1. What is the size of the freeze plug on the rear of a 54 235? My engine builder left the old one in as he says it's an odd size and unable to find one. 2. Is it possible to just use silicone at the front and rear of the pan on a 235 when replacing the pan gasket? i.e cork gasket on the sides and silicone on the ends. If so what kind - Red rtv? oops that three questions... my bad.
Sealing Take the time to hunt down some Permatex Brand " The Right Stuff " ~ it comes in tubes or Foo-Foo cans , I vastly prefer the Foo-Foo cans . Measure that old Welch Plug & look it up in The Dorman Catalog , they'll have it , brass is best .
Freeze plugs kit. Our host has the kit and other classic truck vendors to. You can find them on EBAY to. No extraordinary sizes here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-235-Chevy-261-brass-freeze-plugs-/330634195526?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4cfb557246
Just pull it and measure it, any Parts store has it on the shelf. As Nate says Brass is best, depending on how old you are, none will go out before you die!! Flashlight
Now What? Thanks everyone.... Okay I have "the right stuff" for the pan and I ordered the freeze plug kit cause I don't have a Dorman book. Now for that freeze plug- to install the new one do I put any sealant on it or just pound the new one it the hole? I don't see any sealant on the ones in the block now.
I have a special tool for freeze plug installation.... It's a 1/2" drive socket, whatever size just fits inside the plug. I've always used a thin coat of Permatex #2, (doesn't harden) to ensure the seal and it seems to help the plug go in a little easier. Follow all this with the BMFH....
Make sure that socket has a little "wiggle room" so it doesn't get stuck in the plug once you apply that BFH.
My BAD Well guys, I got the pan sealed up with the right stuff. worked like a charm. The Bad part of this conversation is that it isn't a freeze plug that I thought needed changing but after removing the poorly installed one from the rebuilder I find that it is actually the plug cover for the rear of the cam shaft - now I took it to the FLAPS and she said it measure 1 and 31/32. Digial caliper in had I might add! Anyway she went to the books and looked at the various sizes and found what seems to be the right size all though it didn't list the height or depth of the plug. It just said "shallow cup" Long story short I had to order a pack of ten from the factory as they don't stock single units. I don't mind if its the right plug but I hate ordering blind. If anyone has run into this before and knows what the correct plug size is and maybe a doorman catalog number it would sure help me out in case I have to order again if the one(s) I ordered aren't the right ones. Oh here's another learning curve for the newbies - when you ask your engine rebuilder if he can do your 235 and he says he's done a couple of model A's you might want to consider another builder. Sometimes I wish I lived in the big city!!
Bummer , That But , you just keep plugging away at it and you'll get there . Now you see why I don't trust anyone to do anything right...
Craig: Chev's of the 40s has your cam plug, quantity 1 for $1.75 on their web site. Look here: http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/shop/search.lasso?&dept=Car&cat=022C&skip=160&Max=40
Still Trying to get it together Nate, I know the feeling. If I can't do it myself it isn't done right!!! I'll rebuild the next one myself. except the machine work of course. Bill, thanks for the link. I hadn't used Chev's of the 40's since they backorder my last item for three months. I'll try em again and see if it works out. At least I found the size in the description which answered one of my questions.
Done Right Machine work ~ feh I used to work in a Machine Shop and one time was watching the new guy bore out an inline 6 block ~ he had the boring bar going as fast as it would go and commented " I'm supposed to do this as slowly as possible but then I'd be at it all day , the ajacent cylinders only egg out of round a few thousandths so it's O.K. " (!) when I asked him shouldn't he be doing it correctly , like the customer was paying for , I got the usual old tired B.S. " oh Nate , you think you know everything " when all I did was ask if he shouldn't be doing the job right as HE'D told me it should have been done.... To - day my Metropolitan Nash's cylinder head is coming back off to do the gasketing correctly like I asked Malcom to do before , he refused and of course , it's been weeping coolant out the right side of the block / head joint since day one , the gasket blew Sunday last , in the pouring rain.... I wish I could still lift the dang head off my ownself but I can't so back it goes and I'll have to pay him again . I bet he doesn't torque it down in 5 # increments like I do.... Yes , it's time consuming but I drive my old junk harder & further than do most folks their new Toyotas . FWIW , Malcom is my Elder and the only Mechanic I trust even remotely . Even my own Son rushes every job unless I'm standing over him so he doesn't work on my things .
My Wife thinks I'm the only one who feels this way.... No, there's no point in showing her all these examples,either. I simply argue there's no substitute for experience. If I can do it, I'm gonna be the one doin' it. Interesting enough, though, I have found on many occasions that I will do a better job of something that I'm not very familiar with, than a rumored 'professional'. No pride in workmanship, or being responsible.... I think we're a dying breed
You Are NOT ALONE ! I've been feeling like you for 50 years now... I still hear negative comments because I do too many ' Might As Wells ' on every job , the fact that once done , they're done and won't be troubling anyone again , seems to miss most folks . I'm sure we're preaching to the choir here .
My dad used to say, "If you're going to do it, might as well do it right." You guys give me the info to do just that.
