SuzukiSavage.com - Freeze Plugs

Steve H

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Freeze Plugs
11/09/13 at 14:07:23

I am having to replace the freeze plugs in my 92 Rodeo. One of them on the back of the engine rusted through the other day. Now I have to pull the engine.

What a hassle. Everything's rusted. It's 21 years old. I'm fighting with most of the bolts to get them to turn. I hit most of them with PB Blaster Friday to help them be a little easier to turn. Glad I did.

What idiot puts 3 freeze plugs behind the flywheel? I am used to one on the back of the heads, 2 or 3 along the sides with one usually right at the very back of the side of the engine. This has one on each side, one in the front under the water pump, and 3 on the back. Of course it was one in the back under the flywheel that started leaking.

I am to the point of removing the exhaust pipes, motor mounts and transmission bolts and it will come out. It's taken 2 days to get this far with not knowing everything that needed to come loose, finding wires and hoses and fighting with everything being rusted solid.

Now that I am 2 hours from having it out, it's started raining! I think somebody doesn't like me too much right now. Undecided

Every freeze plug will be replaced. All together they cost a grand total of 5 dollars.

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87 LS650, 2005 Ninja 250, 2009 Yamaha C3, 2001 Honda Reflex. On 2 wheels since 6/80.

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #1 - 11/09/13 at 14:39:29

You got Lucky, man,, If the freeze plugs had only cost $2.50 the job woulda been twice as hard.. I can IMagine why theyd hafta have freeze plugs behind the flywheel,, I woulda thot the water passages woulda been from the pump, thru the heads & the water jacket plugs on the side of the block & ends of the head,, I spose there a divider between the side of the water jacket & the rear, which would make sense,, to support the hole the slug runs up & down in,, I guess its better to find out where they are from the rusting out that blowing out from frozenated H2O.

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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old_rider Serious Thumper Offline Backyard Bill Productions Posts: 3147 flordia panhandle Gender:	Re: Freeze Plugs Reply #2 - 11/09/13 at 16:22:45 I hope you took pictures or else you won't get it put back together right
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28660 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Freeze Plugs Reply #3 - 11/09/13 at 17:03:38 Some days.... I'm just glad I'm me... (and not Steve )... Best luck, Steve... ...
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Freeze Plugs Reply #4 - 11/09/13 at 23:39:34 The 1931 Chilton Automotive Multi Guide regarded an American manufactured car over five years old as "Junk" From the "Commercial Standpoint". Theoretically you should have disposed of the vehicle in 2002 at the latest.
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Steve H

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #5 - 11/10/13 at 04:34:08

Thanks for the sympathies, everyone. It sucks but it's gotta be done. My boss was kind enough to let me drive the company van until I get the car done but that doesn't mean I can put it off.

The car was basically junk when I got it. It had 150K miles on it. Now, it's a little over 250K miles. It's on its 3rd rear end. The body is getting rusty. No through-holes yet but I am sure they are coming with the rep for rust that Isuzu has. It's a GM drive train in an Isuzu made body.

It has been a reliable car except for the weak rear end. Hey, for $300 what can you expect. I've spent more on each year of insurance for it than I paid for the car. Still, I wish they would take into account the person who has to fix things when they design vehicles.

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87 LS650, 2005 Ninja 250, 2009 Yamaha C3, 2001 Honda Reflex. On 2 wheels since 6/80.

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Dave

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #6 - 11/10/13 at 04:38:08

A friend and I were discussing brake lines last night.....they had to replace rusted steel brake lines on their truck. It would seem that something like brake lines should be made from stainless.....it is something that could safe a life!

Freeze plugs could also be made of stainles or brass......how much extra would that cost? I would pay the extra $ 30 when I bought my car to have those made in stainless!

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runwyrlph

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #7 - 11/10/13 at 13:56:20

Steve H wrote on 11/10/13 at 04:34:08:

The car was basically junk when I got it. It had 150K miles on it. Now, it's a little over 250K miles. It's on its 3rd rear end. The body is getting rusty. No through-holes yet but I am sure they are coming with the rep for rust that Isuzu has. It's a GM drive train in an Isuzu made body.

It has been a reliable car except for the weak rear end. Hey, for $300 what can you expect. I've spent more on each year of insurance for it than I paid for the car. Still, I wish they would take into account the person who has to fix things when they design vehicles.

