Sorry to drudge up an old thread but, I took off my wheels today to inspect a horrific grinding sound coming from my driver side brake pads to reveal the inner pad closest to the caliper piston was completely melted to my rotor and a small chip missing in one of the caliper pistons. obviously I knew this needs attention, but then I look at my block on the drivers side and see coolant leaking from a freeze plug beneath the motor mount. Seriously? WOW! At any rate, can someone please provide me with a little detail on what replacing this freeze plug entails. Just jack it up and remove the motor mount and maybe exhaust manifold to allow access and chisel it out? What about installation? Just pound it in with a similar sized socket and some RTV? By the way, it's a 2001 Ram 1500 5.9L Sport 4x4 quad cab. Please help! Thanks a million in advance for any assitance provided. I was considering overhauling the tranny too and replacing all the plugs, but the links that gobbel provided on tranny overhaul have since died. They say access denied due to bandwidth. Can anyone help? Please?

 

Its an easy job. Remove the trans brace on that side, support the engine, remove engine mount, knock out the old one, clean the hole REALLY good, put some RTV around the sealing surface of the new one (Not very much), and drive it in. There is actually enough room that you can get a good straight shot at it, so it goes in square. Took me about two hours. But, I'm slow.

Edit: 1 5/8ths freeze plug.

 

To knock the plug out use a chizzel on side to spin it 90 degrees then grab it with a slip joint pliers and pry it out.

To rebuild your tranny get an ATSG manual and http://www.amazon.com/Torqueflite-72.../dp/1557883998 I used these two books along with the factory service manual to rebuild mine.

 

Anyone know how many freeze plugs there are in all? Does the engine have to come out to get at all of em? I know the tranny has to be pulled to get at the back two, which is why I'd like to overhaul it while its out. I'd like to just replace them all if its not too much of a pain with brass. I do have the PDF service manual. Thanks a bunch guys...

 

Nice photo on the (5.9) freeze plugs. I've got a 98 2500 4WD 5.9 (75k miles), the freeze plug near the starter is leaking. Is this a standard problem plug? What's the likelihood the rest of them are going to be bad (soon). I know it's a shot in the dark type question, just wondering if it's worth replacing the others when they start leaking. It's my weekend truck for the dump and snowplowing.

 

They all hang out in the same environment, for the most part.... So, when one starts, it is a safe bet that others are not far behind. If you have the time and inclination, replacing all of the "easy" ones wouldn't be a bad idea. The fun ones are on the back side of the block, and the trans has to come out to change them. If they ain't leakin', don't worry about those. (unless you are REALLY bored......)

 

ok, so we've got at least 2 people that say this -
The 5.2 block takes two 1 5/8 plugs.
the 5.9 block takes one 1 5/8 plug and one 1 1/4 plug.
if anyone has a block with something different - say so.


Today I bought a freeze plug kit from O'Reilly Auto Parts.
Brand name is Sealed Power
the same kit is listed for the 5.2 and 5.9
they don't list a kit for the 3.9

the brass kit is part number 381-8010 price=$12.99
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...A0/3818010.oap


the steel kit is part number 381-4014 price=$7.49
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...yword=381-4014

the kit contains the following:
1-5/8 part number 1635C, qty=9
1-1/4 part number 1260SC, qty=1
19/32, qty=2
threaded plug 21/32, qty=2. rear side of block at cam
threaded plug 13/16, qty=1 not sure where this goes.
cam plug 1-7/8, qty=1

other useful threads.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen-ram/279089-please-help-me-antifreeze-leak-coming-from-transmission-housing.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...plug-help.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...lug-sizes.html

 

can anyone verify the size of the plugs on the back of the heads?
is it 19/32? (just under 5/8 for anyone with a tape measure... lol)

 

yoo-hoo. somebody with heads laying around - measure the freeze plugs for me...

 

i'm going to keep bumping this until somebody measures that old set of heads that we both know you have laying out in the shop or back yard.