friends garage with the whole top end torn off (belt went less then 2k over interval, bent all 4 valves in cylinder 3, paid $700 for the car in excellent condition as is). Today finally got the head gasket set I won on ebay (topping off the list of head gasket set, head studs, 16 new valves, water pump, timing pulley set, highly saturated nitril timing belt, head cleaned, preassure checked and decked square). I will have to look at the one in ours when I change the water pump, thanks for the heads up!! :D

Hi everyone,
I am here to inform you of a problem with the Daewoo 2.2l engine.
This problem occured in my Leg, and I have now found three others with the same problem.

The problem will start with oil showing up in the water overflow tank or water in the oil.

If the engine runs normal then the problem is NOT the head gasket, nor is it a cracked block.

Behind the water pump is a 1/4 inch oil galley plug. This plug is 1/2 inch long and is threaded with 1/4 inch pipe tap threads. It has a sunken hex head. It screws into a oil galley drilling access hole approx 3" deep. This channel runs down the block to the center pipe of the oil filter.

This plug is completely rusting away. Mine was the size and thickness of a dime. When you change your timing belt, pull the water pump and check this plug. Daewoo claims it will rust out due to acidic anti-freeze, however, there are other theories out there.

This plug is made of iron with cad plating. You should replace it with one made of stainless steel.

Daewoo states the block must be changed if this happens.

Help spread the word
John


Just for your 411.

The coolant in some Leganzas is corrosive and causes internal engine problems.

I have seen head gaskets, freeze plugs, water pump impellers, etc all rusted away.

Not sure if flushing the system will fix the problem or not as I have been unable to determine the long term effects of doing so.

Well the car runs, yay! I could not get my plug out. I hope that it wasn't seized in there.... I figured with as much torque as I had on it if it were brittle, it would have broken. So I left it.... Chances are when the timing belt needs changed next (screw Daewoo's 72k mile change, I think I am going at 50k) I will pull the water pump back out then and check it again. Maybe this time I will get it out regardless how I have to get it out to take care of this. Any idea where to get a SS one? This is not the kind of part I am used to shopping for, lol, so I have no idea where to run to for it.

Well I am glad to hear things are going well for you guys. I posted this on another forum in an atempt to discover the root cause for this to happen. hope it causes a few brain waves to function here.


A long, long time ago in this far away land of CF, I posted a question about a Daewoo with a severe water in oil problem.

Well the problem has been solved.

Behind the water pump, which is mounted in a machined hole in the front of the engine block, is a plug screwed into the main engine high pressure oil galley. This galley actually leads to the center hole in the oil filter.

The plug, a simple 1/4 inch pipe plug was almost eaten totally away.

Daewoo states: : “The plug was destroyed due to the corrosive properties of the antifreeze”

Now, I am not the brightest pigeon flying around the neighborhood, BUT, I do like to think for myself once in a while, especially after I have exercised by pulling the engine out of my car three or four times. I love searching for logical answers.

I know that companies that produce antifreeze go to great lengths to control the corrosive properties of their products, and that antifreeze comes into contact with large variety of different metals with very little damage. It is hard to imagine, antifreeze could eat up an iron plug in just 60000 miles.

My questions for all the guys with high Sat scores:

1. Was this damage due to chemical corrosion because of the antifreeze, or due to a cathodic problem, caused by the pH differences between the water and oil on each side of the plug, which turned the little plug into a sacrificial lamb? I have never measured the difference in pH between antifreeze and oil, but it would take very little to set up a metal eating electron flow.

2. Would a plug made of an inert metal, such as stainless steel be a permanent fix?

3. Aren’t they still teaching “cathodic protection” in our universities?

4. This plug sets right in the middle of the vortex of the water pump, making this the lowest pressure point in the entire cooling system (I believe). Could fluid flow and pressure or cavitation, at this point, have caused a problem?

Go get em Daewoo peoples. Learn me something.
Inquiring minds want to know.
__________________
John

The plug is a standard 1/4 pipe plug. It can be bought in stainless at Home Depot or Lowes, or any plumbling supply.

Thanks creeper for the 411. I have not seen any damage you discribed in any of the woo engines I have been inside. In my 2.2l the only damage was the little plug. The pump and heads all looked new in my case. Strange!!!!!!

fastlq1, I am happy your car is running. I am sure you will enjoy it. In the past 45 years I have owned some pretty nice cars, but my Leg is the only one that people have made nice comments about. Go figure. LOL

John

Thanks creeper for the 411. I have not seen any damage you discribed in any of the woo engines I have been inside. In my 2.2l the only damage was the little plug. The pump and heads all looked new in my case. Strange!!!!!!

fastlq1, I am happy your car is running. I am sure you will enjoy it. In the past 45 years I have owned some pretty nice cars, but my Leg is the only one that people have made nice comments about. Go figure. LOL

John

Thats funny I have never seen this plug damaged, go figure. Daewoo made a damn good car, I am sorry to see them go.