Ya gotta love a guy that takes a junker with 150k, gets it up to 250k, then still fixes the crap out of it! I wish I was that kind of guy!

Go Steve!

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Yonuh Adisi FSO Serious Thumper Offline Savage Jedi (Knight) Posts: 3622 Pilot Valley NV, aka Tatooine Gender:	Re: Freeze Plugs Reply #8 - 11/10/13 at 15:10:25 I myself prefer the older model vehicles. I drive an '85 chevy dually and because of the year model you don't have to have a degree in computer science to work on the thing.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Freeze Plugs Reply #9 - 11/10/13 at 17:07:06 I have an 87 F 150. Its fool injected & haza computer of sorts.. Im Hunting a Pre ignition module, carbureted, machine for the girl,,she wants an older car,, I wonder where she ever got such a hankerin?
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WD

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #10 - 11/10/13 at 23:28:13

Have a "carbon dated" 85 C10 short wide, 1969 D100 with a 318 (points ignition), a 72 VW Super Beetle (points ignition), a 1968ish D/M400 motorhome with 413 (points ignition), 1949 Dodge truck with a flat head and points ignition, a 1960ish John Deere 3 cylinder gasoline tractor with points ignition, and spent the morning armpits deep in a 1947 Ford 8N tractor with a 4 cylinder flat head and points...

You guys can keep the high tech strand you in the middle of nowhere w/o phone service modern rolling abortions. If I have a dime and a matchbook, I can reset my points and keep going. Grin

Well, except the 4.3L V6 C10, it has that stupid coil in cap dizzy. As soon as I find a compatible points dizzy... Roll Eyes

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old_rider

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #11 - 11/11/13 at 17:33:33

I purchased my most recent ride with 158k on the odo. I replaced the radiator, water pump and resealed the back window. I change the oil every 3-5k (once or twice a year depending on long trips) It is a 2000 F150 cab and a half 4X4. It now has 200422 miles on the odo and runs like a champ, although it starts and runs rough in cold weather. I've gotten two over the plug coils to replace the bad ones, but have to wait till really cold weather for it to start to act up, runs great in warm weather.

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Pine

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #12 - 11/12/13 at 10:23:56

"sigh" I sold my only "old car". The guy had it running day two. Now the bumpers and all the chrome are off.. stripped and primed.. currently still being sanded.. for a complete new paint job. He plans to show it on "Cruisin' the Coast" next october. 1965 thunderbird.

nothings cheap to work on anymore... office job has spoiled me for getting out and working on a car. I wouldn't mind having an old Ford or Chevy truck ... well not too old. Late 60's to early 70's would be nice... or maybe an old jeep. Never touched one of those.

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #13 - 11/12/13 at 19:54:43

YOu picked a difficult car to work on. I knew an old man who got him a T-Bird to play with in the garage. He quickly tired of it.. He was a diesel mechanic all his life, even went to White Superiors factory & showed them how to build a part that had a history of breaking & make it dependable, & they changed their manufacturing. He could fix a Rubics cube w/o a book!

But he couldnt figure out how to get parts out of the interior & he couldnt work on the stuff that needed it,, OHH,, the engine, suspension? Yea,, but body? Put together like a Chinese puzzle,,

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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Serowbot

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Re: Freeze Plugs
Reply #14 - 11/12/13 at 22:23:04

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 11/12/13 at 19:54:43:

He could fix a Rubics cube w/o a book!

JOG,...I can solve a Rubik's cube...
...but not 400lb rusty metal one, wedged in a tin box... Tongue

...

Freeze plugs suck... especially in Southern Az... where an engine block ain't gonna' freeze,... and nothing ever rusts... ...except, freeze plugs...
...(somehow... they still rust)... Huh

...

...and,.. while I'm ranting... why do we use anti-freeze?... and have freeze plugs?...
When freeze plugs blow,... does that mean our anti-freeze... froze?...

Do we have freeze plugs just in case we use pure tap water in our radiators?...
Do we have some mechanism in case we pee in our crankcase?...
... or use gravy as brake fluid?...
... put diesel in our tanks? (that's actually been done)...
... put Slime in our tubes? (you can't un-slime them, believe me)...
... Armorall our tires?... (nice burn-out)...
... use tinfoil as a fuse?... (fire!,.. fire, fire!)...
Ooooookay... I get it now... we're idiots... Undecided

...

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Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

...

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