I lost a motor from them (in fact the same one) so it REALLY isn't worth it. Just have the new one installed.

 

story???

 

This was in my Durango.


Basically I tried to get a new freeze plug and couldn't get it to seal (that same plug) so i went and got one of these:




Well I had to take a trip about 300 miles from home (family reunion) and on the way back it had just rained but the sun was shining very bright and I stomped on the throttle as I passes a slow poke and as I cam back into my lane I heard a POP. I looked around and checked the gauges and nothing? Well all the water kicking up behind me with the shinning droplets hid the steam and antifreeze.


Well I thought I just hit a rock as we were out in the desert type environment (no cell phone or homes for miles). Well I drove about 10 miles! Then the truck dinged and I look down to find the temperature was spiked so I reached over and shut the key off and coasted within a mile of a gas station. I get under there and found that the plug was gone and coolant was gone! The motor still sounded good tho.



The whole fam started walking and was picked up by truck that gave us a ride to the station to use the phone. I found that back 30 miles there was a auto parts store with a new one so I found a old country "Hick" that gave me a ride back to town for parts. While there I ran into my father-in-law and we went from there.


Long story short, I removed the heads and replaced the gasket but with no avail, the cylinder rings had collapsed, although you couldn't see it while the head was off? I did the old compression oil test and found that the rings were gone. So now it became rebuild time! Here was the final excuse I needed to do a full performance rebuild! About $10k later.


Moral of the story:


"If I would have taken it in because I couldn't get it to seal and had taken the extra time this wouldn't have ever happened."

 

and you also wouldnt have had a kick *** engine build in the D

sounds like a crappy story, but glad it all worked out for you

 

Ok, so here is the finished result. I went ahead and put in a new thermostat, and installed the brass freeze plug. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Simply used a hammer, large screwdriver, 1 1/8" socket, 3/8" socket extension (24" in length). I am very pleased that I was able to get this done, and here is where we should have a happy ending to the story, but...something else has happened, and I'm not overly optimistic about that issue. In the mean time, I wanted to post the pictures of the freeze plug install.

 

Well, I don't know what happened, but it doesn't look good. After putting in the freeze plug and taking test drive around town, everything seemed fine. I had planned to do another flushing of the sytem w/ some coolant treatment, but didn't get that far. I got on the freeway, about 20 miles out of town, and all of a sudden, temp gauge shoots up. It had been about 190 most all the way, then, just starts creeping up. At about 225, I begin to pull off to the side of the road, just as I start to lose power. I get out, and don't see any fluid leaks or anything, but it is obviously overheating (before you ask...freeze plug is still there). Well, I let it cool, drive another mile to put water in from a station, but notice it now seems to be running with a slight miss. Thought maybe new thermo went bad, so I removed it and try to limp home. Engine stayed about 135 all the way home, cruising at 65 mph, then, just as I get back to my hometown, temp gauge soars back up to 210, just like that. I pull over, let it cool, add more water after cooling, and limp it home again, but it soared right away (fortunately, I was only a few blocks from home), but never past 210-220. This morning, I went to remove radiator, to see if it was plugged, but it isn't. I ran water throught the upper radiator hose, and it comes right out the lower hose, so I don't know what's up. Did I manage to blow a head gasket, even though it didn't get over 230, definately not near the red at 260? Check engine light did briefly come on before I got home, but it did not come on this morning when I ran the engine. What next?

 

One question I have is it looks like that freeze plug bottomed out? It is a lot deeper than the others. Wonder if it is obstructing flow?

You could have a bad water pump? However, you might have a head gasket issue. You should do a compression test!

 

You know, I was concerned about that before I put it in since sides of the brass plug were about twice that of the OEM steel plug. For that reason, you see the brass plug protrudes from the block, unlike the OEM plugs which are well within the block. I plan on doing a compression test, maybe later tonight, but right away, before I do a leakdown test. After calling a friend of mine whom I trust as a mechanic and also has a Durango (worked selling rebuilt engines for years), he advised me that, without doing comp/leakdown test, we would only be guessing, since I've already done the obvious (checked for lack of flow/clogs in the radiator, cooling system, removed thermostat completely, again, etc.) I'll let you know what I find with the compression test

 

pull the water pump & check the impeller. as rusty as the fluid coming out of the freeze plug was, you may find your water pump is little more than a throwing star. I have seen the edges of the impellers rot off in systems with less rust.

 

Well, compression test results were NOT GOOD!!! Looks like we will be doing at least a head gasket in this case. Gonna take off the cylinder heads and send them in to be checked. Any suggestions/recommendations to do since I am at this point anyway (simple mods things like that to look into?) I have a friend who sells rebuilt engines that told me the Magnum cylinder heads were pretty notorious for cracking due to a less than good casting process, and that he recommended I go for an aftermarket "heavy duty" cylinder head IF I needed to remove the heads. Any truth to this recommendation (not that I don't trust my friend ?