Coolant leak - welch plug behind engine mount!

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

Does anyone know if the welch plug behind the engine mount on the right hand side (passengers side US, drivers side AU) can be repaired without removing the engine?
Ours has just started to leak and although we are planning an engine rebuild in the next month, we have a few Corvette runs to do and would prefer to replace the plug without pulling the engine.
If we were to undo the engine mounts and jack the engine, would we be able to get at the welch plug to repair it?????

Any tips?


Tony

 

[Jack]

Little doubt you'll be able to get in there to pry the old plug out. May be a bit tough to get in there to replace (drive in with mallet) OE type plug. But ... the auto parts stores here carry a rubber-steel combo that slips in the hole ... then you tighten a bolt in center of combo ... that compresses the thickness of the combo ... thereby expanding its outside diameter to seal block. I have used these in a pinch before and they work OK ... it'll be fine for a temporary fix until your rebuild in a few weeks (when your "winter" begins). The hole in block needs to be real clean & do NOT use any silicone/RTV ... DO NOT use any sealants to install the combo plug. Of course, when you do pull the motor ... replace ALL the plugs with metal ones ... many builders prefer brass plugs ... brass plugs readily available here ... probably there too.
JACK:gap

 

[goingballistic]

Does anyone know if the welch plug behind the engine mount on the right hand side (passengers side US, drivers side AU) can be repaired without removing the engine?
Ours has just started to leak and although we are planning an engine rebuild in the next month, we have a few Corvette runs to do and would prefer to replace the plug without pulling the engine.
If we were to undo the engine mounts and jack the engine, would we be able to get at the welch plug to repair it?????

Any tips?


Tony

Looks like that picture of your car was taken down at Surfers??? Nice area, spent some time there. Met some REALLY nice "Sheilas" while I was there, I was doing some work at Koala Country over at DreamWorld and stayed in Surfers.

Like Jack said getting em out is one thing..........getting them back in is another. I'd drive that baby close by after you do it and make sure there are no leaks before you road trip it.

Cheers.

 

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

Yeah, I think she will be a painfull job.

Thanks guys. My Corvette mechanic said he would give it a go, just to see if it can be done. He said he will try anything once!
He used to convert Corvettes from left to right hand drive and has a $hitload of parts. He knows them really well.
We will see Friday.

I am getting prices on parts for the rebuild and thinking about what I would like to do. Although I am not a real big fan on boring/ honing an original matching numbers block, one machine shop said that they would bore it out 20 thou, put in a Larry Perkins piston internals (he is a Australian V8 supercar driver and engineer), put a bigger cam, roller rockers and trick the heads. They said the reason for the bore is to make sure the bore is completly round and that everything runs true once it is balanced and blueprinted.
They also said that the welch plugs would be stainless steel.
I would have used copper, but hey they have been rebuilding engines for over 25 years, they are the experts. They said that the do not 'muck around' with special engines for special cars!

Yep, that picture was in Surfers Paradise. Our Corvette club did the drivers parade laps for Indy last year, for both the Australian V8 Supercars and the Indy Champ Car Series. What a blast!!!!
Look for a magazine spread coming up in 'Vette' mag.


Tony