Freeze out or expansion plugs allow room for expansion should the coolant inside the engine freeze. Using straight water or the improper mixture of water and coolant will cause the plugs to rust from the inside out. In time, the rust will weaken the plugs. This causes holes to form in the plugs. Coolant will then leak from the hole or the area around the plug. Replacing a leaking plug will permanently fix the leak.
Instructions
- 1
Select a socket from a socket set that matches the size of the bolts holding the exhaust manifold in place. Attach the socket to a ratchet handle. Turn the ratchet handle counterclockwise to loosen and remove each exhaust manifold bolt.
2Set the tip of a large screwdriver on the freeze out plug. Hit the back of the screwdriver with a ball peen hammer until the freeze out plug pops into the engine.
3Lock a pair of self-locking pliers onto the end of the freeze out plug. Pull toward you to remove the plug from the engine block. Remove any other leaking freeze out plugs as described.
4Sand the opening left in the engine block by the removed plug(s) with 200-grit sandpaper. Wipe the sanding dust from the engine block with a clean rag.
5Align a new freeze out plug with the cleaned hole. Sharply strike the exterior of the plug with the ball peen hammer to set the plug into the engine block. Install a new freeze out plug into each opening.
6Reattach the exhaust manifold to the engine block. Tighten the exhaust bolts with a ratchet handle.
