My assumption is that this is not good. I have had it running, but not much longer than 2 to 3 minutes at a time. I am now not able to get it to staying running all. I can get it to turn over, start for just a moment with the choke and then it dies. I had a full radiator of water and the engine has since filled the gallon paint can I had underneath to catch the dripping water. I think it is or was a freeze plug, but I cannot tell. This is the cylinder closest to the firewall. Pointers...
Needs new freeze plugs, brass or nickel work best. Be sure to clean out the recess before putting in new ones. a little prematex wont hurt.
Do I need to take off the exhaust and intake manifold in order to replace the freeze plugs? Would the freeze plugs have anything to do with it not being able to stay running?
frost plugs cost 5 cents. you take a nickle and place it over a socket and pound with a ball peen hammer until it's cup shaped fits the hole, then pound it flat again
It will be tight but you might be able to do that one with manifold in place. Maybe the front one also but not the middle.
Scott, The weeping freeze plug will not keep it from running. Just don't forget to change it before you run it for more than a few minutes.
Check for spark and fuel also if the intake manifold gasket is compromised that will cause it not to start, just one of many things to check.
Good Luck
Best to remove the intake and the exhaust manifold, since you have engine running for a short time troubles, that could be worn out gaskets that allow an intake leak too.
Get that freeze plug replaced, check the others, clean the ports and use new gaskets.
Ignition is easy to check first, just run thru all the areas from coil box, coils, wiring, timer, and be sure of the gap of the plugs and check each for spark lying on the cyl head. Check timing.
Then all that is left is gas flow, carb, and carb setting. Just needs right amount of gas, proper amount of air, and spark at right times to fire and run on just fine.
Related question - how do you remove the old freeze plug? Drill a hole in it, screw in a self-tapping screw, then yank it out with pliers (after draining out all the coolant first, of course)?
Mark, I hammer a screw driver through the plugs then pop them out.
Stephen
When one gets to the point of leaking, you can push a screwdriver through it and pry it out. If one is bad, chances are that the other two are as well. Replace all 3 with brass plugs or nickels. Clean out the groove the plugs fit into, and apply some sealant there as insurance.
Removing the manifolds makes the job much easier, and as Dan says, it's a good time to re-do the manifold gaskets anyway.
My freeze plug story.
When I was much younger and had less sense, my wife disagrees on the sense part, I borrowed my dad's Chrysler sedan which was an antique at the time. probably something in the 40's.
It had an overdrive transmission and I decided to see if I could get it into first overdrive.
I wound that dude up and let off on the gas and it went into overdrive and a freeze plug let go.
Must of had a good water pump.
My dad was baffled as to why it happened.
I can still see it in my minds eye sitting there at 14'th and Brockton in Riverside, California with water running down the street
I'm not sure sealant is a good idea. The fellow that rebuilt my engine used sealant on the plugs. One fell out at the most in-oppertune time. I replaced all of them, without sealant that can get soft and cause the plug to be loose.
The still need to be set. Just putting sealant in is not enough. The sealant is just there to take care of any irregularities in the hole not to hold the plug in.
Try the permanent hardening permatex. Put the plugs in and tap in the center to set them and then leave it for a day or two before filling.
Norm
Here is an engine I rebuilt a couple of weeks ago, I ran out of the brass freeze plugs and used a nickel in one of them, worked great! I do put a little permatex around the edge before installing the plug.
In my '22, I also used two brass plugs and one nickel. It's how I prove I've really sunk some money into my engine.