How many have blown out freeze plugs???

[WCPoe]

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I blew out the freeze plug on the back of the cylinder block a couple of weeks ago and was curious how many other folks have had the same? I let Jeff Garmon of Garmon's Diesel Performance fix it up for me. Jeff installed one of those machined billet plug plates that have an oring seal and is retained by 3 bolts similar to the one below. It should hold it just fine.



Jeff also put my stock turbo back on and I intend to return to truck to near stock and quiet it down a bit. I know, I know. I'm sure this sounds stupid but I may end up trading or replacing it. Plus the fact the the better half didn't want to drive it the way it was.



One of my friends at the dealer said it would be more attractive to them if it was stock or near stock. I kept everything anyway and all the other stock stuff is an easy re-install.



Anyway how many others have blown a freeze plug??

 

[mattymac]

i blew one but it was in the back of the block.



Did a few hard runs back to back with some big burnouts when it finally went!!!

 

[JGheen]

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I blew out the freeze plug on the back of the cylinder head a couple of weeks ago and was curious how many other folks have had the same?

Anyway how many others have blown a freeze plug??

I believe your refering to the plug in the back of the block. The only plugs i know of in the head are the ones in the rocker valley and along the exhaust ports. That is a very nice, reliable fix, I had one on my 12v puller and intend to do the same with the '06.



Joe

 

[SRadke]

I blew mine in my 03. I personally know about 4 other guys who have as well. High rpm seems to do it.

-Scott

 

[WCPoe]

I believe your refering to the plug in the back of the block. The only plugs i know of in the head are the ones in the rocker valley and along the exhaust ports. That is a very nice, reliable fix, I had one on my 12v puller and intend to do the same with the '06.



Joe

Joe, Correct you are, thanks for the save. I went back and updated the original post and added a picture I snapped of the vacated freeze plug hole.



PS - FYI - The Common Rail motors take a different machined aluminum bolt on repair plug than the earlier Cummins. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[JJPage]

Jason Burton / Northwest Customs, built me a similar piece, however it did not replace, it just re-enforced the soft plug. It has been holding for a few years now, but I never, ever, accellerate aggressively until my engine is up to temp and the t-stat has opened.



Possibly I have just been lucky, that works for me.

 

[WCPoe]

The whole story goes like this.

Jason Burton / Northwest Customs, built me a similar piece, however it did not replace, it just re-enforced the soft plug. It has been holding for a few years now, but I never, ever, accellerate aggressively until my engine is up to temp and the t-stat has opened.



Possibly I have just been lucky, that works for me.

I have always been diligent about my warm up period and my turbo cool down as well. I have heard of some stories about cold engines and head gaskets. It only make sense that it's easier to do damage when the engine is cold and all the parts haven't expanded to their normal operating dimensions.



I must also confess that my 2004. 5 truck was one of those that was recalled for the freeze plugs falling out. I ordered my truck and took delivery on March 31, 2004. About 3 weeks went by and I got a call from the dealer's service department that my truck was in the possible undersized freeze plug recall serial number range.



I took it in the next day and asked them to perfrom the recall. They informed me the engine had to be cold to do the recall so I left it. I did a little research and found out the recall test was to start with a cold engine, crank it, allow a few seconds for the oil pressure to come up and then hold the accellerator to the floor for I think 2 minutes.



I nearly had a stroke but my truck passed the test.



Long story short, if only one plug pops they repair it, if 2 or more pop they were to replace the engine. I contacted Cummins about the procedure and they said, "Hey it's an industrial engine it won't hurt it". Uh, well, OK!! I never was all that comfortable with it.



I thought about taking it to the dealer and see if maybe they might do something since the truck only has a little over 55,000 miles but I have modded it a bit and the SPS 66 turbo has pushed 50 psi at times so I figure it's on my dime. You play you pay.



Jeff Garmon of Garmon's Diesel Performance did the repair and indicated that big plug has been one of the trouble spots for Cummins especially on those pushing high boost pressures. The plug is a bit over 2 1/4 inches and with that amount of surface area it doesn't take much to pop it.



So if you happen to pop yours, order up the billet o-ringed unit and bolt it in. It's not too hard to get at if you remove the downpipe. I just wish I was better informed before falling head over heels into the modding program.



:-laf

 

[Cumminsduallyguy04]

I blew mine in my 03. I personally know about 4 other guys who have as well. High rpm seems to do it.



-Scott

agreed High Rpm seems to be the source for all my cooling leaks. I looking back i was in a hurry, cruising at a high rate of speed, diagnosing some issues along way and i think i had the overdrive switch in the off position. I got a mile from home and it started to overheat so i took a longer route to allow airflow through radiator. it only got hotter. i popped the cap to put coolant in it. I put 1 gallon in it then realized the crap pouring out the back. #@$%! this truck has the PPE tune which allows me 4200rpms if i want it