My brother in laws brother has a 1986 Ranger XLT SC 2.9L engine and A/T that he wants to sell for $500. I know nothing about the truck except what he has told me and what I have seen for myself. He says that the only thing wrong with the truck is it needs a water pump and a freeze plug. He says the engine and trans. are in good condition otherwise. The body is in good shape but the grey paint is very faded in places but NO rust. There hasn't been any bodywork that I can tell and it needs tires. I looked at the truck yesterday and can tell it has been sitting for a while. When I put water in it it came pouring out a freeze plug hole in the side of the block just above the oil filter. My question is how hard will it be to change the freeze plug and do all of you think it's worth what he is asking?

 

It is possible to change a freeze plug while the engine is in the truck, but as to how difficult the job will be depends on how accessible the freeze plug is. You really need to have a straight shot to it to insure that it is properly seated and isn't in the hole crooked. If this isn't possible, the engine will have to come out of the truck. Given the price he's asking, it may be worth it if you can buy it with the condition that you can have a mechanic check it out after the freeze plug is replaced.

My only concern would be that the freeze plug came out when the truck was being driven, resulting in sudden coolant loss.

 

There is an option for hard to access freeze plugs, and that would be the type of freeze plug that is a disc of rubber with two washers on each end and a bolt and a nut to compress the washers. I personally don't think much of them and consider them a temporary repair, others may feel otherwise. Once you pull the old one out (drive a screwdriver through it with a hammer and work it out or otherwise drive it into the block) you simply slide the rubber one into the hole and tighten the nut. Easy to install.

As was just noted, ideally you would install a metal one and to do that requires you to tap it in with a hammer. One thought would be to install the rubber one temporarily, drive the truck, and verify that the engine cooling system is sound. The 2.9 is notorious for cracking heads if the engine overheats, and it only takes one time for it to happen. However, I've only seen two reasons for freeze plug failures: 1) Not enough antifreeze and the plug pops, and 2) corroded freeze plug due to running straight water and not using coolant, which contains corrosion inhibitors.

As for the price, that is hard to judge since I don't know the condition. However, vehicles that don't run take a big hit in price; why not offer him less and see what happens. It also will depend on just how badly he wants to sell it.

 

Do not ever drive the plug into the block as it will obstruct the water passage. One solution is to drill a hole through the plug and put a screw into the plug. Now using the screw you can try to pry the plug out with a pry bar. I normaly drill a hole off center and insert the end of a round pry and lever the plug out. When inserting the new plug use some high temp gasket sealant around the edge of the plug. HPF I think it is. Check the package as it will list use on block plugs as one use. Now take a socket that just fits inside the lip of the plug and a extention and hammer the plug into the block. You may want to get a socket and extention at a pawn shop rather than maybe ruin a good extention.