Freeze plug

[Wayno666]

My 4.0 is leaking from the LH middle freeze plug. I was tempted to take it to a shop because it looks like you can remove it from the bottom, if you remove the starter and a lift.
Unfortunately I've never had good luck with shops.
I am in the midst of removing the exhaust manifold. I have 5 bolts loose. The bottom rear bolt is almost inaccessible. I'm not even sure of the size as the others are 10 mm and 12 mm and 13. I think it's 12. I can't reach my hand down there while trying to hold and spin a socket. I've tried to reach it with a short socket, a deep socket, a short with wobbly,
a short with adapter and breaker bar. I can't reach it with a socket/combination wrench.
I don't have a powered ratchet. WTF. I'm running out of ideas.
Hopefully one of you have the answer.
Thank you

 

[Curious Hound]

Have you tried removing the plastic fender liner and reaching in through the wheel well? I really would expect them all to take the same size wrench. But maybe rust is fouling things up for you.

 

[JJMaine]

+1 on reaching in through the wheel well, that was the only way I could get to the top bolt where the driver side manifold bolts to the catalytic converter but mine is 4x4. Mine were all 13mm nuts on the cylinder heads.

 

[Wayno666]

My 4.0 is leaking from the LH middle freeze plug. I was tempted to take it to a shop because it looks like you can remove it from the bottom, if you remove the starter and a lift.
Unfortunately I've never had good luck with shops.
I am in the midst of removing the exhaust manifold. I have 5 bolts loose. The bottom rear bolt is almost inaccessible. I'm not even sure of the size as the others are 10 mm and 12 mm and 13. I think it's 12. I can't reach my hand down there while trying to hold and spin a socket. I've tried to reach it with a short socket, a deep socket, a short with wobbly,
a short with adapter and breaker bar. I can't reach it with a socket/combination wrench.
I don't have a powered ratchet. WTF. I'm running out of ideas.
Hopefully one of you have the answer.
Thank you

I don't know what happened. As soon as I posted this I went out to the truck and stood
on a wheel to get a better look and like magic it came right out with a short and a wobbly.
You guys are great.
Next question. Sealant on the freeze plug or not?
Thank you

 

[Curious Hound]

I don't think they're supposed to need sealant. But i'm not 100% sure. They also make a mechanical repair plug you can use that expands when you tighten it. I've never used them. But I believe I have read numerous reports hete that they are reliable.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The rubber expanding freeze plugs have saved me a few times. Make sure they go in square, I had one pop because I didn't take the time to square it in the hole.

 

[19Walt93]

I like the expandable metal ones if the spot is inaccessable.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I like the expandable metal ones if the spot is inaccessable.

To be clear, is this correct?

Because this is what I refer to as rubber expandable plug.

 

[sgtsandman]

I don't know what happened. As soon as I posted this I went out to the truck and stood
on a wheel to get a better look and like magic it came right out with a short and a wobbly.
You guys are great.
Next question. Sealant on the freeze plug or not?
Thank you

They don't require sealant but you do need to make sure the hole the plug goes into is completely clean and is smooth. If you do have to do any sanding, go aroung the entire hole equally, used gradually finer sand paper down to about 320 grit and then buff with some green scotch brite. Flush the area with some water to remove any residue sandpaper and scotch brite grit. Then install the plug as squarely as possible to the hole. Flush to the block surface is fine but slighty recessed is better, about 1/16". Just don't go crazy because digging the freeze plug back out of the block is not fun.