Freeze Plugs for Dummies
Freeze Plugs For Dummies
A. Safety first!
1. When replacing freeze plugs, you need to jack up your vehicle, not use a car ramp of any type. You will have to remove the wheels during this process. Always set the safety brake and use blocks behind the back wheels. Use "car-jacks" that lock in place to hold up the vehicle safely after jacking. You will be using force to remove the old plugs and install the new ones, so this is extremely important!
Tools required:
1. Tire tool (to remove tire)
2. Car jack
3. Jack stands, or car stands (to hold up vehicle while working)
4. Spark plug socket (for installing new plug)
5. Hammer (small ball-pin hammer)
6. Punch
7. Vise-grips or pliers
8. Flat-tip screwdriver
B. Removing the old plugs
1. You will be using a hammer and a punch to remove the old freeze plug. You will want to be careful during this process, as there will be radiator fluid pouring out of the engine block upon the removal of the first plug. It might be wise to wear safety goggles, or to at least be aware! Align your punch at the inside of any corner of the old plug to thrust the plug inward at a diagonal fashion. On doing so, you will be able to protrude a corner of the plug towards you. Hammer softly with as little force as necessary to protrude the outer "hull" of the plug, so you can have enough space to pull the old freeze plug out.
2. With freeze plugs closer to the passenger and driver side. You will need to remove the wheel on the side you are working on and turn the wheel to the opposite direction of the side you are working on, giving you room to hammer at the plug with enough force to remove it.
C. Cleaning the interior wall of plugs
1. Upon the removal of the old freeze plugs, there is bound to be some residue and rubber around the edges of the entrance to the insert where the plugs are set into the engine block. Take your flat-head screwdriver and scrape around the inner walls until the entrance is clear.
D. Installing the new plugs
1. Find a spark plug socket that fits snuggly into the new freeze plugs. Set the new plug as straight, keeping to the angle of the hole cut in the engine block, and hammering it in gently with the spark plug socket as a driver. (Be careful that you keep a straight and true alignment to the hole cut into the engine block to ensure that the plug is sealed properly and does not leak!)
E. Post-installation instructions
1. Leave your wheels off and vehicle on jack stands until you have filled the radiator back up and started the vehicle to give your new plugs a pressurized test run to see if there are and leaks around the newly installed freeze plugs.
2. If there are no leaks, proceed to putting the wheels back on and lowering the vehicle.
