Freeze plugs - Were not really meant to do as they imply or pop out when your coolant freezes. That name was coined, from the first time someone forgot to put anti-freeze in his engine and the resulting surprise sometime in November. The holes which these plugs occupy, are where the sand from the casting process, is removed, prior to machining. The tin factory plugs are an inexpensive means of sealing the block. They can be replaced with tin, brass, copper or rubber type expansion devices. Most are manufactured by Dorman and readily available. /////////I have just wrenched in some of the copper dorman freeze plugs on my 64 Daytona. I have a question for those experianced with these just how tight should they be I believe I have at least fifty pounds on the 1/2 inch small nut and the area around the nut is dimpled in a little. Are they tight enough? Too tight? Or is it a case of, if it don't leak its tight enough? This is a job a recommend to any Stude if its never been done when I took that back plug out it litterally pooped a nasty long one on me from the hole. There was a lot of crud in there. This on a car with only 24,500 miles, which might have been part of the problem. Thanks Steve Barber///////////// ---------- Steve, Pull all the freeze plugs, and get on some old clothes! Use an old long skinny screwdriver, and a piece of wire and dig out as much of the old crap in there. Use a water hose and keep digging and washing the block out! Its a dirty nasty job, but once done, it will help keep the engine from over heating. As far as the torque on the new freeze plugs? Are you installing the screw in ones? Jim Turner -------- Yes it was a very dirty job. I used a coat hanger and a lot of water. Crimping the hose until it built up pressure and letting it blast in the block holes really seemed to clean it out. I now understand why the meat thermometer read so much higher at the back of the block than the front. You think Studebaker's engineers where this astute when they put the temp sensor back there or was it because it was closer to the gauges? Thanks Steve Barber --- Fifty pounds!? Is this foot pounds? Can't believe they would stand this much. Dorman recommends not turning the half inch nut more than three complete turns. They claim they are completely expanded by the third complete turn. Ted --- Ted, Not foot pounds, I have know idea how tight they are as its impossible to get much under there. I have to be pretty close to two and a half turns. I ruined one as it came out when I tightened to hard. But they now seem tight and flush. Steve --- -------------------------- I was trained to leave a wee bit of crown to that center outward dimple. I trust yer discs have that. In frame must be a challenge. Dang things are a challenge out of frame for that matter. JMO. Are you inserting them with the concave side away from the engine? To properly spread and seat these type of plugs you need to tap the convex squarely in the center with the flat end of a ballpeen hammer. This might be difficult if not impossible with the engine still in the chassis. Yikes! If I remember right, there are no flat freeze plugs. They should have a slight convex shape to them which must be preserved upon installation. It's this "springiness" that keeps them in place. If you are whacking them in the middle then that's why they fall out. The lip/seat in the cylinder case must be clean and not rusty too.