Leaks...and options..

[kawahonda]

Curious on what you guys would do.

My car runs really good. PROBABLY 64k original miles on it. Reliability is solid. Rebuilt heads (in the past).

I have a rear freeze plug leak. I also have what I believe is a rear main seal leak, being that there is oil present on the drip pain in the same spot. Both of these locations for leaks heavily suck, I am well aware.

Coolant leak amount: 1/2 cup over 5-6 days.
Oil leak amount: 1/4 cup over 5-6 days.

Option 1) Continue to ignore it until future engine rebuild. This could be 1-5 years away. What happens if I ignore it? Do freeze plugs "blow", or will they just leak more and more, which gives me ample time/ability to continue to monitor it. So far after a year, the leaky plug doesn't appear to be growing...yet.

Option 2) Pay to get it repaired. Probably looking at what, $1,000 mainly because of the labor? This might be $1,000 well spent however if it puts off an engine rebuild for 5+ years...or it could be a boner move...

Option 3) Rebuild engine now. I think this option would suck, would turn into a black hole, and seems unnecessary. There probably would be many "well, because it's out it made sense to do this...and that...and this..."

Currently I am following Option 1.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I'm guessing the freeze plug is rusty..... This will only get worse.  And yes that does suck

[Chryco Psycho]

1st question is
the engine has never been rebuilt correct , is the coolant leak getting worse ??
How long has it been leaking ?
No chance it is an exhaust stud & the coolant is leaking to the lowest point under the engine ?
you could replace the rear frost plug just dropping the trans too .
I would pressure test to confirm locating of the water leak

oil leak could be pressure sender but not usually that much oil but the rear main  can be fixed without removing the engine at least so you could drive it for a season or more longer

If you rebuilt the engine now would it limit your choices ? when I build an engine I want to do it once & do it right !

[kawahonda]

I happened to be at the right angle and right time to see green liquid drip from inside the bell housing. I believe I took a picture too, maybe I'll post it later today.

Oil leak location I haven't confirmed, but heavily suspect rear main as oil is dripping in unison with coolant. Suspect it's also from inside/behind bell housing.

Engine has never been rebuilt.

Leak amount hasn't gotten worse in a years time.

If I rebuild engine now, it would just put more of a strain on the pocket book (this year I need to replace my HVAC) and would probably take several months and delay driving. If I rebuild, I'd like to start in the fall. Rebuild for me means rebuild & upgrade, but we can talk details in the 1/4 mile thread.

The right time to rebuild may be next fall, I'm hoping.

[70chall440]

I agree that it will not get better but if you keep an eye on it, keep the fluid levels up you will probably survive at least a year. Many cars out there that have been leaking for many more years.

[Rich G.]

That's a lot of money to repair a freeze out plug and a rear seal. $20.00 in parts. Freeze out plug although a PIA it's not that hard of a job to repair. There's always stop leak if you plan on rebuilding it anyway, could buy you some time. Oil leak is a whole new story.

[Chryco Psycho]

Well you could service the seal & rear frost plug with out pulling the engine out & run the engine for a few more years until you are ready to rebuild it .
Which is what I would do , unless you are ready to do a full rebuild with no compromise now

[kawahonda]

I hear you Chryco...I don't see that as a bad option.

I would actually trust my transmission shop to do this, since the bulk of the work is transmission work (removal). Putting in a freeze plug and a new rear main seal is pretty basic stuff that I'm pretty damn sure they could do.

Maybe I could get a quote from them. Who knows...maybe it's a $500 job? That would be money well spent....

Or simply just continue to monitor until the time is right.

[jamesroney]

Curious on what you guys would do.

My car runs really good. PROBABLY 64k original miles on it. Reliability is solid. Rebuilt heads (in the past).

I have a rear freeze plug leak. I also have what I believe is a rear main seal leak, being that there is oil present on the drip pain in the same spot. Both of these locations for leaks heavily suck, I am well aware.

