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Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph

Posted By: 67HEMI

Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 06:03 PM

I was at arm drop live in Memphis Friday. It had rained all week and the track was green so I let a few cars go ahead of me to down a little rubber.The routine was the same as always, 160 degrees, roll through the water, 2nd to 3rd for a 3 second burnout, roll in,stage,launch, it only had a 1.45 60 foot,ran a 6.63 @ 102 then I heard a pop and the front end dropped. I thought a ball joint broke so I just coasted on through the lights.Then I saw water coming up through the edge of the hood so I cut it off.The freeze plug behind the drivers side motor mount blew out. I think that is what saved me as the motor mount dispersed the water as it came out. The freeze plug is brass but is very shallow like a 1/8 shoulder.They were already installed in the block when I bought the car 4 years ago. I will be putting in the deep ones with a 1/4 inch shoulder. I am very thankful to have not hit the wall Any ideas what might have caused it to come out? Block flex or just the shallow shoulder combined with the narrow block shoulder or something else?
Posted By: BBLM23

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 07:06 PM

Quote:

...The freeze plug behind the drivers side motor mount blew out... Any ideas what might have caused it to come out? Block flex or just the shallow shoulder combined with the narrow block shoulder or something else?


Are you using the motor mounts? or a plate? If mounts it probably is due to the flex.

Glad it didn't get ugly!
Posted By: 65racer

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 07:56 PM

Had the same problem with mine last season, only
I lost the same 1 twice, never could see, or figure out why this problem started to occur, I had ran the block several season before, and never any problems ,mine was in the middle hole on the pass side of the block, thought it might have been brass plug related, so I changed brands of plugs, and had it happen again, after the second time I used one of those rubber squeeze type, and have had no more problems with it since, knock on wood, have never figured out why this just started happening, but as you know it is not any fun when it happens, I almost stuffed mine in the wall the first time, but luckily it recovered before any contact, but the car had an awful smell inside for a while .

Be extra careful with it if you go with another brass plug, it could happen again, which I hope you don't have any problems with it, I though when mine did it the first time it was just one of those fluke deals, but after the 2nd time, that theory was out the window.

Good luck
Dave
Posted By: moparniac

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 08:05 PM

did you have antifreeze in the car..... rich is a stickler about that! glad everything was okay...... Im so glad my new block has screw in ones..... that happened to me one time going down the street! Try this below!

Posted By: 67HEMI

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 08:38 PM

No all I had was water and water wetter in it. With antifreeze it might have gotten real ugly!!I like the CHINESE freeze plug picture That is a good idea with the screws or I thought about tapping the block and using screw in type.
Posted By: 67HEMI

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 08:42 PM

Quote:


Are you using the motor mounts? or a plate? If mounts it probably is due to the flex.

Glad it didn't get ugly!



I am using solid steel mounts.
Posted By: Leon441

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 09:19 PM

Quote:

did you have antifreeze in the car..... rich is a stickler about that! glad everything was okay...... Im so glad my new block has screw in ones..... that happened to me one time going down the street! Try this below!





I have had two freezeplugs come out. One was when I welded a fitting in the plug and it blew out at about 160MPH. Nothing exciting just a big geizer in the video.

The second time was a new engine. I had made the mistake of using a crank with a rod that was close in weight and a piston close in weight to what was run before. In too big a hurry to get balanced. The PS front plug came out. It was late winter and the water was green. When the water is green, you know the deal(antifreeze) it is slick and I bruised the car. Fixed the car put a new plug in and shot it out again at the next race with no incidents.

I removed the engine and used stainless button head screws very similar to this picture to secure the plugs. In my case the plug was being shook out of the block as the spinning assembly was 300 grams out of balance.

Chock this up for another lesson learned.

Leon
Posted By: Shaker223

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 09:20 PM

CHINA, that says it all.
Posted By: cgall

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/27/09 09:51 PM

I have been fighting this same problem for a long time, a member on here said that detonation will shake them out, I'm thinking that might be the case.
Posted By: Mike Swann

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/28/09 02:04 AM

Quote:

I have been fighting this same problem for a long time, a member on here said that detonation will shake them out, I'm thinking that might be the case.



Yep, I have first hand experience with this. The plug falling out is symptom of problem.
Posted By: 4404dart

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/28/09 02:54 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I have been fighting this same problem for a long time, a member on here said that detonation will shake them out, I'm thinking that might be the case.



Yep, I have first hand experience with this. The plug falling out is symptom of problem.



A friend crashed his Firebird this summer, because of a freeze plug coming out. We were spraying it for the first time this year and I put a little more jst in then before, well it took off and was on a low 9 sec pass, the plug came out, went left, then right into the wall. we've already fixed it, but I'm nervous to take it out again.
Posted By: jcc

Re: Freeze plug blows out @ 105 mph - 09/28/09 03:20 AM

Quote:

did you have antifreeze in the car..... rich is a stickler about that! glad everything was okay...... Im so glad my new block has screw in ones..... that happened to me one time going down the street! Try this below!





I know thats better then nothing, but is it enough? How about a captive plate using the same 3 tapped screw holes? I mean how often do the freeze plugs ever need to be taken out? Are they really freeze plugs anymore anyhow?
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