FINALLY...about 90' 318 problems

[owlafaye]

I had 7 or so months of radiator/thermostat/water pump problems that drove me mad. It all turned out to be a rubber freeze plug I had installed a year ago. It slightly, very slightly, leaked out all the water over 2-3 days time. When you started it up cold after one day, there was still enough water and as it warmed up the rubber plug swelled and all was OK...If you started it up after two days, it was tooo low on water and everything went south, it boiled over. Since the plug worked fine for 6 months or so, I never suspected it when all these new problems popped up. I went to one hell of a lot of time, money and work trying to get to the bottom of this.

Finally, one morning I laid under the truck for 1/2 hour until I saw ONE drop of water fall and removing the starter, I saw a slightly damp rubber replacement freeze plug. It all came crashing into my brain as to where I had gone wrong.

The truck at 300,000 miles is in excellent shape mechanically so i decided to have the transmission overhauled...it has been constantly looking for gears these past 12 years, staying in first for the first 2 miles every morning...and then starting in 3rd during the day and finally began avoiding 2nd gear which soon became neutral...very confused tranny....and all the stump pulling, abuses and hauling made me leery of traveling far from home so I found a clean shop with polite mechanics that overhauled it for $1200....I am delighted.

What a journey....BEWARE RUBBER FREEZE PLUGS...tighten them good

 

[Mopar to ya]

Rubber freeze plugs are a temporary fix and should never be considered a permanent repair. A proper freeze plug costs 85 cents. Do it right, do it once.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I hate those things but in a pinch I would use them

 

[LocuMob]

I hate those things but in a pinch I would use them

Bailing wire and twine are your best friends, along with flex-seal, right? Lol

 

[7mopar]

Rubber freeze plugs are a temporary fix and should never be considered a permanent repair. A proper freeze plug costs 85 cents. Do it right, do it once.

Rubber is not what it once was as with most thing.
I have seen them in engine blocks that had been there for years without leaking. But yes here a temporary fit!