Coolant leak amount: 1/2 cup over 5-6 days.
Oil leak amount: 1/4 cup over 5-6 days.

Option 1) Continue to ignore it until future engine rebuild. This could be 1-5 years away. What happens if I ignore it? Do freeze plugs "blow", or will they just leak more and more, which gives me ample time/ability to continue to monitor it. So far after a year, the leaky plug doesn't appear to be growing...yet.

Option 2) Pay to get it repaired. Probably looking at what, $1,000 mainly because of the labor? This might be $1,000 well spent however if it puts off an engine rebuild for 5+ years...or it could be a boner move...

Option 3) Rebuild engine now. I think this option would suck, would turn into a black hole, and seems unnecessary. There probably would be many "well, because it's out it made sense to do this...and that...and this..."

Currently I am following Option 1.

OK, you got me!  I read your Avatar as "big block" and thought..."there's no freeze plug in the back of a 383 or 440"
Then I read your signature line, and I see A66 Challenger.  So that makes a little more sense.

For me, I don't like water leaks.  Small water leaks become big water leaks.  It's just a matter of when.  "When" usually happens at the most inconvenient time, when the engine is under the most stress, and I can least afford the inconvenience.  If your freeze plug is leaking because it is corroded, or has electrolysis or has water instead of straight coolant...then it needs to be changed.  My advice is to change it as soon as you see a drop of liquid hit the ground.  Once it is a drip, then it will eventually become a bigger drip.  If a large chunk of the zinc coated steel plug cuts loose, then it will spray and the cooling system will lose pressure, and it will empty the radiator in a short time.

Besides, the expense is basically the cost of labor to fix it.  I would normally argue to pull the trans and service it from the bottom...but you claim that it has 64K miles.  That tells me that it wasn't an installation mistake, or a defect in materials or workmanship.  It is far more likely that ALL of them are corroded in some amount, and I would recommend to change them ALL.  Not next month, not next year.  Do it now.  Pull the engine, knock out the existing plugs, and change them all.  Do NOT start by flushing the system, adding some aluma-seal or BAR's leak for a while, then run with the radiator cap loose for a while, then overheat the car a few times, then stop driving it because you are scared of overheating, then park it until you are ready to rebuild it, then disassemble it, then decide to restore it, then take it apart and leave it for 20 years.  So that leaves Option 4:

Option 4:  Pull the engine now, and replace the freeze plugs.  You should be able to replace all of them for the price of two cases of beer.  If you were here in the SF Bay Area, and you did all of the work yourself in my driveway...that's what I would charge you.

James.

[kawahonda]

That's an interesting option: pull engine (leave tranny in) and simply just replace the freeze plugs/seal and put it back in.

[JS29]

I am a firm be leaver if one freeze plug is bad than more are bad! That would bother me more than the oil leak.     You could pull the engine change, ALL the freeze plugs and change the rear main seal on a cheery picker. or put it on an engine on a stand and do just what it needs

[HP_Cuda]

I'd just bite the bullet and do the rebuild. The thing with problems is that they usually have friends.

[kawahonda]

Hmm...new heads...machine work...stroker kit....blueprint....new valve train....

How much should I budget? 5k?

How much space do I need in front of car to pull engine only?

Maybe I can get Chryco to stay and help.

[Chryco Psycho]

I will be close 

[1 Wild R/T]

before you condemn the rear main seal reach your hand back behind the intake, around the distributor area....  Three things there that are common leaks, the oil pressure sending unit, the distributor O ring & the rear cork seal on the intake...

FWIW I agree about changing all the freeze plugs.. As far as rebuild, if it truly runs well has good oil pressure & good compression... Why rebuild it... Run it a few more years & pick up a roller 360 to build a 408 out of at an un-rushed pace...  You can set the good running numbers engine safely aside, have a roller cam on the cheap & build the engine completely then swap it out over a weekend...