52 Buick radiator fix...

[chub chub]

hello all,
about 2.5 months ago i pulled my clogged radiator out of my '52 buick. prior to that i had no leaks. last weekend i installed the re-cored radiator. i took it for a drive. afterwards it was leaking from the two inch hose between the water pump and the housing below the thermostat. today i went to replace the 2" hose (which appeared to be 52 years old) and found a new leak. now there is a tiny hole in one of my freeze plugs. i tried to seal it a couple ways, but the trickle of water was enough to prevent anything from setting up. any ideas what would cause these new leaks. any ideas how i can temporarily fix the hole in the freeze plug until i can replace it? thanks in advance.

Edit from Grimlok: I changed your post title. False titles used just to get attention won't fly.

[BigDdy31]

Once you get the water really flowing through an engine that has been sitting or has had big time flow problems, the new, stronger flow tends to break loose all the bits of gunk that have been sealing the leaks that you didn't know were there. Plus you've probably been driving it more since the rad was fixed.

The freeze plug is tough. Most everything you would use to patch it needs a dry environment in which to cure. Plus, the water pressure is going to want to push anything applied topically right off again. A quick fix might be to knock out the old plug and sub one of the expandable rubber freeze plugs until you can get a nice brass one put in.

[chub chub]

thanks bigddy,
i already have a line on the freeze plug, so i guess there is no reason to half ass it. it's not that much work, just time. does anyone know if there is a plug to drain the coolant from the engine, or is dhe only drain cock from the radiator?

[chub chub]

someone suggested that i use the expandable freeze plug in the existing cracked plug. has anyone else tried this?

[chub chub]

sorry, i'm just looking for some car advice.

[Muttley]

Depending on how big the hole is you could take a sheetmetal screw with a rubber washer on it and screw it in the hole. That ought to stop the leak for a while.

[heyitsnate]

Is that wild bill's old car?

[chub chub]

no, it's not bill's old car unless he sold it to the guy i bought it from in washington. if a sheet metal screw with a rubber washer is an acceptable fix i assume the freeze plug in the freeze plug is acceptable (and probably better). still... anyone ever done this?

[chub chub]

heyitsnate,
did you make it to jimmy's old car picnic today? i just noticed you're a sf rumbler.

[lowsquire]

if you mean put a smaller freeze plug inside the leaking one, why not just fix it properly? are they a funny size or not easy to find?
unless its somewhere like on the back of the head right next to the firewall, shouldnt be too hard to change it...just do the job properly,youll save time in the long run. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[fatassbuick]

You can throw some pepper into the radiator and it'll seal it for quite awhile if you want to do it the Disney way. But obviously, the right way to do it is to replace the freeze plug.

BTW, Buick-parts.com has all Straight 8 freeze plug kits for $17.50. It costs a little more that that to rebuild that engine.

[heyitsnate]

no,i did'nt make it....i had to work on my car,for the swanx party this weekend,and our function on the 23rd..hit me up if you're going...

[chub chub]

the reason i'm looking for a quick/short term fix is that i am supposed to pick the car up in 5 days and i don't think i'll get the new plug by then. the car only has to make it about 90 miles to get it here, then i can replace the plug, however, if i don't get the car saturday, it'll be weeks before i can get a ride out there again to get it.

[chub chub]

hey nate,
sorry, i can't make it. i'll be out of town that weekend. that's why i'm so desperate to get the buick this weekend.

[stangzilla]

i think your onto something with the screw in freeze plug inside the old one. just make sure you take it easy you might want to carry a spare in case it pops out and lots of water but 90 miles aint that far you can limp it to the house this way and fix it right good luck