[AT] Freeze plugs

Cecil Bearden crbearden at copper.net
Fri Nov 8 19:07:28 PST 2019


Ken:
I think that is the reason that 30wt oil is best to use in the older 
tractors.  They run too cool ( relative) to get the viscosity improvers  
in multi grade to thicken the oil.  I am not sure of the exact water 
temp that works  the best for multi grade, but I think the 160 deg 
thermostats would dictate the use of a straight weight oil.  A 195 deg 
one would probably get the oil hot enough to work with multi grade...

Just my $0.02
Cecil

On 11/8/2019 8:41 PM, Ken Knierim wrote:
> Cecil,
>     My grandfather (a doctor) had a similar issue with casting sand in 
> a new V-6 Buick (Skylark?) in about 1980. He bought it new off the lot 
> and had trouble with it overheating constantly (over a couple years as 
> I recall), with many trips back and forth to the dealer. At one point 
> it blew one of the tanks off the radiator. After a lot of wrangling 
> (and some strong urging from my uncle, a prominent lawyer in our small 
> hometown, and an offer from my Dad to return it through the dealership 
> with his bulldozer) the dealership finally took the car back in the 
> shop and tore it down. Turns out the block had casting sand blocking 
> the water jacket like you're describing. Replacement engine from GM 
> and the problems magically ceased.
>
> Now on a tractor note, any D Case I've had apart has had some issues 
> around the sleeves and generally needs to be dismantled so they can be 
> cleaned up. The DH had half a 5 gallon bucket of rust and dirt in the 
> block when I tore it down. I find it amazing how resilient that old 
> iron was/is to neglect. Can't get away with that on most of the new 
> stuff anyway. Maybe on the Belarus? :)
>
> Ken in AZ
>
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 8, 2019 at 3:17 PM Cecil Bearden <crbearden at copper.net 
> <mailto:crbearden at copper.net>> wrote:
>
>     Back in the late 70's and early 80's I had a 77 Plymouth 4dr w/50K
>     miles
>     that I used for transportation as a sales engineer. The car had a bad
>     rear end whine when I bought it.  I had a few days off, so I
>     pulled the
>     rear end out and checked the bearings. They were shot.  I bought a
>     bearing kit and started to replace the bearings.  When I pulled the
>     pinion out the front bearing was galled badly.  Further inspection
>     revealed that the passage that carried oil from the sump to the
>     front of
>     the bearing was filled with casting sand.  It took a couple of hours
>     with a screwdriver, brake cleaner, and air pressure to get the
>     sand out
>     of the passage.  New bearings installed and it sounded fine for
>     another
>     50K miles until I sold it.
>
>     About a year later I picked up a 75 Dodge pickup with 45K miles and a
>     high speed rear end.  It also had a bad whine, the reason I bought it
>     for 1/2 price of blue book.  Same thing with the casting sand in the
>     pinion oil passage.   This one got a new/used 4.10 ratio third
>     member so
>     I did not have to clean out the casting sand.  It left with the core..
>
>     In 77 I went to work for the state and the weights and measures
>     agency
>     had a Miller welder on sealed bid that they said always
>     overheated..   I
>     figured a bad head gasket.  It had a Chrysler industrial 30. I pulled
>     the head and found a bunch of crud down in the water jacket. I made a
>     tee connection to fit the drain plug holes and filled the water
>     jacket
>     with the water hose then blasted the air to it.  It took about 30
>     minutes and a lot of water to get all the sand out of it. Again it
>     was
>     casting sand. I replaced all the freeze plugs/casting plugs, and
>     bought
>     a freeze plug driver set to install them.  I still have the plug
>     drivers.
>
>     What was particularly interesting about these parts, is that they
>     were
>     all Chrysler products.  Since then any time I pull a head on an
>     engine I
>     check deep in the water jacket for crud.  Any engine I rebuild is
>     boiled
>     out.
>
>     Cecil
>
>     On 11/8/2019 9:59 AM, Spencer Yost wrote:
>     >> On Nov 8, 2019, at 9:32 AM, Indiana Robinson
>     <robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>     >>
>     >> I'm not sure why, neither are grape flavored.
>     > Ha!
>     >
>     > I should have been clearer.  I was referring to the cup shaped
>     ones.    I have had good success with the disc/dome plugs. But I
>     have not done nearly as many of his them and my 100% success rate
>     on those is probably sampling error.  (-;
>     >
>     > I have a Mac tool called the “slammer hammer”.  Drill a hole in
>     the old plug, screw in the chuck with a screw, attach the slammer
>     hammer and it pops right out.   So I know I am not damaging the
>     sides with the removal of the old plug; which I have seen folks do
>     with drifts, punches and chisels.
>     >
>     > And like I’ve said, even though  I’ve probably installed 35-40
>     and only had a few leak I could not explain why they leaked and
>     have been assuming operator error/technique.
>     >
>     > The continental engines on the Masseys had disc/dome type but
>     only the Pacer has had such an extensive rebuild that all the
>     freeze plugs had to be pulled and installed. The 22, colt, mustang
>     and others I think maybe I’ve only done one or two corroded
>     leakers on those.  I can’t remember doing any others.
>     >
>     > Thanks for all the continued advice!
>     >
>     > Spencer
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