Freese Plug

[kulle]

Fired up my 4.3 merc and noticed some water coming out of the starboard side of engine. Found a freese plug on the engine mount. Had shop put back in, but they seemed very sure there is likely a crack in block.. they will be water testing under load. Curious how likely this is or if the plug could save me. Curious of anyone else's experiences. I followed the manual to winterize but second guessing myself if i used a wire on all the drain ports.

 

[racerone]

They are really core plugs.-----The design intent is NOT for freeze protection.----Consider yourself lucky if there is no other damage.-----When did you winterize ?----A month before cold weather ?----Halfway through a cold day ?

 

[kulle]

They are really core plugs.-----The design intent is NOT for freeze protection.----Consider yourself lucky if there is no other damage.-----When did you winterize ?----A month before cold weather ?----Halfway through a cold day ?

Thinking it was around novemberish, wasnt overly cold. guess i wont know if there is other damage until getting it warmed up under load. runs fine on muffs, but not sure that warrants much.

 

[nola mike]

Fired up my 4.3 merc and noticed some water coming out of the starboard side of engine. Found a freese plug on the engine mount. Had shop put back in, but they seemed very sure there is likely a crack in block.. they will be water testing under load. Curious how likely this is or if the plug could save me. Curious of anyone else's experiences. I followed the manual to winterize but second guessing myself if i used a wire on all the drain ports.

It's a casting plug used during manufacturing. Sometimes will come out instead of your block freezing. How likely? @Scott Danforth will tell you to buy a lottery ticket if your blocked isn't cracked

 

[Lou C]

More important question is HOW did you winterize it?
Drain?
or run AF through?

 

[nola mike]

More important question is HOW did you winterize it?
Drain?
or run AF through?

" second guessing myself if i used a wire on all the drain ports."

 

[kulle]

More important question is HOW did you winterize it?
Drain?
or run AF through?

followed the merc service manual. fogged until stall, drain block.

 

[Scott06]

My neighbor years back didnt drian his block until after the first freeze, mechanic saw the same thing a core plug pushed out but no water in the oil... it wasn't until he used it 3-4 times and got it good and hot that he started (or noticed; he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed) to see water in the oil.

So I'd say i you take it out and get it good and hot sevral times and you dont end up with water in the oil you are lucky.

Either way need to figure out where you went wrong winterizing do you have the single point drain or multiple plugs. I have 5 drain points on my 5.0 can see what volume comes out of each and if there is sand and debris in there.

 

[Lou C]

One thing I learned is if the fitting in the block is a right angle one, these can clog more easily than the straight ones. On my old '88 the one on the side with the starter is a right angle one probably because the old style large starter and front bracket interfered with the straight fitting they used on the other side of the block. Wonder if this was your problem?
I had a couple of years where this side barely drained at all and I had to dig at it with a couple of different picks to dislodge the rust flakes that were in there. Probably will replace this with a straight fitting that I saved from my old batwing exhaust manifolds because I have the smaller starter now as in the pic....
BTW, you should get about 3.5-4 gallons out of a 4.3 when you drain, more out of a V8. I know it takes approx 5 gallons of antifreeze to fill the engine and both exhaust manifolds.

 

[Scott Danforth]

if your block is not cracked, definitely buy a lottery ticket. some ford 302 motors will push out the core plug and may survive. never ever saw a GM motor that pushed out a core plug and not have a crack. ever.

out of the dozens of motors that I have swapped out due to missing core plugs and a cracked block or heads over the years..... all but one was preventable.