Club Cobra - Freeze plugs

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I need to change the freeze plugs on my Ford 5.0 HO V8 EFI. Jegs only sell brass plugs. Has anybody used these and are they any good? Any problems with leaks?

Cheers,

Ian

I think brass is the very best..or at least it use to be. Plain metal will corrode out sooner than brass. I don't know these days, maybe there are some better types..like Stainless steel or Kriptonite...?

Bill

PS. If the plug leaks a bit after you install it (which it should not) just dump some Alumi Seal in the old radiator to fix it.

I have never used anything but brass on my engines. Just wipe a little bit of RTV around them before you install. If you don't have a freeze plug driver, just use the biggest socket that you can fit into the plug.

or you can get a very large pipe tap and thread the freeze plugs holes and buy the BOSS 302 freeze plug kit and use the screw-in freeze plugs.......
Not hard to do..........

David

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...28MVC-012S.JPG

Quote:

Originally Posted by blykins (Post 925093)

Blykins,

Does the RTV help keep the plugs from blowing out? My brother-in-law had a jet boat with a 460 in it and he kept blowing out the freeze plugs. Made it a real exciting boat ride, trying to keep the boat from filling with water.

Terry

David: 2 Very large taps, one to start the threads and a shorter (cut off with abrasive wheel) to finish the last of the threads without hitting the outside of the cylinders, or tap all the hole initially wiht the full length tap, then cut it off and continue enlarging each previously threaded hole. Then you only buy 1 tap.

Terry, the RTV helps the freeze plugs to seal. The Brass plugs are the best, IMHO and usually go in fine if you use the right sized driver (socket). Just don't drive them in too far or you'll be saying bad words trying to get them back out. I usually drive them in just so the lip of the plug is right at the bottom of the taper of the freeze plug hole. '

If you're buddie's boat is blowing out freeze plugs, he has a serious overheating problem or a thermostat that won't open.

Bob

Thanks for all the tips on freeze plugs. I better get on with it.

Cheers,

Ian

Does anyone know where you can get BRASS SCREW-IN freeze plugs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Parker (Post 925155)

Rick:
The picture of the block is my race motor and the only reason we did that, is, one of the freeze plug holes was badly pitted and we thought sealing would be an issue, it's a 1971 302 junkyard block...The machine shop that did my boring had the tap and they had cut it down as you stated. He does this on just about all the Ford blocks he builds for racing purposes, from 302s to 460s....
I've never ever had any problems with regular ole brass freeze plugs, we just did this one cause of the pitting in the hole, but, now, since he has the tap, I'll probably do all my blocks, it just looks cool as well as being very functional....he found a shop that sells the freeze plugs fairly cheap, I wanna say maybe fifteen bucks for the set......

Quote:

Does anyone know where you can get BRASS SCREW-IN freeze plugs?

I've never seen any, but, then, I've never looked for them either... I would look at some industrial hardware/plumbing places, I'm sure you could find them at places like that or they could order them for you......

David

I ahve also never had a problem with the Brass freeze plugs and they look nice too!!
john

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccomt (Post 925383)

Does anyone know where you can get BRASS SCREW-IN freeze plugs?

I would use a screw-in freeze plug of the same material as the block.

That is if I decided the press-in plugs were inadequate, or if I were filling the water jackets of a drag motor.

There is nothing to gain for 99% of applications, but you do lose the mechanical overpressure vent for the block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Fixit (Post 925583)

Hey Fixit,
Good to see you-where you been?