Freeze plugs???

[Trigger]

Hey all, I have a 93 4x4 with the 3.0, anyone know if there are freeze (core)plugs in the back of the engine? I have a massive leak coming from the driver side rear of the engine, as soon as I pure the anti freeze in it comes out from the back. I had the same problem a few years ago but from the front of the motor, and I changed the freeze plug thats behind the water pump. If there is a freeze (core)plug in the back has anyone ever had to change it, and if so how hard is it to get to.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Hey all, I have a 93 4x4 with the 3.0, anyone know if there are freeze (core)plugs in the back of the engine? I have a massive leak coming from the driver side rear of the engine, as soon as I pure the anti freeze in it comes out from the back. I had the same problem a few years ago but from the front of the motor, and I changed the freeze plug thats behind the water pump. If there is a freeze (core)plug in the back has anyone ever had to change it, and if so how hard is it to get to.

I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures that had at least 3 freeze plugs
back there. Everything has to come off to change one: transfer case,
and transmission.
Lots of work to replace a two dollar part.

 

[Trigger]

Xfer case and tranny will stay where there are, just going to take off the head on the left side to get the the plug.

 

[graff104]

Xfer case and tranny will stay where there are, just going to take off the head on the left side to get the the plug.

Don't forget the bolts are torgue to yield so you need new ones!

 

[Trigger]

Got ya:

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

theres a freeze plug on either end of each head (the heads are symetrical after all, so the "front" of the passanger side head looks exactly like the "back" of the drivers side head). i think all the block freeze plugs are located on the sides of the block, but dont quote me

 

[4byRANGER]

i took some pics while my trans was off

 

[Trigger]

Thanks 4by, My leak is coming from the drivers side head though, I start tearing it apart tommorrow. Anybody know the diameter of the plugs on the back of the heads?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

same size as the front of the head...if you can get in there to measure one....

 

[bigcountry]

why dont you just replace as many of your freeze plugs as you possibly can cause if this is the second time then id be tryin to get to as many of them as possible

 

[Trigger]

Well got the plug changed but while putting it all back together I broke a rocker bolt off in the head, I'll probably just get to where It'll run on 5 cly and get rid of the thing.

 

[4byRANGER]

Damn that sucks

 

[Trigger]

Any body have any extra rocker bolts around? Or does any one know where I can pick one up at?

 

[Beef52751]

it shouldnt be hard to find a rocker bolt, have you tried just a regular parts store??? they may have to order it but they will probally be able to get one.

 

[Mr Easy Fix]

Freeze Plug Fix for less than $10

Hi all, I recently had a freeze plug rust through on my old 1994 Mazda B3000, same 3.0 litre as the Ford Ranger.

My mechanic, who is also my next door neighbor told me it was a 12 hour job (from the book) and at $80 an hour that's a lot of money to replace a 99 cent part.

Since I only paid $600 for this jewel of a truck I wasn't really going to pop $1000 + into it.

Simple solution for the rusted through freeze plug.... J-B Stik. I know, some of you purists out there are going to tell me I'm a moron, that's cool. I fixed the leaking freeze plug with a $5.99 pack of J-B Stik and a washer. That's pretty cool as well.

The book says you have to pull the engine to get at these freeze plugs and replace them. Since it was a small hole I decided, after discovering I could reach the back of the engine with my hand, to "fill" the concave freeze plug with J-B Stik, a putty like version of J-B Weld. Works perfectly! And, since J-B Weld is drillable, sandable, and all that same stuff you can do with metal, it can be removed just as you would remove an old freeze plug, no problem.

After taking 10 minutes to clean the freeze plug surface with steel wool, it only took another 10 minutes to mix the putty and apply it. Done. Wait an hour and you're back on the road for under $10. Sure beats pulling the engine!

The one I had to fix was also the hardest one to reach. The other one is probably going to go bad at some point, but I figured I'd just wait til that happens before I fix it.

Since this truck is so old I couldn't justify all that money to repair it, but this accomplished the same thing, for a lot less.

Hope someone finds this and does the same thing, and saves a lot of money. If you do, please feel free to send me a hundred bucks for the thanks!