Core plug and combustion gasses in coolant?
Discussion
GreenV8S said:
All the core plugs I've ever seen separate the cooling jacket from the outside of the engine.
^^^^ Wot 'e said.I too have only ever seen core plugs on the external block of an engine.
As the colloquial name (freeze plugs) implies, they are a natural weak point should the coolant freeze & will then allow frozen/expanding coolant out rather than do damage internally in the engine.
As such it is not possible for them to allow combustion gases into the coolant.
Thanks gents.
I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
Steviesam said:
he said it was the core plug
He can prove himself right quite easily by identifying a core plug separating the cooling system from the crank case. With the amount of information freely available online these days I think you'd have to be daft to try to find it by physically dismantling the engine, but if that's how he's decided to tackle it then that's his problem. It will be a learning opportunity either way.Steviesam said:
Thanks gents.
I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
Sometimes you just have to remember that you can't educate pork!I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
E-bmw said:
As the colloquial name (freeze plugs) implies, they are a natural weak point should the coolant freeze & will then allow frozen/expanding coolant out rather than do damage internally in the engine.
Thats quite wrong.The cores are moulded and bonded sand and used as part of the casting process to create the cavity, the cores are supported in the tooling and this creates the holes.
Huntsman said:
Thats quite wrong.
The cores are moulded and bonded sand and used as part of the casting process to create the cavity, the cores are supported in the tooling and this creates the holes.
What he said was largely correct. But it is not a design feature, it just so happens they tend to pop out if the coolant freezes, which may limit damage to a block.The cores are moulded and bonded sand and used as part of the casting process to create the cavity, the cores are supported in the tooling and this creates the holes.
But as you say, the holes are part of the casting process. Not a built in safety feature of any kind.
Huntsman said:
E-bmw said:
As the colloquial name (freeze plugs) implies, they are a natural weak point should the coolant freeze & will then allow frozen/expanding coolant out rather than do damage internally in the engine.
Thats quite wrong.The cores are moulded and bonded sand and used as part of the casting process to create the cavity, the cores are supported in the tooling and this creates the holes.
Steviesam said:
Thanks gents.
I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
What is it? sounds like head gasket, or could be cracked head or even cracked liner.I did tell him before he bought it (for 200 euro) that the headgasket had gone (basically sold it for scrap) but saw him today and he said it was the core plug. I explained that a core plug wouldnt result in combustion gasses in the coolant, but he wont have it. Still, at least i told him head gasket so after he has removed half the engine to replace it and its still leaking and overheating it wont be my fault!
Could well be a cracked block.
I had that engine in a Volvo v40 a couple of years ago.
There are many online counts of these engines with cracked blocks.
It starts with a "low coolant" warning occasionally.
Then when the crack gets a bit bigger it will just send a large gulp of combustion gases into the coolant & you get the symptoms above.
I had that engine in a Volvo v40 a couple of years ago.
There are many online counts of these engines with cracked blocks.
It starts with a "low coolant" warning occasionally.
Then when the crack gets a bit bigger it will just send a large gulp of combustion gases into the coolant & you get the symptoms above.
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