[Chrysler300] Re: Freeze out plug

["richard_e_osborne" <richard@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark,

I feel your pain. I struggled with these plugs in my G. This is bringing back many bad memories.

I believe these are called "welsh plugs". I cannot remember the size. I mic'd the ID of the hole and then matched as closely as possible, seems there are even metric sizes if I remember correctly.

These are concave shaped stamped metal, they fit somewhat snug into into the machined hole within the head (or engine block) with the curve facing OUTWARD of the engine. With a blunt device (I used a 1/2" drive socket extension), you whack the heck out of it to make it expand and create a tighter friction fit to the machined surface.

Here are my opinions and methods which have lasted for almost 10,000 miles which included a trip through the 113F dessert in Arizona:

-Clean the machined surface, I used lacquer thinner.
-Find a plug which is the tightest possible when pushed in by hand.
-coat the edges of the plug and head/block with JB Weld, then insert plug.
-Smack the heck out of the plug with something that is a little smaller than the diameter of the plug. I recommend smacking as infrequently as possible, I think once is ideal, but not always practical.
-Let it sit for a few days to allow the JB Weld to firm.

I do not claim to have eliminated this possibility. I still carry the rubber temporary expansion plugs as a precaution.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Richard Osborne


--- In Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Mark Souders <MRS954@...> wrote:
>
> 
> This morning I was driving my 300H and three miles from the house, I pulled out from a traffic light, and something went POP. Then there was a white cloud of smoke coming from under the car. I pulled off the highway, opened the hood and found that a freeze out plug removed itself from the left head. With the help of a few gallons of water, I nursed it back home. Now I need to know what size plug goes into that hole, what kind to get, and how do I install it so that it won't escape again? The FSM is very evasive about this subject. This plug has been in the head for 8 years and 13,000 miles, not rusted out, the whole plug is gone, and the paint is chipped off the upper control arm. I'm glad it didn't happen a few hundred miles earlier, when I was in Myrtle Beach!
> 
> Thanks for the help,
> 
> Mark Souders
> 300H
> Mohrsville, PA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




------------------------------------

To send a message to this group, send an email to:
Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm

For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    Chrysler300-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Chrysler300-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/