Is there a coolant drain plug on engine block of 4.6

[ROBinGa]

I just learned my daughter's Toyota Highlander engine block features a plug that looks just like a plug drain for a rear differential that you can take out and drain all the coolant that is in the engine block. So you can drain radiator petcock, open this drain plug in the block and effectively drain almost all the coolant in the system on that Toyota. Is there a plug like that on a Ford 4.6 engine?

 

[SyberTiger]

I just learned my daughter's Toyota Highlander engine block features a plug that looks just like a plug drain for a rear differential that you can take out and drain all the coolant that is in the engine block. So you can drain radiator petcock, open this drain plug in the block and effectively drain almost all the coolant in the system on that Toyota. Is there a plug like that on a Ford 4.6 engine?

If there was it'd be a huge surprise to me.

If you use the petcock expect about 2.25 to 2.5 gallons to come out. There's a bunch of coolant trapped in the engine block and the only time I made a repair where the remaining coolant was a problem was when I removed the water pump at which time I regretted not having a larger catch pan underneath.

 

[Number4]

Yes, it's on the drivers side below the head I believe. It should be an Allen type inset plug. Doesn't take much torque to remove it.

Right below the rear freeze plug where the exhaust manifold/pipe starts to angle down.

 

[ROBinGa]

Thanks Number4, I'll check it out! Anyone have experience with draining the block through this manner and is there a good reason why or why not to remove this plug? I am about to change the intake manifold because of a coolant leak and I want to get as much of the existing coolant out of the engine and refill with new

 

[Number4]

It works fine, lots of antifreeze will come out. I don't recall it being messy, just have a container below. It will drain everything heads and above. I did this prior to removing my intake. Heads are coming off next.

 

[imp]

Thanks Number4, I'll check it out! Anyone have experience with draining the block through this manner and is there a good reason why or why not to remove this plug? I am about to change the intake manifold because of a coolant leak and I want to get as much of the existing coolant out of the engine and refill with new

@ROBinGa
The "VEE" type blocks have pockets along the bottom sides of the block, in which crap settles, along with dirty coolant. I always opened up the plugs on both sides years ago, but am not sure Ford included them when they introduced the first small blocks, ca 1960. OHC engines, no idea, sorry. The plugs were located towards the rear of the engine, as normal tilt in the chassis is lower in the back. imp