63 Dart is overheating. Just had the radiator re-done. Don't want a bunch of internal engine rust, scale and crap filtering back into the radiator. Was initially thinking to remove the freeze plugs to do a block flush.

Is it absolutely necessary to do it? I'll do it, but the plugs are not leaking, and don't appear rusty from the outside (still covered with the factory red paint). Can I manage to flush out all the built-up sediment through the lower water hose? Or will it only come out through the plug openings?

Advice please!

Thanks all, in advance.

Some of our slants are so full of rust and junk that taking out the freeze plugs is like opening a trick door with a wall behind it.

In other words... the block is full of crud right up to the level of the plugs.

If you really want to clean it, out they come.

My $.02

- Mac

Yup, pull’em if you are handy, and plan on poking & prodding scale from lower water jacket for the afternoon. Hopefully passenger’s side drain plug will yield, and allow you to dig around on that side as well. I would only pull plugs that are easily assessable with a socket & hammer so reinstallation of new plugs will be easer.

Best scenario would be to pull head, and put the acid to its water jacket as well. But, I’m betting you are not up to this much of a project. Perhaps someone can advise on an effective in place head cleaning technique.

So, flush out what you can, including heater core, keeping in mind that core won’t like pressures above, say 16 psi, if it is old, as most likely the core will be in same shape radiator was.

When replacing freeze plugs, clean & remove any rust from their hole and oil from new plugs; use blue Locktite to keep them sealed & tight. Replace all old degraded hose as well.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Of the three freeze plugs, I pulled the one in the front.





I was surprised that there was not much sediment piled under the plug. Some came out, but not that much. After poking and scraping for a short while with a long flatblade screwdriver, I got it to look like this. during this operation, how clean is "clean" supposed to be? I realize the purpose of this operation is to loosen and flush any large rust chunks and debris that might be clogging the flow of coolant through the water jackets, but this plug/passage was pretty clean, even with poking and scraping, there wasn't much scale/rust that came out. Reached in with my fingers to poke around, and still didn't come up with much.

Do you guys think it necessary to remove the starter and pull the rear freeze plug as well, given the condition of the one I pulled? I want the cooling system in top shape, especially, since I just got the radiator done. I won't pull the plug underneath the manifold: that one will have to wait.

By the way wjajr, what passenger side plugs are you talking about? I see none on my 225, and no block diagrams I looked at show any...

There is a drain plug on the oil pump side of the motor, above and to the rear of the oil pump.

Take a look at the "Slant SIx Blocks" article found HERE on this site. It discusses cleaning out the water jacket with acid.

HERE are directions from the good doctor of how to clean the water passages in a head.

Sorry I should have been clearer, as to passenger’s side drain plug.

Look where Reed directed you for a square ¼ inch threaded plug. It should unscrew, but behind it may be a wall of crud that will need to be poked at with a small screwdriver, awl, or like device to get things flowing.

Your block’s water jacket looks good. All the crud will be at the bottom of the water jacket as you have discovered. Sometimes if cooling system has not been maintained or only water used in place of 50-50 antifreeze solution there will be a ton of crap in there.

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Thanks Reed. I definitely didn't know what I was looking for - thought it was a plug the same size and shape as the freeze plugs. Did spot that small plug you're speaking out. That's easy. Thanks for the link to the articles.

What are people's thoughts about removing the starter to clean the rear, driver's side plug, in addition to what I've already done? Necessary/unnecessary?

Necessary since you have gone this far......

Since your working on the high side it will be pretty clean. All the junk is on the passenger side which is lower and towards the back of the engine.

I would pull the block drain plug behind the oil filter and make sure it puts out a good stream of water. You may have to use an old screw driver and chip out the crude before it can put out a 3/8" stream of water.

The core wires and crud still need to come out. Sometimes you can pull them out when the thermostat is out and the water pump is removed.

Is this engine out of the car or still in it?

_________________
Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

The engine is still in the car, so it's a little tight to get the passenger drain plug out, but it can be done.

I'll remove the starter to drain the other plug as well. Nothing complicated about removing the starter, right? Just unhook the battery, disconnect the terminals, disconnect the holding bolts, and should come off, correct?

