So I noticed the other day a medium sized puddle of coolant under my car, which is dripping off the very front of my transmission. From what I have read, that means one of the freeze plugs in the back of the engine block is leaking. It leaks enough that I kinda don't feel confident in driving it. With that said, I know you can't get to those without pulling the engine, so the question I have is while I have the engine out, what else should I do? I was thinking the following: 1. replace all trans gaskets 2. replace all freeze plugs 3. replace rear main seal 4. clean engine bay etc. Any other suggestions? My car also has all the factory air **** still under the hood, does that add any problems in yanking the motor? I have done it in 70s Corvettes, how different is the set up in a 58 Chevy? Thanks!
Factory air you should be able to unbolt from the engine, leave it all hooked up and wire it out of the way. If it were mine, I'd hone and rering it, polish the crank, replace bearings replace all gaskets, a kit is around $120, swap the cam while its apart. At a minimum replace the freeze plugs that are bad and the pan gasket, timing cover gasket those **** to do in the car
To only replace the freeze plugs, (or expansion plugs or core plugs or whatever you wanna call 'em) I'd just pull the transmission. Also...it's not guaranteed, but very likely that the freeze plug has rusted through. They rust from the inside out. So the next most important related thing I'd do is a very thorough flush of the engine and radiator using one of acidic products available. After that, it's all up to you. Depends on how much money and time you wanna spend. We can make suggestions though. Replace trans gaskets? Sure...and while you're at it, replace the filter and fluid. Replace all freeze plugs? Good idea, especially if the one in the rear is rusted through. Replace rear main seal? Clean engine bay? You can replace the seal without dropping the crank, but you risk damaging the seal as you insert it. (sharp edges in there) If you do remove the engine, then I would put it on a stand and do a buch of stuff while you can. Yes, you could clean and maybe paint the engine compartment...and maybe the engine too. Loosen the main caps and drop the rear of the crank just a tad, then replace the main seal. Take off all the main and rod caps and check the bearings for wear and if needed, replace them. Take a look at the bearing journals too...just so you know the condition...maybe for future reference. New timing chain and sprockets if needed. Gaskets of course. We could go on and on. You have to decide, based on your time, money, and your findings. New cam? How's the compression...worn pistons/rings/cylinders or valve guides? Etc etc etc. Concerning the AC. The air conditioning pump can be unmounted from the engine and simply set to one side so you can remove the engine.
Whatever you do, do NOT buy a "former" Sheriff's car, just because it has been constantly maintained because it has been constantly in service. I bought a "former" Sheriff's car and found that the freeze plugs needed replacing. I took it to my mechanic who quoted me a (what I thought was ) high price to R & R the engine, take 20 minutes to do the freeze plug, then ****on it back together in a long day of work. FOUR DAYS Later, due to all the heavy duty equipment having to be removed, I finally got the car back. Mechanic said it was a mean mu fu to do and if he knew what he was getting in to, he would have charged me a **** load more to do the work. 2 year old Dodge Aspen Sheriffs car. Heavy duty EVERYTHING; cross members, extra large anti-sway bars, fins on the power steering pump (yes, really!), and when the engine ran, it ****ed gas like a toilet flushing. WORST car I ever owned!
Best suggestion is to give yourself a deadline and do whatever you can to meet it. Too many cars go in for the quick engine pull and turn into a basketcase! I'd consider doing at least the head gaskets too, only cause if the freeze plugs are worn than the HG's are in the coolant flow too. Than you can see how bad the cylinders etc. are while your at it and go from there. TP
The older I get the more I tend to do all the little things that will bite me later while the engine is out. If it were me, I would do the following, at least: 1) Clean and touch up the paint in the engine room. 2) Replace all the freeze plugs with br*** ones. 3) Drop the pan, clean it out, and replace the oil pump. 4) Change the timing chain set. 5) New front and rear seals. 6) New valve cover and intake gaskets. 7) New plugs, wires, and distributor cap and rotor. Points and condenser too. 8) Paint the engine. 9) New oil and filter, plus new hoses and clamps. 10) Check condition of engine and trans mounts and replace as needed. If you did those things you should be in good shape for a while, and they are so much easier to work on when the motor is out. Don
I'd do a compression test while it's still in there. This at least will give you an idea of things that may need to be done. It's times like this that can snowball into a major restoration job. ***uming the engine is mechanically sound, I'd at least buy a complete gasket set, clean and paint the engine and compartment, and check all the plumbing and electric.
