Head freeze plug leaking '95 2/26

[Greg C]

The rear freeze plug on the driver side head has visible corrosion and is leaking. Checked the radiator and it was 1/2 full. This is the wife & kids truck, I don't want them stranded. Need your repair advice.

Does the head need to be removed for repair? Or, has anyone used any type of sealant (locktite, Bar's, etc). I've read the posts on Bar's, and a local mechanic says he's never run across damage from use of Bar's aluminum sealant. BUT, just seems like I'd be asking for other damage. I assume if corrosion has caused the problem, external application of green loctite (wicking) won't work. After reading posts on pulling a head, I was Just hoping to avoid this route.... The XLT has 120K. I'd like to keep awhile.

If the head needs to be removed for repair, any advice on actually performing the repair? I have full access to a mill.

Apologies if this is not posted in an appropriate forum.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Greg C]

Did some research and, short of taking off the head, cleaning up the plug and using JB weld might be worth trying. Anybody tried this??

 

[Billy177]

just replace the freeze plug. take it out, get a new one put some sealer on it and pound teh new one in

 

[Greg C]

yeah, I was just trying to avoid pulling the head which I think would be ~10 hrs.... Not enough room between the head and firewall to pound the new one in...

 

[Eneurb]

With the thought of pulling the head as determination, there is always a way to get the new one in!!!

 

[96eb]

hey i wolud try jb weld if you don't have the time to do the head. make sure you draint the system the best you can and clean the area very very well. least bit of grime oor oil and the jb wont hold. try it man worth a shot.

 

[Texan01]

I did head gaskets on my 95 and it was a 2 day event, 1 day to dismantle the thing and clean parts, and then a day to reassemble the whole mess. It came apart quite easily though. Ford actually got smart on that one, the engine harness will come out in one piece, vacuum lines are in one piece.

So you might try the jb weld trick first.

 

[Greg C]

thanks EB and Texan.

Using a mirror I was able clean and inspect the plug. One small pinhole leak right in the center. I tried JB weld. Drained the coolant, carefully cleaned and roughened with sandpaper, cleaned again, applied a thin layer and let it cure for 14 hrs. After running on the highway for awhile, I checked the patch and found that I'd only reduced the leak!

I briefly considered removing the plug in place, then installing a metal/rubber disc plug (the kind that uses a clamping bolt to squeeze the rubber and make a seal). I think I should just fix it right and pull the head.....

Hey Texan: since I'm in to the head, anything else worth inspecting or replacing?

 

[Eneurb]

Hmmm... I wonder if you can put a block heater in to plug the hole.

 

[cutter]

what about gas tank repair its like jb weld but mix it up and push it in hole and leave some on outside is very strong i used on a gas tank before and it is still working

 

[Greg C]

Block heater? I'll have to check those out. No need for them here in CA, but if it makes for an easier installation...

Cutter: The plug is sealing the coolant which is at least 16 psi and hot. Not sure what gas tank repair is, but its worth checking out. thanks

 

[96eb]

i dont think there will be enough room in the head to allow for a heater. I also forgot to mention a product that we use in our shop. it is a sealer that GM makes. I know FORD, GM but we use it all the time when customers don't have time or money to allow us to fix it properly. They are called GM sealing tabs. They come in a pack of five. What I would tell you to do is buy a pack and put 2 in a container and mash them to make a powder no clumps. and ad them directly to your radiator. They have worked for us numerious of time to fix pin holes in radiators. And they don't come back. give that a try thats about your last shot before trying a rubber plug.

 

[Big Jim M]

Block heater? I'll have to check those out. No need for them here in CA, but if it makes for an easier installation...

Cutter: The plug is sealing the coolant which is at least 16 psi and hot. Not sure what gas tank repair is, but its worth checking out. thanks

Greg If you have ONE plug rusted out in the middle than chances are ALL of them are about to go! That is the problem with water it rusts out the freeze plugs.. I strongly advise punching that little fella INSIDE of the head and putting one of those expansion rubber plugs in it.s place. Then draining the liquid out and installing PURE antifreeze to help stop the spread of the rust. Pure antifreeze is better for everything except extreeme cold lower than 12/15 deg below zero.
Big JIm

 

[Greg C]

Greg If you have ONE plug rusted out in the middle than chances are ALL of them are about to go! That is the problem with water it rusts out the freeze plugs.. I strongly advise punching that little fella INSIDE of the head and putting one of those expansion rubber plugs in it.s place. Then draining the liquid out and installing PURE antifreeze to help stop the spread of the rust. Pure antifreeze is better for everything except extreeme cold lower than 12/15 deg below zero.
Big JIm

Hey Big Jim
Yeah, I'm currently thinking I ought to just bite the bullet and pull the head. Then I can do a good visual inpection for corrosion and just replace all the plugs. And, while I'm doing one, I ought to do both.... I think my weekend just filled up. Any other considerations about running pure antifreeze?

 

[Billy177]

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1994/October/11.html

says pure antifreeze freezes at 0 degrese farenheight. where i live it drops below that quite a few times

 

[Greg C]

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1994/October/11.html

says pure antifreeze freezes at 0 degrese farenheight. where i live it drops below that quite a few times

Good link Billy, thanks. I think I'll go for the optimal rust protection and run 100% coolant. According to cartalk, research showed that 50/50 will still offer good protection. But.... the less water the better for corrosion, so I'll likely go 70/30. It doesn't get that cold here in CA, but it does get hot and 100% might allow overheating.

 

[Greg C]

I jumped off the bridge and pulled the heads over the weekend. The water jacket area was moderately filled with sludge. I'm having them cleaned and putting new brass freeze plugs in. The valves passed vacuum check and were still flat!! But..... according to the guy at the machine shop, the motor is running very lean (very light tan deposits). The XLT does ping when pushing it uphill. Should I be concerned? What components should I check?