So....last week my 1.5 year old 390 (from Jasper engines) showed a coolant leak....turned out the rearmost freeze plug on the passenger side was leaking.

The engine rebuilders want to scream "electrolysis" despite the fact that the engine only had 18,000 miles and the coolant is supposed to be good for 50,000 miles....all the specs on the coolant looked fine, no gunk in it, good clear green colour and an 8.5 pH, well within the limits according to the manufacturer.....

So, yesterday, I shell out the $385 for having the freeze plug replaced and 2 hours later, it's dripping oil and the clutch has gone all slippy....now it seems the rear main seal (or possibly the rear cam seal) is leaking...it goes back to the shop next week for that repair, which is seems will cost me even more than the first....

So...what gives....am I just suffering from the wrath of Murphy....or can these two issues be related somehow? I am sending the old freeze plug and a sample of the coolant to Jasper so they can evaluate if any of the replacement cost should be covered by them...but I don't expect much....

Is the 1.5 year/18k miles point where everything starts to go wrong? I'm feeling very discouraged and depressed right now at my impending broke-ness......

 

did the compnay offer a warnity? i know on my long block i just got it came with a 3 year 100,000 mile warnity and i would push for them to pay for it because that to me is not a consumable part in my book.

 

Yeah...there is a warranty...that's why I called them before any work even began...they require that I send the plug in for them to "verify the cause" but, I think I am going to get an opinion locally first as well as document the freeze plug's condition with photos before I send it off...as I will likely never see it again.

After next week, I will also have the cause of this oil leak to send, so I guess we'll see how well Jasper stands behind their engines....

It would be nice if I could recover some (if not all) of the cost of the work...as each of these jobs requires them to unbolt the headers....

 

Is that a brass core plug...or a steel core plug?

If steel, was it made in the US of A, or somewhere else...like China?

The steel used in crappy Chinese auto parts is not only thinner than what is used here in the USA, but its tensile strength doesn't even come close to matching.

The core plugs used on these trucks are the cup type...is that what you have? Or did they install a saucer plug instead?

I've seen idiots install saucer plugs where cup type belong. Sooner or later...usually sooner, the plug blows out of the block.

They also could have installed the plug...without it seating correctly in the block.

The assemblers at most engine rebuilders aren't what would pass for mechanics...basically they are drones...taught to do several jobs, and that's about it.

What anti-freeze mixture did you use?

 

Also freeze plugs are 1 49/64" not 1 3/4" like everyone tries to sell you.
Gee whiz, $385 for 1 freeze plug install?

 

Sumbich! I didn't notice that...

$1.00 for the core (freeze) plug, and $384.00 for the labor?

Is this a Mercedes-Benz or Roller with an FE engine?

Are the mechanics in that shop unionized or what?

The more expensive brass core plugs can be bought in autoparts stores for around a buck, the steelies are usually six bits.

The last time (2004) I had SIX core plugs replaced on one of my '63 Galaxies, the total cost was less than a hundred bucks.

 

Well, this is a 4x4 with headers...so there was cost for removing the starter and headers to get access to the plug and remove it...the removed and the replacement were both steel cup type....I dunno why they didn't use brass....the builders or the shop...sadly, the headers on that side now have a leak that sputters....but I asked them to correct that when they have to remove them again to get access to the main seal issue...

As for the Coolant...it's "Clear Choice," apparently a company based out of Denver...they are meeting with them next week and will ask them to examine the results as well.

With as clear and clean as the coolant looks, I cannot imagine that it was the cause....

Looking at my bill, looks like the plug cost me 3.93....2 "collector gaskets" at 6.99/ea....a "header gasket" (really cheap paper/cardboard type) cost 39.09 and 2 gallons of Coolant at $16 each.....

I always get jammed on parts prices at the shop though....I remember some brake cylinders I replaced cost me $86/each....when I could have bought them from LMC for $16....

 

Why would they need to remove the headers to get to the rear main seal?

Do the headers interfere with the oil pan?
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Why do shops use steel core plugs?

Because...the steel core plugs will rust out eventually, while brass core plugs last for decades.

In other words...it's ALL about money!