Leaking Freeze Plug

9t9bluetj · Aug 11, 2012

I have a John Deere 730 diesel and just below the hydraulic connectors for the remote cylinder, I have a leaking freeze plug. I removed the freeze plug, drained the hydraulic fluid to that level, and replaced the freeze plug and used RTV this time. Same result, it leaks.

Any ideas to fix this leak permanently? The hole behind the freeze plug is only 1/4" or so.

Also, I was told that you are not able to drain this below the freeze plug. Is there a way to get this drained out completely?

rustred · Aug 11, 2012

wrong thing to use, u need to use a little loctite on it. that one looks kinda beat up on the top,or is that an illusion. plus need to clean the bore very good where it seats. u can use a socket with the same diameter to drive it in. that one may be distorted.

ShadetreeRet · Aug 11, 2012

The last one I installed was made of copper and kinda like a sandwich with a bolt in the middle. You inserted the plug in the opening and tightened the bolt which expanded the plug against the casting. Worked very well.

9t9bluetj · Aug 11, 2012

(quoted from post at 05:22:37 08/12/12) The last one I installed was made of copper and kinda like a sandwich with a bolt in the middle. You inserted the plug in the opening and tightened the bolt which expanded the plug against the casting. Worked very well.

Sounds like this may be what I need. Where do you find one of these plugs? Have a source for these? Thanks

Walt Davies · Aug 12, 2012

Clean the hole in the block to polished metal making sure
there are no grooves or cracks. Make sure that the plug fits
real tight it should take a good effort to drive it in. You cam
spread the plug a little or see if you can get an over size one
that will fit.
Don't put anything on it it should be very clean and drive in
hard to seal.
Walt

JDseller · Aug 12, 2012

It looks like you had trouble installing the new plug. I would try again. Drain the oil down below where it will leak. Then clean the hole out with brake/parts cleaner. Make sure there is no old paint in the hole from the old freeze plug. Then I usually apply some Permatex sealer ( old black form-a-gasket type) on the out side edge of the freeze plugs. I also use a socket that fits the inside of the plug to use as a driver to install it. I have not had any problems getting them to be leak free.

The brass type they are talking about can be boughten at just about any true Auto parts store: Napa, Car Quest, etc. The Advanced Auto and Auto Zone tyep will not know what you are asking about. I only use the brass ones where you can't get to drive them in. Ford auto engines used to have one in the back of the cylinder head that would rust out. You could not drive a new one in because the fire wall was in the way. The brass one work OK but they can come out too. So they are not always the perfect thing either. Plus they cost ten times the regular steel cup ones.

Brian G. NY · Aug 12, 2012

I'm with "rusted", looks like the wrong thing was used to drive the plug and damage was done to the perimeter between the eleven and two clock positions.
Unless the driver sits down inside the cup (and is hit squarely), the plug can be distorted and will very often leak.

Goose · Aug 12, 2012

Take a vacuum pump and draw enough fluid out so it's below the level of the plug.

Cliff Nelson · Aug 12, 2012

There is a drain plug on the bottom of the housing in front of the pto drain plug. Not easy to see without crawling under the drawbar.

Leaking Freeze Plug

9t9bluetj

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rustred

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ShadetreeRet

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9t9bluetj

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Walt Davies

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JDseller

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Brian G. NY

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Goose

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Cliff Nelson

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