Not the Christmas present I asked for if it's a cracked block. Ran engine for a few minutes to warm up and coolant started really couming out of exhaust manifold at the No. 1 cly. location. Still got 45 psi on No. 1 and both coolant and oil look good, not mixed.
Head gasket? Cracked block? Something else?
Where to start looking. Got my fingers crossed it's not fatal.
There is a freeze plug just behind the #1 exhaust port, maybe it blew out or is leaking badly.
Clean everything up, then watch where it leaks from to find the source.
Pictures would be helpful, too.
Yep, probably just the freeze plug. Hope so anyway.
replace it with a worn buffalo nickel.
Thats on my list this winter for repairs. Front freeze plug is leaking. Im going to try nickle fix. Real ones may be cheaper but not near as cool!
As requested, here's a photo of coolant leaking from No. 1 cyl exhaust manifold.
Ordered brass freeze plugs this evening. Will start disassemble tomorrow. Will do all three.
Nice Christmas present if it's not cracked block or blown head gasket, which it doesn't look like.
Robert, you may not have to disassemble anything if you can get the old plugs out. The change can be made without removing the manifolds. I have changed two on the roadside using copper coins.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.
When I first got my 23 Touring I replaced the leaking freeze plugs with buffalo nickels. I subsequently had the engine overhauled and the rebuilder removed them and put in steel ones. They rusted and started leaking so I re-replaced them with buffalo nickels.
looks like an early block in the photo, i have a 14 that rusted thru in the valve chamber, due to thin wall in that area from core shift when the block was cast, is the theory i hear most. hope you get lucky and it is just a plug, but your photo looks to have fluid higher than the plug, like out of the gasket. wipe it dry and watch it leak
If you have to remove the manifolds, it looks like you have one of those bad type gaskets. You should change it out with the round copper gland type for a much better seal and will hold your exh manifold better. Maybe your manifold has sagged and that's the reason for that gasket type?
I love those nickel plugs
For how easy it is to remove the manifolds, I think I would, then try pouring coolant back in it and really see where it is coming from. That "wrong" manifold gasket is hindering the view of where it is coming from. My guess it is just the freeze plug though.
Then get the proper rings and glands in it to reseal it up after you replace the plug.
Rip that gasket away and have a lookie-see!
Just an update . . .
Still waiting for brass plugs to arrive. It's a 26 (late 25) block, so I hope it's not a rust through. But haven't disassembled yet.
The gaskets came in a gasket set I got from one of the vendors that included every gasket I would need. So this is the gasket that came. I will research the other gasket and see if I can still get one with my order for the plugs.
Please, no more Indian Head nickle stories. I read enough yesterday when I thought I had a cracked block to make my pumpkin pie taste like nickle.
Would love to be able to replace them without removing much, but if I have to remove the gasket anyway, I've got to at least loosen the manifolds off the block. Perhaps I can leave my carb and all that linkeage connected to the intake and just let it hang loose for the freeze plug job.
Robert, I just literally got done putting in rings and glands on my T doodlebug. I had the exhaust manifold off, but I did let the intake hang with the carb on it still---but I did remove the mixture control rod.
On the flip side, it really isn't hard to unhook the rest--fuel line, throttle and choke linkage, I was just being lazy.
Yes there is plenty of room once the exhaust manifold is out of the way.
Robert, there is nothing to stop you trimming off that bit of gasket that is in the way. It serves no purpose. If you have a pair of manifolds which are sealed, I would not disturb them.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.
Well, since the order had not shipped from Lang's yet, I added the correct copper clad gaskets and the rings to the order. They way I'm such a newbie to this, I'm leaning towards just taking the manifolds off, replacing all three plugs and new gaskets and rings and, hopefully, one more problem area to cross off the list.
If I had done my homework and read about the plugs when I was cleaning and painting the engine, I would have replace all three at that time.
I think, in hindsight, what I did was flush out the cooling system with vinegar and some degreaser and cleaned out all the gunk that was plugging up the leaking freeze plug. Either that, or I weakened the already thin plug and all new fluids and good compression and radiator just found a home.
I'll worry about the other two if I just do one or worry about the gasket and rings now that I have been informed there's a better way to go.
So once the postman gets here with my goodies, I'll take an afternoon and my son and I will kick this thing out. Another reason to take some time with it and do it right.
Thanks for all the assistance. Hope to report back positive results before the frum disappears for the year.
I cleaned and flushed mine with vinager and thats when my front freeze plug started leaking. Mine was minor and I made it through the summer.
I'm not so sure that some of the gunk we cleaned out with the vinegar wasn't Bars Leak from the previous owner.
Robert, Allan has a good idea, Trim off that gasket and replace the so called "freeze" plug. After you fix that problem then you could replace the manifold rings but if you have no leaks its a "If it's not broke - Don't fix it. The risk is that your Exhaust manifold maybe, probably is warped, sagging and not exactly linned up to the ports. In that case you'd have to straighten the manifold to be able to use the rings to seal.
Just saying
Steve Jelf has good step by step instructions on doing freeze plugs on his web site. I am sure if he reads this thread he can send link to it. I can't remember it at the moment.
I just noticed the same problem yesterday, I thought it was the head gasket. But a closer look was the plugs. Here is the link,
http://www.dauntlessgeezer.com/DG87.html
Now I have to find the nickels.
Here's the pinhole in the freeze plug. When my son touched it with his finger, it went right through. We're gonna do all three, gaskets and rings.
God help me, I'm thinking about the nickles.
You are blessed . Truly a Christmas gift. Don't ask me how I know, All's well.
Nickles are on their way from Ebay and I'll have the brass plugs as a back up if we can't get them to seal.
We're gonna give them a try.
Yes, no cracked block or rust through or head gasket or something more major is truly a blessing. And working through this with my son certainly has it's own rewards.
Not exactly a Christmas miracle, but better than a sharp stick in the eye.
"Your car will be worth 15 cents more"
I paid $10 for the three 1915, 1916 and 1917 nickles. Guess I need to call State Farm and increase my coverage.
Next thing I'll read is that during the depression, the farmers used $100 bills for gaskets and single malt wiskey for fuel.
Late to the party, I obviously have missed something. What's the difference between a buffalo nickel and the later models ?
The buffalo nickles are cooler. And period correct.
Glad it was just the frost plugs Bob.
Smiley face inserted here.
Nickels, from their beginning in 1866 to present, are 75% copper and 25% nickel (except those minted 1942-45), .835" in diameter and .077" thick. The only advantage to using a buffalo nickel as a plug over any other nickel is that it's period correct. They were minted from 1913 until 1938.
P.S. Obviously I need more to do.......