Leaking freese plug?

[GSequoia]

Alright kids, tell me, does this look like a leaking freeze plug? Background: I just removed my exaust manifold and intake manifolds (Oddly enough as far as I can tell my exaust isn't cracked, oddness!), anyway, this is what I found at the rear most freeze plug...

Does this look like it's leaking a bit? And what would you recomend in the way of replacing it? I'm not loosing a lot of coolant (very, very minimal) so if I is leaking it's minor...Hmmm...

Sequoia

 

[RichP]

You could always wait till it blows out on the trail, leaves you stranded, have to get towed and fork out a couple of hundred bucks OR just replace the $2.00 plug now, they come two to a pack IIRC.
Just use a soft headed mallet to put the new one in. In the condition that one is in you can probably pry it out by opening the crack thats in it.
I had to do them once on a 59 Falcon I6, delayed putting anti-freeze in it and they all blew out of the block when a cold front came thru and the block froze. :anon:

 

[GSequoia]

...Me thinks that if I replace one I might as well replace them all...

(i'm like that, I start off with something easy then it's "Well, as long as I'm in there...")

I guess that's the phrase of a true Jeeper?

 

[rixXJphx]

1. Yeah, that's a leaking freeze plug. Replace it.

2. Inspect the others, but don't replace any that aren't showing signs of corrosion. They don't all go bad in the same time frame. It's a function of how much zinc plating (galvanizing) was missing on the inside surface, allowing rust-thru.
The others may be fine for the next 50k miles.

3. I have the worthless 2.8 v-6, not an I-6; but I *understand* that the 4.0 has one dead at the back of the block, INSIDE the bellhousing. Most I4' and I6's have one there.
It's obviously a PITA, both to inspect and to replace.

4. I always spend the extra couple bucks to buy solid brass freeze plugs.

5. Freeze the plug to shrink it to minimal size; it will go in easier.

Good luck.
-Rick

 

[GSequoia]

Thanks for the tip on the inside one! Not as big a deal as it usually is for that, I'm actually going to be pulling the trans to replace my flex plate (fly wheel) anyway, so I'll check it out.

Sequoia

 

[martin]

Just a suggestion but if you ever think you will have your XJ in a colder climate why not install the factory engine block heater. If you use it once then it has paid for itself.

Sounds like you will be removing the freeze plugs so why not install the heater.

I don't have a heater in my XJ but think if I was in your shoes I'd install one. Had it put into my 01 Buick Le Sabre since I do go to Chicago in winter to visit relatives. I am also kicking the Idea around for my XJ, just on the list to do.