How many miles are on the engine? If a freeze plug has rotted through, chances are it's high enough mileage to need a full go through or rebuild. As Mike mentioned, do a compression test before you pull it. If you're going as far as replacing the crank bearings and head gaskets, etc. you might as well dive all the way in and do a full 100% rebuild. If the comp. test shows the engine is belly up and ready for a rebuild, you could buy or build a new engine while you nurse the 58 around. Short term solutions to buy you time to build an engine would be to; A) Drop the trans/replace the plug, then look for a core engine to build while you drive the 58. B) Swap in a good running SBC over a weekend and drive the 58 while you tear down/rebuild the 283 - if you want a 283 back in it. You could install any SBC or a 409 looking 348 would be cool!
What's your budget? A GM Goodwrench 290 hp engine runs about $2500 with a warranty. I once bought a long block from a local engine rebuilding company for a lot less and it was a daily driver for my Dad. I didn't think it would last because the long block was $900, but 6 years later, it was still running strong when I sold it.
Is it the original engine? If so, keeping it plus the factory air in a 2 door car might tug at my con$cience a little bit.
Hmm, I never considered just dropping the trans to get at the freeze plugs. I have also never disconnected a powerglide from the 50s either, all the transmissions I have experience on are fromt he 70s. How difficult is this job in comparison?
Can't be much different. If you've removed other transmissions I'd think you can do this one too. I don't know if your trans case is cast iron...might be a bit heavier. So a bit of work, but less involved than pulling the engine. Get after it. Good luck. And be careful...make damn sure the car is secure on jack stands and throw some wheels/tires, big wooden blocks, stumps...anything under there...just in case.
It's not that difficult to either drop the trans or do as I have done a few times and insert a pair of real long (10 or 12 inch bolts in the two bottom bell housing bolt holes and slide the trans back on a floor jack so you have just enough room to pull the flex plate and change the freeze plugs. It's tight working conditions that way but if you support the back of the engine so it doesn't drop down too much it makes dealing with the trans (and it's real heavy) easier for a guy laying on his back in the garage at home. If the engine has good compression all the way across, no oil leaks and otherwise is in good shape I'd do it that way. Otherwise I'd pull it and do what I felt needed to be done to get it in great shape for the next several years of cruising. Past experience says that the "while I'm at it" thing often escalates to a full rebuild though.
Hot Rod Don, as usual, is on the money. The cast iron PGs are heavy, so be careful and use a jack if yiu remove it. Also, as was said, if you are going to take out the trans, support the engine at the rear. And I would put a th350 back in, $ permitting. Good luck, and keep at it. You've done a good job with the old girl.
I had a BBC in my OT Nova, same deal, bad freeze plug on the back of the block. Leaking just enough for it to be a ***** to find. Mine had a TH400 in it, so out it came. The cast iron PG is another story... same basic method just about 3X as heavy. I would pull the PG, a lot easier than yanking the engine for me. Bob
My opinion...if you want to replace ALL the frost plugs (and you should!) then pull the engine. You will find the removal and installation of the FP's MUCH easier with the engine out, and besides...wasn't 58 the first year for the side engine mounts? Well, can you guess where two of the pesky FP's are hidden? Yup...right behind those mounts.
Oh yeah, it is always the freeze plugs that are hidden up under the motor mounts that go and they are a bear to get to in the car. If one is leaking the rest are not far behind. Br*** ones only cost a couple bucks more than steel and you will never have to replace them again. Don
There is 8 of them on that engine. Now there is 2 in the back of the engine block between the engine and transmission. NOTE : The big plug on the rear in the center is a cam plug. DON"T TOUCH. There is 2 on each side of the engine, 1 is behind the starter and the motor mount on 1 side. the drivers side will have one that you can see and then 1 behind that mount too. You also have 2 on each side of the timing cover on the front of the engine. You will have to remove the the stuff bolted to the front of the engine to see them. This sounds Horrorific ...Good Luck
Even a Harbor Freight compression gauge is fine. Doesn't need to be Snap On quality for this job, you are just looking for evenness between cylinders and any that are way different (low). No magic to it at all. Don
The Jalopy Journal
