rocket350

so i drained the radiator a couple months ago, because it just had water in it, today i got a bottle of coolant and put it in, as i was pouring it in i heard splashing like water hitting concrete. i think to myself," haha my radiator is made like a brick house".

i finish pouring the last of the bottle in and the sound still continues, so i think" O CRAP, i didnt tighten up the drain valve". Look at valve, its tight.

So im still hearing the sound and with eyes bulging, i see coolant coming from under the engine. i didn't jack the car up yet and can only get a little under before my gut hits the sway bar and stops me.

From what i can see its coming from above the engine brace,(bar running from a arm to a arm, sorry dont know exact name) hitting brace and rolling off back just to the passangerside of the middle.

when i jack it up what should i be checking in that area?

jfb

I would check the rear engine plug or freeze plugs. passenger rear of engine.

Lady72nRob71

X2

Did the car get exposed to subfreezing temps when only water was in it?

rocket350

no i drained it before the super cold weather got here

Lady72nRob71

Did you open the block drain plugs (one on each side) and drain it all the way? Just draining the radiator leaves the block half full (or more)...

MDchanic

What Rob says - pure water in the block could have (you hope) popped a freeze plug if the drain plugs on each side of the block weren't removed to drain the water from the block.

I'd jack it up, put the garden hose in the radiator filler, fill it up, leave the hose on just enough to keep the water level steady, put on the swim trunks, then crawl under and look to see where the water's coming from. Keep looking after you find it, because the water could be coming from more than one place.

- Eric

rocket350

[QUOTE=MDchanic;516549]What Rob says - pure water in the block could have (you hope) popped a freeze plug if the drain plugs on each side of the block weren't removed to drain the water from the block.

I'd jack it up, put the garden hose in the radiator filler, fill it up, leave the hose on just enough to keep the water level steady, put on the swim trunks, then crawl under and look to see where the water's coming from. Keep looking after you find it, because the water could be coming from more than one place.

- Eric[/QUok yea ill try that, and thats with the engine off, right?

MDchanic

Oh, yeah - with the engine off.

With the engine on, you'd really get a bath!

- Eric

joe_padavano

Crossmember is the work you're looking for. The reality is that the leak could be coming from anywhere and running down the engine. Freeze plugs are likely candidates, as is the water pump. Feel the underside of the pump snout for wetness. If the car has A/C, check the heater control valve on the rear passenger side corner of the block for wetness. Obviously check all hoses, as well as gaskets.

Rickman48

The freeze plugs could have also rotted out, if original - Anti-freeze is also a rust inhibiter.
Another reason for adding it in the winter.

Lady72nRob71

And in the summer as well.

rocket350

found leak freeze plug right behind engine mount, so what im gonna do is is pull the engine and do a full overhaul, i mean seems logical since the engine is gonna be out and plus the car has been sitting for 15+ years, so it could use it.

also got a quote of about $1000, that includes gaskets, valve seals, bearings etc.
that seem like a right number?

MDchanic

Nope. Way too low. I'd be very careful.

- Eric

pogo69

Thats easily a full days work at a decent garage...more then a day i think, 1k is a good price

rocket350

what kind of price would you expect?

ihengineer76

The price would depend on how far you want to go. If you find a scored cylinder, then the price will go up considerably because you will need and overbore and new pistons. Are you having the heads freshened? $1000 would barely cover just the parts on a simple rebuild.

Rickman48

You sure that's not the price to just R+R the motor?

rocket350

no im just having the basics done, not upgrading anything, just replacing gaskets and all. the motor only has 69,000 miles on it.

Lady72nRob71

Do you plan to do it yourself or have a shop do it?
If it runs great and has low miles, a full overhaul is not what you want.
You want more of a refresh, which would include:
Gaskets (including intake, valve cover, and oil pan), main seals, timing set, oil pump, valve seals, water pump, engine mounts, hoses, belts, points/condenser, oil and coolant.
Plan on at least 1700 for a shop (17 hrs). How do I know this? Lady got most of this before I bought her and I have the itemized receipt. All that was missing was a good cleaning and paint. However I fixed that in the garage...
It will cost much less if you do yourself. Rockauto has all the parts you need and you can drop them all in a cart for a quick estimate.

Might as well drop the tranny to reseal that, too.

MDchanic

If you have a good-running 69,000 mile engine, why would you give it up into the hands of some mechanic to take apart and possibly completely screw up?

If you've got a few leaky gaskets, then change them, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and for Heaven's sake, if it ain't broke don't give it to someone else to fix.

- Eric

brown7373

Sounds like no machine work, just new gaskets freeze plugs, bearings etc. While that will fix some things and improve others, without machine work, the bearings will quickly resume the condition of the old ones.

How long did it have pure water in it? You could have a lot of rust and corrosion throughout the engine if it was that way for more than a short time.

rocket350

ok so i was out with the cutlass today and just to be sure it was a freeze plug i put the hose in the radiator and got under the car. confirmed it was afreeze plug behind the engine mount and also found that a freeze plug near the font o the driver side, had also popped. unlike the other one the hole freeze plug came out in 1 piece (i assume).


returning to question about y i would let a garage to the work. its beause im a beginner and dont know how to do alot of stuff plus i want experiance working on this car as it was my dads and i dont want to mess anything up. ill work on my 88 camaro, with no problem 1 because i cant do nothing to it that hasn't been already done by previous owner, and also to me right now its just a car to get from point a to point B

rocket350

ok. so after much thinking, i think i wanna fix the car myself, the only way to learn is to mess up ( hopefully i dont) but yea i just want to replace the freeze plugs right now. as 1 of you said if it aint broke dont fix it. god knows how many times i fixed something that wasnt broken and still had to put more money out to fix something else.