Freeze plugs

[Hrududu]

Okay, i guess my freeze plug(s) on the back of my engine have cracked or have holes. It has been going through antifreeze quickly and its been dripping from the bottom around the mounting plate. Has anyone ever had to have this fixed on their car? About how much may this end up costing me. Im afraid i don't know enough about this kind of thing to do it myself. Im guessing the transmission is going to have to come out, right? any help? im scared i may not have enough $$ to get this done.

[240Zdragon72]

You can get a set of 9 new ones vrom VictoriaBritish.com. They will send a free catalog and then you can call to order. As for the process of pulling the plug out, you say that it is the aft plug where the trans mates up, right. What you can do is tie a piece of wire around your trans and hook it to your hood latch mounted to the firewall. this way you will not have to pull the trans all the way out. When you get the motor out, take a punch or a smaller diameter socket and beat one side of the plug untill the other side pops out. take a pair of vice grips, needle nose pliers and work it out. To get the new one in, put a bead of ATV around the outside diameter of the plug and then take the biggest socket you can make fit into the plug and beat it into the block using even force. You wont get it in on the first couple of hits, but it will eventualy go in. Try not to get it crooked. If this happens, you will have to pound on the one side that is uneven (furthest in the block) to get the other side to come out again. Good luck and I hope it is just a freeze plug and not the block itself.

[Bambikiller240]

Easiest to just pull the trans, remove the flywheel, and clutch. Replace the freeze plug on the back of the motor block (if that's the one leaking), Reinstall the flywheel and clutch, install the trans and have a beer.

No need to pull the engine.

If you felt the need to replace all freeze plugs, you just remove the intake and exhaust manifolds to get at the ones on that side of the block. The ones on the pasenger side of the block are accessable without much effort at all.

PS Be advised that there is one freeze plug on the back of the cylinder head also. If that one is the one leaking you pretty much have to pull the head (or the entire engine). Otherwise, leave the engine in the car.

Best to make SURE where the water is coming from, or atleast that it's NOT coming from the headgasket, or the water supply pipe that goes around the back of the motor, (or anywhere else external) before you start working to fix it.

[Hrududu]

Thanks for the info guys, problem is i know very little about cars and don't have many of the right tools for removing a transmission. On a scale of 1-10 in car repair and knowledge, id give myself a 3. About how long would this take to do at home if i had some help? I guess you guys know enough to do this yourself, but if anyone knows how much a shop would charge (ballpark) that would also be great.