When your done put a piece of flexible mesh in the upper radiator hose - like metal window screen. Fashion it into a sock like shape , insert the "toes" into the upper radiator tank, and drape the "ankle" part of the sock over the hose bib. Put the hose over it and tighten the clamp like normal. After a few hundred miles remove it and you should find any remaining trapped bits of flakes in the system. I think I remember reading a post here where someone used the leg of a piece of pantyhose.

There are also purpose-made filters for this application if you wanted to go that far.

Correct about the starter. If its a stock type be prepared when you take the final bolt out, they weigh a ton and drop readily on any susceptible fingers underneath.

Rear freeze plug photos. More rusty junk here. Scraped it all out, and is now quite clean.





Regarding the passenger side small plug above and to the left of the oil pump, I have not been able to get water to flow from here during my flushing process. Spent some time poking and scraping dirty, greasy crud from the opening, and even managed to get about a 8" long flatblade screwdriver scraping around in there, but still have not been able to get water to flow, using a pressurized nozzle. I have not put the nozzle to this opening and tried backflushing from this hole: should I try that?

I know (based on your description) that I'm focusing on the right opening: there's no other one in that area. What else should I do on this side to try and get flow? Is it imperative that I do this? Rest of the flushing process has gone smoothly.

Keep working at it. That is exactly what I was referring to, the passenger side collects all the debris.

The screw driver is a good start, try and get a coat hanger in there and push it up to get the water flowing. Then you can start cleaning side to side.....

You may have to use some block flushing cleaner over night to get it to eat through all the crud. Reminds me of using Drano on a stopped up drain.

Don't give up, keep working at it, eventually it will break loose. I usually start on the side drain plug first while all the freeze plugs are still in. That way there is more pressure and water in the block.

You might want to plug the freeze plug holes with rubber plugs so you can flush more water through.
You can buy rubber freeze plugs which are pretty cheap. They are very easy to pull and reuse.

_________________
Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

Thanks Ted, Pierre, wjarjr, Reed and Slanted.

It's been a long month without her, but working on it on the weekends in between other projects.

To finish, right after I asked how necessary it was to keep working on the passenger side drain plug and Ted, you told me to keep working at it, I went out for probably a total of 5 minutes, and within the first minute or two, managed to poke through something crunchy, because as soon as I poked through, dirty rusty water came gushing out; not just a 3/8" stream, but a full torrent. So, I poked around longer, and managed to clean out that side pretty well too.

The last few days have finished her up. Radiator core was rodded out, tank repaired and painted. Re-installed that yesterday, along with a homemade metal-mesh catcher in the upper radiator hose bib. Thanks Dick for your offer to make me one: I will use yours in my 60 Valiant V200 wagon, which needs all this same work done. New 16lb radiator cap installed. New 180 degree Stant thermostat installed, as well as a new aluminum thermostat housing from Rock Auto to replace the original cast-iron housing that was rusting and crumbling away. New brass freeze plugs (courtesy of China) with blue Permatex have been installed and are now in place as of this evening. Starter has been re-installed. The transmission cooling line I f'd up has been correctly spliced, flared and repaired with some new untwisted line and a compression fitting. The heater core was backflushed tonight, alternating between hoses until no more rusty water came out. No detectable leaks from the core (at least, no visible dripping inside). New upper and lower radiator hoses. New alternator belt. New A/C compressor belt (hasn't had one in the 14 years I've owned the car, so we'll see if it actually blows cold: not holding my breath on that one).

I had just gotten 48 years of grease and grime steam cleaned off, right before this thing overheated, so now, I'm looking forward to seeing how she runs with a nice clean engine AND a fairly cleaned out cooling system with new parts.

Obviously, I'm wanting to try her out right now, but I put in the freeze plugs with the blue Permatex around 5:00PM today, and full cure time states 24 hours, though it will harden before that. In people's opinion, do I need to wait until tomorrow afternoon before filling it up with coolant/water to test how it's running, or can I do it tomorrow morning? Think the Permatex will be dry enough by then?

Original housing was aluminum. Iron one was aftermarket replacement.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

That's interesting...and surprising. Good to see your post Dan, long time no talk.