When a freeze plug is popped out from a truck that has been sitting for 9 months could there be engine damage? I am in Idaho and we have had freezing weather. My son is looking at a truck that has a 6.9 diesel in it and he said the freeze plug is out. Should we be looking for engine damage? The truck is not running at the moment and hasn't for 9 months. Should we keep looking or could this engine be just fine. The guy said he would take 500 for the truck. My son just needs the engine and transmission to replace the 460 in his 89 F250.
Thanks
Joes Wife

 

I would have to say no damage.... freeze plugs are made to blow ... pop out if the weather gets below freezing if they did not have them installed then it would have resulted in a cracked block.... just need to be mindful when replacing plugs to make sure proper antifreeze/water mixer is obtainied to prevent that happening again

 

why did it have water in it?
i'd take the glow plugs out and see if she will at least spin over without and water coming out of the glow plug holes. you might take the fuel filter off and fill it with clean fuel and try to get it to fire.

on a side note, this engine weighs about 1200 lbs (for later if he decides to pull it)

 

Freeze plugs do not guarantee the block won't crack in case of a freeze up. They are there so they can remove the sand from the block when it is cast, not to protect from freezing. It takes a special tool to replace the freeze plugs in the 6.9/7.3. I'd be inclined to pass on the engine. The going rate on a running used idi is only around $500, maybe 750 max.

 

Thanks Vic, Turtle & Bash!
Got some more info. My son just called and said that the guy told him the freeze plug "fell out" Not sure if that makes a difference. Fell out vs. popped out.

bashby - where we live here in N.Central Idaho, 6.9s are hard to find. It took 5 months of searching and then an 8 hour drive to go get my husbands 6.9. We use to live in TX and they were all over the place. We sold ours (it was a 2WD) before we moved here to the mountains because we knew we needed a 4WD. We had no idea they would be hard to come by up here.

Thanks for your opinions on this guys!