i got a 226 6 inline flathead and i just got a gasket set for it . so i have money into already. dont want to hear you should have bought some thing else so anyway i had a question about freeze plugs how do you remove them and where do you get them? oh and how many are there total on this blockthat i cant see. thanks for any help .
I've always removed them with a hammer, drift, and a pair of channel lock pliers. Hit the plug at the bottom in hopes of turning/twisting it in the hole, then grab it with the pliers and snatch it through the hole. We've also installed them using a large socket that is roughly the same size as the plug. Also, just as a precaution, we added a bit of silicone around it to help any seeping leaks or anything along that line. Brass is better than stainless is also what I've been raised with, so that is something to consider as well.
Real auto parts stores (car quest, napa, etc) have a good selection of plugs. I make sure to clean out the hole for the plug well before installing the new one, using a half round file or sandpaper or something to take the rust off. I also prefer aviation Permatex over silicone, but either will work. There are usually 1 or 2 on the back of the block hiding in the bellhousing area, which you can't see and they are the ones that usually leak at the least opportune time.
First, there is no such thing as a "freeze plug." This terminology is a misnomer. They are core plugs and are necessary due to the holes needed for the casting process. If you've left an engine to freeze and one of these popped out instead of cracking the block, you were fortunate but this is not their purpose. I've never seen a stainless core plug, although they may exist. The standard ones are mild steel but not stainless. The brass ones are certainly an improvement if you're going to keep something a long time. However, with proper cooling system maintenance, the steel ones should also last virtually forever. These plugs generally rust from the inside out, due of course to poor maintenance. When reinstalling them use something for a driver which only contacts the outer edge. Driving them in within the recessed area can distort them and cause a loose fit and resulting failure. For a sealer, I like High-Tack, Indian Head, Aviation Permatex or in other words a sticky, non-hardening sealer. Silicone would not be my recommendation.
They exist .. Shown above is our Stainless Steel Freeze Plug Kit. These recently came on the market. Stainless steel has extraordinary resistance to chemicals and corrosion, and looks pretty sharp as well. A rare combination of good looks and functionality. Kit includes EVERY plug you will need for the engine, including the cylinder heads. Part No: 200-1011 - Freeze Plug Kit - Stainless Steel
Cool. I'll bet they ain't got them for the 230 Mopar flattie I'm working on right now. No hurry, I'll wait.....
Won't there be a big problem with corrosion down the road using stainless plugs in an iron block? I have always used steel or brass with no problems and have never used any sealer on them when installing.
A friend of mine recently got to remove and reinstall his engine to replace the freeze plugs that all leaked because the guy he got the engine from didn't put sealer on them. (we mostly all call them freeze plugs, so that's their name, even if that's not what they're for)
I have never used sealant on my freeze plugs and never had a issue until my last engine. I learned the hard way after having to remove the engine to fix the ones in the bellhousing area. Just my luck they were the only two leaking.... Good recomendation!
I've drilled a hole in them and screwed in a sheet metal screw then used a clawhammer or a slide hammer to get them out.
I use brass'uns and set em in JB Weld! use a small port-0-torch to sofen the epoxy when I want em out and I've an old set the look like rolling head pinch bars to remove em If you ever had the one behind the flywheel leak you'd glue em too Stainless Sorry how you gonna get goop to stick to em. And listen You call em anything you want. I ustta back my 'shitbox' off the trailer (yes off/not outta) and set lap record I called a 'shitbox' some called it fast. I think they were just half-fast go figure Here in Poland I had a parts man tell me I had to make my own freeze plugs cause no one sold em. Kiss the f'n ground you can buy em!
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