Yea yea I know this is a Honda forums but I'm in need of some help asap. The vehicle is a 1996 Dodge Ram caravan and its leaking coolant. I'm trying to figure out what this part is called and if it is fixable becuase as of right now I'm considering either welding over it or smear some kind of ceramic paste over this sucka. Take a look at the pic and let me know what you guys think.

 

looks like a freeze plug. they are pretty easy to replace. just about any auto parts store will have them.

dont weld it. the block is cast iron and freeze plugs are made of some sort of soft metal (aluminum perhaps?) you would just screw up the hole that the plug sits in.

 

I was told that I can remove this plug by chiseling it out. But I don't want to do that if I can just unscrew it, lol.

 

yeah they dont screw out. they are press fit.

you might try and drill a hole in the middle, then stick a screwdriver in the hole and pry it out. I know there are special tools just for removing freeze plugs. ask your auto parts store if they rent them.

how ever you get it out, try not to mar up the block. the new plug needs to sit in a nice smooth surface.

 

also, be carefull when you are trying to remove it. there is nothing stopping it from falling inside the block.

 

Thanks for your help. I posted this same question on a few Dodge forums and got no replies. Who knew someone in here would know the answer, lol.

 

Yeah if it is indeed a freeze plug, which it looks to be...it should be an easy fix. Heres a little trick from the bodyshop/metal forming dept.....drill a hole in the middle of the freeze plug, and find a sheetmetal screw that is bigger than the hole. Thread the sheet metal screw in until the head is sticking out just slightly. Now take the backside of a wood working handle(claw end), and pull on the screw just as if you were pulling a nail out. Make sure the screw is quite a bit bigger than the hole you drill, so that it bites well. Ive seen this done on body panels where there is no way to get to the backside to hammer/dolly it, before the newer, nicer, stud guns had come out. Works great on freeze plugs to!
When you get it out and are ready to put the new one in...find a big socket that will just slide into the center of the plug...and gently tap it in until the outer egde (little rasied lip), sits flush with the block. As stated, freeze plugs are soft, usually made of brass, and they are a compression fit, so dont pund the hell out of the socket or you will knock the plug into the block. Should be super quick and easy. GOOD LUCK!
Kyle
P.S. If you think you have tried everything and for some reason, cannot get it out...just take the socket you plan on using on the new plug and hammer the old leaking one into the block...it really wont hurt anything. All its going to do is sit in the bottom of the block in the water jacket...no biggie.
GOOD LUCK!

 

Its technically called a core plug.

Not a freeze plug.

 

frost plug..

 

Even if you could remove it, its going to be one massive PITA to get a new one seated properly. How much room do you have to work with?

 

they have adjustable one's with a rubber end with a big brass washer and a nut that you tighten down go pick one up and your problem goes away