Engine Coolant Reservior Leak

[Spidey_85]

I blew out one of the small caps on the bottom of my engine coolant reservoir. It's on the drivers side, right over the hydraulic clutch reservoir. Has anyone had a similar experience and know how to repair it or where to get the parts?

 

[disciplerocks]

Junkyard. Hell if you lived nearby, I got one you could have.

 

[Spidey_85]

Are they particularly hard to replace or remove.. There are plenty of yards around here so that's not a problem.. I've never done anything like this before. And it's too bad i joined the AF and ended up in New Mexico. I'm originally from Iowa.. LOL.

 

[disciplerocks]

The first gen used a smaller one than the one I have, but its not hard to make the upgrade if you want to pickup one of them.

 

[Spidey_85]

So how would you get one off an old block without damaging it, as well as put it on? It looks to me like all the other ones are basically machine pressed into the block.

 

[disciplerocks]

Hmm......I don't think we are talking about the same thing. Sorry can you get a picture.

 

[Spidey_85]

I've been trying too find a good one on the net, but i can't find any pics showing the bottom of the engine. I didn't think about posting here until I went to school today. All I can tell you is that the others I've seen on the block are about an inch and a half in diameter and when I add coolant to it, it all flows out of the hole in the back of the block. The engine itself seems to be fine, but because it won't hold any coolant, it overheats. I'll try to get a good pic when i get home in an hour or so.

 

[Big Jim M]

You must be talking about a "freeze plug". They are there to allow the sand from the casting to get out. Then when the block is nice and clean those plugs are pressed into the holes. We call them freeze plugs... cause sometimes when it gets cold and the engine coolant freezes they are pushed out by the ice. Usually when that happens the block is cracked also.
You can purchase the correct size at your local parts house. They can be really hard to install with the engine in the vehicle. So most times we purchase an adjustable plug that fits into the hole and is expanded with a wrench.
Big Jim

 

[Spidey_85]

I suppose that could be it.. It makes sense. Here's a pic.

 

[disciplerocks]

Yup exactly what Jim said, freeze plug. Sorry this confused me

engine coolant reservoir.

 

[Spidey_85]

Thanks guys.. I'm still kind of new to the vehicle mech thing... I'm still used to airplanes :-D

 

[Big Jim M]

Ok Spidy

Thanks guys.. I'm still kind of new to the vehicle mech thing... I'm still used to airplanes :-D

Looking closely at the photo it appears the top one isn't in there anymore. It should be one of the easier ones to install with the engine installed in the vehicle... BUT it still isn't a piece of cake!
In cases like this I like to get a SOCKET that fits the inside of the cup and beat on the socket to install the cup.
These freeze cups are friction fit and are really tight in the holes in the casting. First thing to do is clean the sides of the hole really good and maybe put a little oil on it when clean. Then you put the cup at the entrance of the hole with the socket in the cup... then you give it a WHACK with a bfh.. if it moves a littlle..or not.. then you give it another whack until it is about as deep as the one below it.. It is possible to beat on it until it goes all the way inside the engine.. Then your recourse is to go get another one and install it not quite so deep.
One warning... If you distort the cup while installing, it will leak or possibly blow out while you are far from help.. So use a big object inside it to beat on.. a small object can change the shape of the cup.

Big JIm

 

[Spidey_85]

Well, to update you all: Looks like there's a lot more wrong with the engine than just the freeze plug. i now have coolant in the oil and gas in the radiator. From what the mech was telling me, the guy who owned it previaously hadn't treated her well. So, my new quiestion is, what is the cheapest and easiest engine swap to do? Because people have a tendancy to roll them, there's several 2.9l engines in the northern part of the state, but to get one shipped here and installed, it'll be around $3000 or so (because I don't have the experience, time or equipment to do it). However, I read that a 4.0l swap is easy, especially since my truck is fuel injected, and I should be able to use the original 5 speed tranny. Any advice on the subject would be helpful.

 

[Big Jim M]

Tell ya what Spidey!! You've got a 23 year old vehicle. I think I'd just mark it up to experience and be looking for nother one that still ran.
For the kind of money you will wind up spending on upgrading that vehicle you can prolly get one that runs good for the same money.
Big JIm

 

[robertc1024]

I would agree with the Big J on this one. If you aren't adept at turning wrenches, you'd be in for a nightmare trying to swap engines and you'd spend more than with which you could buy a different truck. If you decide to do it anyway, put the 4.0 in. Search TRS, there's tons of info.