Porsche5050

Ok. I'm on step 8 of the timing belt procedure:

http://members.rennlist.com/pirtle/tbelt.html

8 - Remove left and right side engine block freeze plugs (13mm) and drain block. Be careful, these can strip easily. You should catch about 1½ gallons.


My question is, where are these exactly? I'm going to go look again for 2 13mm plugs on opposite sides of each other.

So far so good. I drained the radiator and nothing but nice clean fluid came out. Do you guys take this somewhere special to dispose of?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!!!

Shane

IIRC they were under the cross brace somewhere, but deffinately hard to locate. And have an extra large container under there to catch all the coolant the comes out and drips all over the place.

Porsche5050

Thanks Shane. So it's pretty well down there behind the radiator I presume? I have a 10 qt container that is mostly full from the radiator drain plug, but I have some backup gallon containers that I'll be using. I'll go and look for it again but I want to make sure I'm inscewing the right thing. Anyone with a picture or more detailed description of where I can find these?

Bill Ball

The plugs are towards the rear of the block on a flat area under the exhaust manifolds. They are hard to spot first time. You need a good flashlight.

GlenL

"Freeze plugs?" I believe he means the drain plugs. Look for bolts stuck into the block about 3/4 of the way back from the front. Maybe 6 inchech up from the bottom. They are accesible from underneath, stick straight towards the side and are parallel to the ground.

Most of the coolant is in the block. With the way the radiator hoses run from the top of the engine, none of the coolant in the block flows out when you drain the radiator. When you remove the waterpump, there would be a large gush if the block was not drained first.

Porsche5050

I think I'm getting closer, but I still can't find them! I just jacked the car up some more so I can really get under with a flashlight. There are quite a few bolts under there that are 13mm. Did you get there from under the front of the car or do you attack it from the side?

Paul D

Just a word of caution when you remove the first drain plug there will be a horizontal gush of coolant exiting the block. Get the front of the car up in the air so you can use a 5 gallon bucket to catch most of the coolant. probably a gallon plus out of the first drain plug and less out of the second. Good luck!

Shane

I attacked them from the side as much as my jack stands would allow. Bill is right as I remember now they were tucked under the manifold behind the cross brace.

Paul D

Get the front of the car up in the air (sturdy jackstands preferably) so you can slide in underneath just behind the front wheel on either side. The drain plugs are approx. 3-4 inches from the rear of the engine block (where the clutch housing is bolted to) Driverside plug is located above the starter and the passenger side is in the same location except of course on the passenger side.

Garth S

Now that you can find them, a word on removal: usually, they're in (too) tight, and one really doesn't want to round off the bolt head etc. in a location like this. If you can, use a 1/2" drive, 6 pt. socket very securely on the head prior to 'energizing'. While they seal on a compression washer, some wrap teflon tape on the threads on reinstallation.

Porsche5050

I found them. I'm attacking them from the front of the car as the jack stands are getting in the way for me to go in from the sides. I'm off to Home Depot to get a 13mm wrench. My 13mm socket gets on there but I can't get the handle on so I think I'll have to take it off with a wrench. Thanks for all your help guys.

Porsche5050

Another Q,
One of my 13mm nuts look pretty badly worn while the other seems brand new. I'm going to go after the good looking one. Do I really need to drain from both nuts?

Paul D

You should be OK by only removing one of the drain plugs to get the coolant level below the waterpump level. Worst case is you will be dumping some coolant when the waterpump comes off. Let us know how it comes out. Good luck!

Porsche5050

Got back from Home Depot with a wrench set. Went at it with the 13mm. Man it was on tight! I was about to give up and then I gave it one last tug. CRACK! I thought I snapped it but that was just the sound of it loosening up. I loosened it slowely by hand before finally I took the whole thing off and MAN O MAN the coolant came FLOODING down with some REAL force. Also, it was splashing from a few different directions so a lot of it spilled on the floor but I got most of it. I'm not going to drain from the other side. I should be OK right? Anyways, I'm going to go clean up my mess and take it from there. It just feels good to finally drain most of it. Thanks for all of your help guys. You'll be hearing from me soon I'm sure!

Bill Ball

Success! Congrats on not stripping it.

I tell you a dirty little secret I have not told anyone before. I did not remove mine. I flushed the block forever with a hose, going at it from both ends. Then I filled the system with coolant. That leaves it at about a 50/50 mixture. I did not use distilled water. I know I might get kicked off the message board for admitting to this act of heresy, but I frankly think that distilled water is not needed with reasonably soft water and phosphate-free coolant.