289 V8 Freeze Plug

[drnittler]

How hard is it to reinstall a freeze plug in a 289 V8? How is this done? This is in a 62 Lark?

[DEEPNHOCK]

Depends on which one it is.
The rear one under the starter is the hardest.
(You need to remove the starter)
But, a point to consider......
If one is bad, then the rest are not far behind.
And cleaning out the rear passages in the block would be a superb maintenance item to do at this time.
But it is a sloppy, messy, and tedious job.
Buy the best replacement plugs you can find.
I like to Dorman screw in type, installed with great care.
Procedure?
Jack up the vehicle, put it on safe jack stands. Disconnect battery. Remove starter.
Drain cooling system.
Take sharp punch and tap through plug and pry out.
Remove the two NPT screw in plugs (put new ones in there, too)
Wearing snorkel gear, do a D&C on the rear coolant passages of the block.
(Pressure washer helps here....Messy, messy, messy)
Clean up mess. Go take a shower and wait until the next day.
Install new plugs using quality install tool, and some #2 Permatex.
Reinstall starter. Reconnect battery.
Fill with quality 50-50 mix of coolant anti freeze.
Gloat at job well done.
Drive with confidence.
HTIH
Jeff

How hard is it to reinstall a freeze plug in a 289 V8? How is this done? This is in a 62 Lark?

[mbstude]

Jeff pretty much has it... It's definitely one of those "while you're in there" jobs.

[PackardV8]

As always, excellent directions, jeff. To those, I'd add.

After plugs are installed, there is still much loose crud in the block.
Remove upper radiator hose from radiator and remove thermostat housing
Remove thermostat from housing and reinstall housing and hose but do not connect to radiator
Start engine and let idle
Put garden hose in radiator and turn on
Run engine until water coming out top hose is clear. This insures the loose crud is flushed out
Shut off engine, drain remaining water from radiator.
Install thermostat and radiator hose.
Fill with 50/50 water and antifreeze.

jack vines

[drnittler]

This engine was rebuilt and my son, whom I gave the car to, put 40000 on it in three years. He says the plug popped out. He took it to his mechanic and the guy says the plug was in backwards. I find this hard to believe, when my mechanic and machine have done several engines. Can plugs pop out? Thanks for the help.

[jackb]

sure they can, especially if installed wrong. And take the aforementioned advise: check or replace the others too.

[Skinnys Garage]

The first thing you need to determine is the style of core plug your '62 has. Studebaker switched engines mid year in '62 and both use different plugs.

The earlier partial flow engines (with no oil filter on the lower block opposite the starter side) use a sightly dished flat looking plug. This style needs to be installed with the dish to the outside and flattened straight to expand the plug to seal against the block. Sometimes installers get carried away and go over center, causing a weak seal on the block and can fail.

The later full flow engines (with oil filter down low on block) use cup style plugs. These install with the dish or cup side inward until the outer edge is flush with the block.

I've seen engines where the wrong style was used and some strange methods of making them work, like installing a cup style backward to fit the short step in an early block etc. First thing to do is see which block you're dealing with and go from there.