frost plugs

smallbrady89 · 09-18-2006, 04:24 PM

ok so the other day i had the misfortune of watching my engine go up in a cloud of smoke. fun to watch but not when its your own car. the cause i found was a blown out frost plug on the back of the engine. at first i though that this repair would require me to remove the engine and weld a peice of sheet metal over the whole. but after some looking around ive found that it actully IS possible to buy replacement frost plugs but alas i have no idea where to get them. (im thinking if i go to a junkyard and use a hammer to bash it out it might not be much good)

so any ideas on where i can get one and what the best way to install it is? i can barely get my hand in far enough to feel it.

thanks in advance

Brady

jeffcoslacker · 09-18-2006, 05:39 PM

Any parts store should carry a wide selection of freeze plugs in their Doorman line, or whoever they carry for hardware...they are very common, just have to know the hole size you need..

You'd never get an installed plug out of another motor in one piece, you have to destroy them to remove them, like you'll have to do with the bad one...I assume it just got holed from corrosion or something? Pretty rare to see one actually blow outta the hole without a really hard freeze-up with no antifreeze in the system...

They also have the rubber expansion plugs that you tighten the bolt in the center to expand them, as long as it's not too deep to where it's blocking the passage inside...the metal ones you just pound into place, using a wood block to evenly distribute the blows...

jeffcoslacker · 09-18-2006, 05:43 PM

Sorry, I deleted the other one...I knew I replied to it, then it diasappeared on me

I was just thinking, if you can barely access it, you're gonna have a helluva time replacing it...need room to swing a hammer...hard.

Otherwise, the rubber type is gonna be your answer, unless you can't swing a wrench in there, then I don't know what to tell you...is it up under the exhaust manifold or something?

smallbrady89 · 09-18-2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

Sorry, I deleted the other one...I knew I replied to it, then it diasappeared on me

I was just thinking, if you can barely access it, you're gonna have a helluva time replacing it...need room to swing a hammer...hard.

Otherwise, the rubber type is gonna be your answer, unless you can't swing a wrench in there, then I don't know what to tell you...is it up under the exhaust manifold or something?

im sure i would be able to get a socket in there with a flexible adapter and a long extension. do you think an auto parts store would carry the rubber kind? i was doing some reserch on the internet and only found some rubber freeze plugs for pipes which might not stand up to the heat of the engine.

jeffcoslacker · 09-18-2006, 08:57 PM

http://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bi...rid=0x002c2772

jeffcoslacker · 09-18-2006, 09:03 PM

This shows to be the correct one for the block plugs in the 1992 Lumina

http://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bi...tegory_list=:0

smallbrady89 · 09-19-2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

This shows to be the correct one for the block plugs in the 1992 Lumina

http://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bi...tegory_list=:0

how did you find that that was the right size for the 92 lumina? ive been looking all over for a glossary or something to tell me how big it needs to be. the car is stuck at my friends house and i dont have time to go and measure the hole so thanks alot for the info. i would hate to buy the wrong size plug.

jeffcoslacker · 09-19-2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallbrady89

how did you find that that was the right size for the 92 lumina? ive been looking all over for a glossary or something to tell me how big it needs to be. the car is stuck at my friends house and i dont have time to go and measure the hole so thanks alot for the info. i would hate to buy the wrong size plug.

They have lookup by application on that site...I put in 1992 Lumina 3.1 and it said that was the plug for the block, and that there's six of them, I think it said those fit 31-34mm, sound about right?

Where is that plug exactly, in the side of the block facing the firewall? Because that sounds about right to me for those...the big ones, three on each side...

jeffcoslacker · 09-19-2006, 02:39 PM

If you click on that second link I gave, and then on the "Applications List" under the part number, it will bring up a listing...it takes FOREVER to load, because the list is so large, so be patient...but once up, you scroll down to 1992 Lumina (the list works backwards both alphabetically AND by year, decending) and you'll see it says Block, 6 each...

Actually here's a direct link to the list:

http://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bi...gory_list=:0:0

smallbrady89 · 09-19-2006, 11:27 PM

humm on the apllication list it says it needs a 34.3mm and the biggest they have is 31mm-34mm. will that plug still fit?

EDIT: yes your right, it is the plug that faces the firewall in the middle of the car.

jeffcoslacker · 09-19-2006, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallbrady89

humm on the apllication list it says it needs a 34.3mm and the biggest they have is 31mm-34mm. will that plug still fit?

EDIT: yes your right, it is the plug that faces the firewall in the middle of the car.

It should...Dorman's applications are usually dead-on, even if the tech specs look goofy. I'd have them look it up from the hard catalog, just to be sure...

smallbrady89 · 09-21-2006, 02:17 PM

they dident have any 1 3/8 sp they gave me a 1 1/4. hopefully it will work and seal the hole without any problems. then all i have to do is find out what caused the plug to blow out in the first place.

jeffcoslacker · 09-21-2006, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallbrady89

they dident have any 1 3/8 sp they gave me a 1 1/4. hopefully it will work and seal the hole without any problems. then all i have to do is find out what caused the plug to blow out in the first place.

They are pretty damn hard to pop, even when hard frozen (most times the head or block will sacrifice itself to protect the freeze plug

)

But if weakened by corrosion, with the center not pushing outward as hard against the press fit, they will sometimes pop. You never did say did it blow the whole plug out, or just the center?

smallbrady89 · 09-21-2006, 05:29 PM

ya the whole plug is gone. i think it must have come out when i was driving but theres nothing left of it there now.

i think maybe the thermostat messed up and locked shut, alowing the coolent in the engine to overheat and expand, causeing the frost plug to blow out. anyway i replaced the thermostat thinking that was the problem right before i found the leak. the new one i put in was a "fail-safe". not quite sure how that works but it sounded like it might be a good idea to have.

smallbrady89 · 09-22-2006, 07:21 PM

i pluged the hole, filled the car up with antifreeze and bled the lines. everything seemed fine on the test drive, thermostat worked fine. the car was dragging a little bit. probably from burnt oil when it overheated. and the tempature light comes on. not bright though. was like it was fadeing in. then i got on the highway and it went away. but it would occasionaly fade in and out. also, my fans STILL dont come on. ever. even with the AC on. so i yanked out the fans and jumped them. they both work. i dont know where to look for the problem but i was thinking i could maybe wire up the fans in series and run a switch through the firewall that i could manuly turn on when im in traffic or at slow speeds. ya. what does everyone think about this problem?

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