Thread: 61 T-Bird Water leak

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I have just tried to bring my bird back to life and have a water leak. It's coming from one of 3 plugs labeled PC 82 1 3/4.

I have not been under a car for 30 years. My guess is that it's a freeze plug. If it is how hard is it to fix? It is the most accessable location on this side of the engine.

Thanks

They are not hard to replace....just access can be tricky. I'm not sure how much room your dealing with and what side. Just make sure you get the same exact size plugs. Dorman is a good name brand and have the right size. I have the parts number for both steel and brass plugs. I'll look it up for you and get back......G.

Oh, to knock them out I use a socket and hammer. Put the socket to one side of the plug and slowly tap till the side your hitting starts to go inside the block. This will pivot the other side and grab it with plyers or vicegrips and yank er out. Just don't knock it inside the block!!....been there, done that. Cover the inside of the new plug and lip with a good sealer and re-install new plugs using a socket close to the size of the plug (big!) tapping in slowly and evenly. I'll get that number.....G.

Ok the original size was something weird like 1 49/64" but somewhere along the line someone figured a 1 3/4" is fine. Oh well....Dorman part number 565-036 for brass and 555-036 for steel. Clean the holes in the block well and before installing the new ones. BTW there is no lip on the inside of the block for the plug to bottom out on. Just tap them far enough so the lip is flush with the hole. The older plugs had a deeper lip also compared to the Dormans. G.

Thanks,
This plug has the most clearanceon the drivers side, but that is very little. What sort of force will I have to hit this thing (removing and installing)? With a short shocket on top I will have just a few inches to swing. Will "taps" do or will it take a good swing?

I went to Dorman and found the plugs. The numbers I found were a little different Brass 566-036 and Steel 556-036. I also saw Copper, Neoprene, and ribber the same size. What material might be the easyest to install? Why so many materials? Different freeze points? We don't get hard freezes here.
You call for good sealer, what is a good sealer?
Thanks again!

Yep short taps should be fine. Your just looking to knock one side in so the other pops out. You can even use an extension on the socket to get a little leverage if space permits. I use the brass ones and the black RTV sealer should be fine. I feel the brass is a little more forgiving being softer. I'm not certain about the materials but I know brass was commonly used in marine applications. Steel for automotive. I'm thinking corrosion but again not an expert on the subject. The numbers might have changed since I bought mine so go with the ones you found. I might have even jotted them down wrong possibly......would not be the first time LOL, G.

I always use the brass freeze plugs , they cost more,still cheap, but I have never had to replace one due to corrosion. Carlg

I did mine on my 62 Bird 390,,,the hard one to do was the one behind the motor mount,,,but after removing the mount it went pretty smooth,,,oh yeah,,,,while you have the frost plug out,,,put your finger inside the block and feel down low for crud that builds up,,,,if you have as much as i had,,you may have to poke around to loosen it all and flush it out,,or it will end up in your Radiator core.

Thanks everyone,
Getting the old one out was a real struggle. Taps did not do the job. Finally got it to move a little and had to keep on banging. It seems that this one had never been out. I had the engine out and had some one rebuild it 7 years ago. It seems that pulling these and replacing then would have been the right thing to do.
As for crud, I would say CRUD. WOW. Loosened, vacumed, and flushed out quite a lot.

It's running!!! I took it around the neiborhood and I'm off to get plates.

Thanks again.