what is the freeze plug, where is it, and where do i get the heater? thanks. i love this forum, you all are so helpfull
From Wikipedia.
Core plug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Core plugs, sometimes wrongly called
freeze plugs or
frost plugs, are
plugs that fill the
core holes found on water cooled
internal combustion engines.
The
sand casting cores are used to form the internal cavities in the
engine block or
cylinder head(s), usually forming the
coolant passages. The traditional plug is a thin, domed, disc of
ferrous metal which is pressed into a machined hole in the casting. Alternatively a non-ferrous metal such as
brass offers improved corrosion prevention. In some high-performance engines the core plugs are large diameter
pipe plugs.
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Core plugs can often be a source of troublesome leaks as a result of internal cooling system corrosion. Ease of replacement depends on accessibility. In many cases the plug area will be difficult to reach and using a mallet to perform maintenance or replacement will be nearly impossible without special facilities. Expanding rubber plugs are available as replacements when access is a problem.
Freeze plug
A true freeze plug is an expansion plug located in the side of an engine block that is supposed to protect the block against freeze damage. Water expands when it turns to ice, and if the coolant does not have enough
antifreeze protection it can freeze and crack the engine block. The freeze plugs (there are usually several) are supposed to pop out under such conditions to relieve the pressure on the block.
A variety of
block heater called a "freeze plug heater" can be installed, replacing the freeze plugs, to warm the engine before start up.
