Projects THE ICEMAN COMETH (Did I Mess Up Or What?)

I had my 440 rebuilt. My engine builder had it on his dyno buttoning it up when I stopped by. He fired it up and it was leaking water. I guess he was expecting the headers to seal the water jackets. He said he'd stud it and get it back to me. I got it back and dropped it in the frame of the panel truck. No radiator or hoses hooked up. Then it got cold in my barely heated garage and I never thought about the engine freezing. Somehow in my subconscious mind I was thinking that there were remnants of anti-freeze in the block and with no radiator or hoses hooked up...WRONG! I guess he runs his dyno on straight water and I never thought about it. Now I have freeze plugs on the floor and I am imagining worse. Aaaarrrgggghhhh!

 

I'd be pissed off and blowing steam....

 

Man that sucks

 

maybe the plugs did their job, how cold was it?

 

That sucks to the 24th power. What is your plan to check it out? New freeze plugs and a pressure test? Sorry to hear this, hope the plugs took the expansion.

 

B/RB blocks tend to crack from front to back a couple of inches below the deck when they freeze. Cross your fingers it isn't.

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Wow that sucks.
All you can do at this point is button it up and do a pressure test. Hoping for the best for you. You can figure out what to do after you get a pass/fail on the pressure test.

 

Welsh plugs are not meant to prevent freeze damage. There purpose is to remove the core sand.

 

I used to buy inboard boats with frozen engines to make a few extra bucks. EVERY engine that I have seen with pushed out plugs was scrap. Sorry.

 

I blew a head gasket on a gas international engine[big truck] and it blew out a plug .if freezing has no effect ,why was it on the floor.

 

I had a 289 Ford freeze and pop one out,and I got lucky,but you'll have to pressure test it and go from there,as others have said.

Scott


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Your big truck's plug blew from excess pressure in the cooling jacket. Hemi engines do that too when they are being pushed really hard.

They (who the hell is "they") call them freeze plugs but that's not what they are nor are they protection from freezing. Maybe you could look at the plugs being pushed out and on the floor as after the fact "evidence" of freezing has happened and being fucked. The hole is there because that's the only way to get the sand out. The plug fills the hole to complete the water jacket.

 

I know the casting process, in this case the block was not full ,level with the w/pump lower outlet I guess.so plenty of room for ice expantion .my guess is he's ok ,we will see

 

I was going to post the same thing. I had a 67 289 do that to me due to my own negligence. I got lucky too!

 

Is the block painted?, check for cracks before doing anything. the paint shows the cracks better.
Cannot call them "freeze" plugs in South Floridaaa.

 

Texas water never freezes so I'm going to bottle up a truck load and sell it up north.

 

Had a Cummins in a 77 IH cabover freeze up once, pushed the core plugs out of the heads. Put new core plugs in and filled it up with antifreeze, must have gotten lucky because it didn't hurt it.

 

Unfortunately that isn't the way it works. Even though there is plenty of room for expansion upward the ice can crack the casting in the sideways direction, if that makes sense.

 

I think we can all debate this until we are blue in the face. But the only way to know if there is any damage is to button it up and pressure test it. End of story!

 

Ouch! Doesn't sound good! Waiting for the jury....

 

That really sucks! Hope it's not catastrophic
With 22 years as an automotive tech, I have seen lots of pushed out "casting plugs", not all of them meant that the engines were boat anchors ️
you might get lucky, fingers crossed for you.


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You asked the question

 

Ever see a 4' fence post get 4" of water in it and freeze?

 

hope lady luck is with you.......had my share.....no more 50/50 crap....and I'm doing plenty of checks through out the season...

 

I don't trust a 50/50 either. I've heard ice circulating in my heater core with 50/50. I run 75/25. I wonder if the antifreeze companies are afraid to tell you to mix stronger than 50/50 because antifreeze is flammable.

 

Shouldn't ever be a problem ( for most people) 50/50 is good to -34° F

In fact the water added to glycol coolant is what makes for a lower freeze point in the first place. Not sure how exactly, but pure antifreeze right out of the jug is only good to maybe +25° F or somesuch. 70/30 is the maximum recommended.

 

50/50 because it is the best compromise between freezing and heat transfer.
It's protection down to -36, up the percentage and you loose the ability to shed heat. It's just like getting a smaller radiator upping the percentages.

 

Antifreeze is only flammable in the presence of a flame.
(ask me how I know) read the label...and I have been a vehicle fire investigator or 25 years.

 

Replaced the six freeze/core plugs today. No visible cracks. There had been no hoses hooked up so water couldn't have been in the heads and those freeze plugs/core plugs looked good. I poured two gallons of anti-freeze in it with no signs of leaking and there are no sign of antifreeze in the oil. I haven't done a pressure test yet. Fingers still crossed but I'm not quite as nauseous.

 

I didn't drop the trans. I hope there's no freeze plugs on the back of that block. I don't remember any.