Oil pouring out the front of the block...need advice

[jfnall]

Oil pouring out the front of the block...need advice

Well, as soon as I think all things cruiser are good... I can't catch a break. Luckily, I caught this as it happened, and not of 5 miles down the road.

Pulled to a stop and saw smoke coming out of the hood and shut her off immediately. Oil was pouring out from the front of the engine. Loaded it up and trailered it home, stopping at the car wash on the way to clean up some of the mess to determine what was happening. I still had 1/8th inch of oil on the dipstick, so I'm pretty sure no damage done. I figure I lost about 2-3 quarts of oil.

Got the fan and and shroud off, and removed the skid plate, and watched underneath while it was being cranked. Oil started streaming down the front of the block, driver side. A freeze plug let loose.

So, do I replace it with a new press in plug here or is there a size of brass plug I can tap and thread in this spot to avoid this happening again?

I this a very common problem? I've read about the galley plug on the head and had that taken care of.

Advice?

 

[jfnall]

Not sure why but these uploaded and flipped to the left. Turn your head to the left to better make sense of the location

 

[jfnall]

Here is the "plug" that didn't hold. This was installed at the machine shop on the engine rebuild. Is it the correct type plug for this hole?? Says is a "Dorman 550-011"

 

[gregnash]

Think there are a lot of these type plugs on the engine that are the press plugs.

 

[jfnall]

I read on of JimC's replies in regard to a plug on the back of the cam. He suggested putting in the new plug then adding some JB weld around the edge of the plug. Would this be a good option?

Threading would be best but trickier to do

 

[hj 60]

Slam it back, fill oil and see if the oil pressure aint to high?
The ones I haves changed on a ford engine were cups and not plates, I don't know what made it loose.

 

[jfnall]

My oil pressure is typically around 65. Every now and then I see 70-75. Running 20-50 VR1. Pretty thick when it's cold. But this happened long after the truck was warm.

 

[klinetime574]

jfnall I've replaced one of those. There are two on the motor. The other is straight through the block behind the bell housing.

It is a welch plug. Slightly domed before install. When installed they flatten out to their maximum size and seal the hole.

Here is my thread installing a new one that I bought from Toyota. Some pictures in there.

2F Welch Plug

You'll have it fixed in a few days

 

[hj 60]

EDIT:check the other one!! urgent!

That is great info, I think they forgot to slam yours as it has no marks and is still domed (doomed )
That allmost killed your engine
So a cup is slammed in with a tool that hits it all around, mostly a socket wrench in the same size, but a welch plug needs a good smack on the top middle to make it expand to the outer ring.
Dont smack a hole in it!

Welch, ? WELCH?? :whoops:

Raquel Welch!

 

[jfnall]

I'm guessing to check the other one on the back of the block, I need to drop the tranny and pull the bell housing? Gonna have to just pray that one holds. Now I'm really nervous that one will go out too. Any way to get to it without dropping the tranny out? The machine shop probably used the same plug in the back as in the front, assuming it is the same size hole in the block.

I think I've found the cause of the problem. I bought the same part number that came out. When I put the new one in the hole, it basically falls in place and then falls out. I'm guessing that it needs to be tapped into place in the first place? With my rudimentary caliper, the plug measures .934 and the hole measures .954. Or... It will have to expand .508 mm in order to just touch, much less seat. Am I thinking correctly here?

Does anybody know the proper plug measurement or know the Toyota part number to get the correct size? I don't think smacking on the one I have is going to make it big enough to hold.

Little help please. Thanks

 

[Dynosoar]

Sounds like they put a standard plug in a metric hole. Get the correct welch plug from Toyota. They used a 15/16th in a 24mm hole

Dyno

 

[jfnall]

I figure if the machine shop used a non-metric plug on this hole, then he used non metric plugs on all holes. Would it be a bad idea to JB weld the outside edge of each plug to give it something to hold it in if it decided to let go? Or is it possible to change all the freeze plugs and expansion plugs with the motor in the truck?

Might be a good time to put in a block heater too.

Anybody in the Springfield MO area.....it was Mothers Machine Shop that did the work. I won't be going back to him any time soon, and would also recommend to same to everyone else.

 

[jfnall]

Here is a short video to show how loose the 15/16" plug is. Less than 10 secs long.


http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb475/jfnall/public/238f1bc1ca5493c5ff09a72900bbd7db.mp4

 

[Elbert]

get the right plugs....they work because they fit just right and expand and contract with the engine....you get something that is not the right size and its never going to seal properly.

 

[91 4runner]

3/8 NPT plug with an alen head is a grate upgrade

 

[jfnall]

So that would be tapping the inner diameter of the hole, not the 24mm outer? How many threads do I need because I can see a hole just inside, about 1/4" into the "tube"

 

[91 4runner]

Yes inner hole, and yes do not block that port with the plug

 

[jfnall]

What's the trick to keep the tapping process clean, without getting metal pieces where you don't want them? And what's the minimum number of threads I want to hold the new 3/8 pipe thread plug? Brass plug I assume.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Pretty impressive that a "Perfeshunal machinist" would not know to whack a welch plug flat. Did they really think some gasket glue would hold a 15/16 plug in a 24mm hole with 60 PSI of hot oil pushing it out?

Below is a pic of the correct plugs. I keep them in stock so the local machine shop doesn't have to. When a block is delivered to the machine shop for rework, it is accompanied by 2 of the 24mm welch plugs, a new OEM cam plug, a cup plug kit and a set of cam bearings.
LMK if you want a couple, I'll sell them for cost & $6 priority mail to get rid of them.

2nd pic below is a 1/2NPT allen plug threaded into the stock oil gallery.

 

[jfnall]

Yes a real machine shop did this. I won't be back.

Jim. As always. Thanks again!

The 1/2" pipe thread plug .... When tapping this, do the thread stop at the step down portion and is this small amount of metal enough threads? Or does that plug go deeper into the block a bit?