Freeze Damage

Not sure where to start? I found the caps for two locations in the bottom of the boat today getting it ready. Is this a DIY repair in the boat? Does engine need to be pulled? How much pressure does it take to press them back and what else might be damaged?

Tap them back in. Run the boat and keep your fingers crossed. Look for water in the oil after you run it. Oil will be milky. Hopefully you get lucky and there is no damage.

If he had a yard do the winterizing he had better take pictures and take the boat over to show them before he starts messing with it! The second picture shows it missing Pete

Gary,
I looked again and to me, the core plugs look intact? Leaking yes and they sure don't look like they are brass.

You probably won't see water in the oil until after you run engine.

Fred,
There are some pretty decent videos on replacing core plugs. They are better than us trying to verbally explain how to do it.

I doubt that you'll see water in the oil after you run it. The internal cavity of the block is much heavier than the outer cavity. You are very lucky that the freeze plugs actually did their job. This is a first for me. I used to work at a dealership as a mechanic, and we'd get a lot DIY'ers boats in during the spring with cracked blocks from freezing. In every case the outer cavity of the block split between the freeze plugs. The freeze plugs often pushed out a bit, but they never popped. These were all Chevy blocks as we were an OMC dealer. I'm not familiar with the construction of the Ford blocks, so take this with a grain of salt, but I suspect that they are also considerably heavier internally.

If you do replace the plugs yourself, you'll need to sand the sealing surface in the block and use a sealant such as Permatex Form-A-Gasket #1 around the circumference of the new plug. Good luck

I built a jig and lifted each side of the engine one side at a time to remove the motor bracket to get at the center plug. Got them all tapped in clean and straight. Just fired it up. Sings like I was never bad to her!



No leaks.

Like they've been telling you...It needs to be run under load and brought to operating temp and max rpm before you know if you are getting water in the oil

Yeah, thats not going to happen. Ive been on here about 14 years. People have been talking about freeze plugs and everyone knows what they are talking about including the desired function. Pete, try to think of it like your Viagara. Designed as a blood pressure medicine, but found to have another function. When people talk about it functioning as intended, I dont think they are taking about their blood pressure. As an engineer, you don't need to tell us every single freakin' time it comes up. Its sort of but not quite like I dont need someone to tell me how to tie up my boat at the boat ramp when it is going to be there for about 30 seconds while I move my car off the ramp into the parking lot.

Gary S wrote: Says the guy who's sailboat is sitting on the bottom 30ft away from the dock

BTW Larry, I haven't gotten to the point of needing those pills that were developed for blood pressure problems. Sounds like you have experience with them.
Also, you may not have noticed but I only bring up the core plugs when there is someone that mistakenly believes they are there for freeze protection. Yes, sometimes they do save a frozen block but more often they don't save the block.

Gary S wrote: Says the guy who's sailboat is sitting on the bottom 30ft away from the dock

Gary,

I said help tying up, not help staying afloat. And while the boat was indeed sitting on the bottom, it was securely tied to the shore and a mooring I have out in the lake.

Update: 8 May 17 Went for a ride to warm things up and check it before getting serious.   No leaks and no water in oil.

Fred,
I'm glad to hear you lucked out. Do however keep an eye on that oil.

Hey Ken, those freeze plugs really work!

desertskier wrote: Go buy a lottery ticket and don't ever do that again.

OMG! I KNOW! Good thing none of you were close enough to give me a smack on the back of the head!