1954 331, rebuilt by a reputable shop about a year and a half ago and stored until recently. Never been on the road, just started and tuned in the garage. Ran fine every time until I replaced a couple fuel line hoses. Had some air leaks and it was running rough until I figured out I had air leaks and fixed that. But now I noticed red oil leaking from the forward freeze plugs, both sides. The car doesn't have any fluids in it that are even close to red. Coolant is clear, motor oil was drained and checked. What could this red oil be?
It doesn't look anything like rust, and wouldn't I have seen a trace of red when I drained the oil? This was the first time the oil has been drained, maybe got about 2 hours on it total? I only filled it up a month ago when I first started the thing. But either way, no trace of rust or red color when I drained it
Ok I was hoping it had to be some kind of sealer. Why would the freeze plugs start leaking all of a sudden and at once? From sitting too long?
It's blood... a man puts blood, sweat, and tears into a car, every now and then it comes back out.... Are you sure it's not spilled gas that has been in a rusty tank ?.. I mean you said you changed fuel lines recently.... What does this red liquid feel like.. smell like.. taste like ??
It's definitely oil, smells like oil. Can't tell you what it taste like though. Allergies have been bad lately, so it was only a hint of oil smell I got from it. There's 1 or 2 more freeze plugs leaking as well, but it's definitely coolant, but it's not red?? Maybe the permatex was only used on the oil freeze plugs?
So it's normal for them to leak after a couple hours of idle time? I would have thought when the rebuilder did the break in the motor would have gotten hot enough to seal the plugs? This would be a best case scenario though
If it is the anaerobic sealer it will remain 'wet" wherever it is in contact with air (oxygen). It 'dries', or 'sets up' when in a location that is devoid of air, as in between two parts bolted together. I got my first experience with the stuff when repairing a transmission and the shop manual called for it's use to seal the joints of trans case mating parts. It would not occur to me to use that for engine block core ("freeze") plugs. Permatex #2 is my choice. Or, Permatex Ultra Black if I want to get into the 21st Century! In any case, if you have other plugs leaking, I'd be inclined to remove them all and replace them using something besides the anaerobic stuff. Ray
Thanks Ray. So I'd assume that if the motor was rebuilt that long ago then it wouldn't be the anaerobic sealer I'm seeing? If it only stays wet where it is exposed to air then it would have been wet the entire time? It definitely just started leaking, and I've wiped it dry a couple times now and it's still weeping out from the plug
At this point, I really don't have any further ideas about what you have leaking....but I stand by the idea of removing the plugs. That should provide an answer to the question. Ray
Some early Dodge engines used engine oil in the fluid coupler but trans fluid as an engine coolant is a new one on me.....
it can fix stuff that 200 MPH tape won't even touch. LOL That and Indian head were the mainstay of every tool box in Amerca [sic] at one time.
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