Pushing freeze plugs

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grainofsalt
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Pushing freeze plugs

Post by grainofsalt »

The story:

I had an issue with the combustion chamber polishing, It allowed the compression to cross in between cylinder 3 and 4 and pop out the #3 freeze plug completely and unset the other 4 on the side.
So, I had the head resurfaced at a different shop and put in all new brass plugs with a bit of red RTV on the block. I used a 36mm socket to drive them in, It was a perfect fit.

Here is the issue, the #3 freeze plug has moved 1/8" proud of the block. Was using the RTV an issue here? Could I just coat the exposed lip of the plug with a "glue" and drive it back in?
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SilverXJ
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Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by SilverXJ »

No, using the RTV wasn't a problem. However, I am unfamiliar with red RTV. I usually use grey. Was the plug bore clean?

Once the head was resurfaced did you compare the head gasket to the chambers? Sounds like you tried to de-shroud the valves and went too far. When I did mine I was uncomfortable with the little amount of material that there was to remove near the front and rear of the chamber to even try to deshroud it.
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Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by IH 392 »

If you were getting combustion pressure into the cooling system?, it should have blown the radiator cap or the radiator it's self long before it pushed out one of the core plugs?, those must have been some crappy off shore core plugs or the block was WAY! over cleaned?
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grainofsalt
I think I'll order a "tab"
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Posts: 47
Joined: November 9th, 2011, 6:52 pm
Stroker Displacement: 4.61
Vehicle Year: 1998
Vehicle Model: XJ

Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by grainofsalt »

The plug holes were clean. Block was "jet cleaned" according to the bill, It looked like they just hit it with a pressure washer. They put the first set of plugs using steel 2" plugs, They mic to about 1.999", (too small for a 1998 block) The brass that I put in were the "metric" 2" plug, About 2.015".

The combustion chamber polishing stayed away from the valves about 1/8", The intent there was to smooth the rough cast out and get a small bit of cc's back from surfacing the head.
grainofsalt
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Joined: November 9th, 2011, 6:52 pm
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Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by grainofsalt »

I think that I fond the problem, I had a radiator cap for a '99 on. But just for extra insurance I staked the plugs into the block.

Silver, Blue RTV is for water pumps ect. Red is for high heat. I should of used the gray, it's "designed for high torque applications".
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SilverXJ
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Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by SilverXJ »

I just use grey for nearly everything. Seems to hold up the best.

Why would a rad cap from a 99 cause a problem?
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Re: Pushing freeze plugs

Post by heavy equipment »

I recommend Loctite #271 for freeze plugs. It melts at 600°, but by then you have worse problems...
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