whats this talk about smarty blowing freeze plugs? somebody please enlighten me as i just bought my smarty with 4.4beta loaded

 

Warm the engine up properly before doggin on it. Don't rag on it while it's cold and you won't blow one. I never put the hammer down til it gets above 150 degrees I just drive very slowly and keep the rpms down til it warms up...

 

ok me to just wondering....do you have any knowledge about the new superchips lazertech gauges?

 

No absolutely none

 

Warming up the engine won't prevent freeze plugs from blowing out of the block... water jacket pressure in the vicinity of the plugs is virtually identical at rated RPM - hot or cold.

 

so whats the fix

 

So it don't matter if you warm it up first? That's just what I've heard everyone say on here don't hammer on it cold or you will blow one.

 

There are freeze plug block off plates and there are relief systems that some have.

If you use the block off plate then you'll only cause the next weakest plug to blow out.

The relief systems seem to be the way to go. Sorry I dont have any more info on them.

 

Of course, an engine should always be brought up to normal operating temperature before demanding maximum power output.

Several instances of freeze plug blowout have happened to properly warmed up CTDs on the dyno, dragstrip, etc.

Typically, the rearmost freeze plug goes first, since #6 cylinder tends to run the hottest. You can buy or fab a block-off plate to hold it in place, but then the next one in line usually blows.

I don't have our R&D testing spreadsheet handy, but IIRC there's well over 200 pounds of force trying to eject each freeze plug out of the engine block at rated RPM... and that's before considering the additional stress from overfueled heat load.

We've had BOE kits available since midway through last year's racing season to prevent this problem from occuring... basically, it relieves excessive coolant pressure in the water jacket for as long or often as required without loss of coolant. Neat features such as trackside adjustability and driver notification of an overpressure event.

 

Just trying to get this straight..
so the T-stat is whats restricting flow and causing high psi right??
the bypass kits usually just dump into the top hose..on the radiator side of the t-stat....so in the end temp doesn't not matter as much as the restriction of the T-stat it's self?
right??

 

Even though there's anecdotal evidence that opening up or removing the thermostat might partially alleviate the problem, it isn't a significant additional restriction in comparison to the total cooling system's flow restriction.
Otherwise, there'd have been a noticeable difference in pressure with the thermostat open vs. closed.
Naturally, modifying the thermostat can greatly extend engine warm-up times, which IMO is undesirable.

The BOE purges coolant from 2 ports in the water jacket to the suction side of the water pump during an overpressure event.

The coolant in the water jacket adjacent to the cylinder exhibits a marked delta T during heavy fueling; this localized thermal load could certainly cause problematic pressure spikes that impinge on the surface of the freeze plugs with obvious results.

 

I agree moding the t-stat is not the answer.......I must be dumb cause the T-stat sounds like the restriction to me...it must be if you dump the pressure on the other side of the t-stat and it "fix's" the freeze plug blow out.
either way when my truck gets some more HP I will have a bypass on mine..these engines are to expense not to.

 

im not to familiar w/ these cooling systems, but would it be possible to add an overflow tank on the pressure side of the tstat to give expansion space to the heated coolant? or is the factory resivoir already on the pressure side?

 

to me this would be the same as blowing a plug!!! you basically draining the coolant from the block if you do...and that could cause a QUICK overheat and some who blow plugs have even scored cylinders
IMHO a bypass is the safest way.....but what do I know.

 

If you let the engine warm properly you should be good to go on the freeze plug deal.
I have blown one rear plug and pushed a front plug. I replaced them and have not had any trouble since.

Oh yeah, and mine truck is not stock.... lol