Freeze plug sealed onto block

[razorback440]

Hello all! New member that is incredibly frustrated by this seemingly simple freeze plug replacement job. TJ with 150k miles, sprung a sudden leak out of one of the freeze plugs.

It seems the existing plug is rusted or incredibly corroded to the point where it just won't budge. I tried following every online guide with where and how to tap it out, hoping it would pivot as they should. With each attempt at tapping, it just put a new hole in the plug. All I could do is tap out pieces of the old plug, to the point where (in the pic), the edge of the old plug is still sealed into the block with a good chunk remaining. This thing just will not come out.

Any idea what I should do in this situation? Trying not to score the block. Thanks!

 

[Gilaguy23]

If you have room to work Id try very gently, with a fine tooth metal blade, remove some of the plug materials edge obviously without damaging the block. Then take a small drift punch on the edge to hopefully pop it apart and relieve that wedge effect in the in the block. This is gonna take surgeon like finesse, be patient with it. It might be held in with a locktite product of some sort so Im thinking some heat might also free it up. IMO the likes of 271 are strong as can be on threads until it gets heated up good and it falls apart.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

At that point in the game I would dremel and punch a 1/4 part section out. Unless I an mistaken, there are no threads on a freeze plug. This is metalurgy reaction. Then get the rest of it out.

If you hit the block a nick or two, that's what JB Weld is for. But try not too, obviously.

Hit the internal circumference with mild sand paper after you get the old one out and after you fill any nicks with JB.

Get that bastard out.

Good luck.

Next time, I would leave the old freeze plug in, sand the surface and paint on JB Weld.

 

[razorback440]

Thank you, both! Ended up using a 5/64 roll pin punch and hammering on the piece that was left and it finally swiveled out.
Edit: 5/16 Punch tool towards the bottom of the plug did the trick on the rest, they came out MUCH easier.