95 Aerostar - Water blowout into bell-housing, hidden freeze plug, head gasket or cracked block? Urgent, watching!

Please! Last week engine overheated when heater control valve fractured. Got very hot without hot thermostat, as water blew out before boiling. May not have waited long enough before adding water. Could have cracked block. Today, lost water again. All external freeze plugs intact and engine dry. Water drained from bottom of transmission bell-housing. No water in oil. Is there a hidden freeze plug in housing area? Two rear freeze plugs are visible above housing, intact. I didn't think head gasket extended into housing. If only possible problems are head gasket and/or cracked block, may not be cost productive repair. Any chance anything else could blow hot water into bell-housing? I got a ride to work for Monday. Tuesday must repair or buy used replacement. Money is a real issue, but time is more. Can't spend time and money to repair if long and costly. No spare car. Other repair problems are likely due at 150,000+ miles. I am monitoring for your repl(ies). Can't find my Motor's manual. Please!

Reply to
Diogenes
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There are usually two back there on a v-block... but that doesnt mean that's your problem... and if it was a drastic enough shock to loosen a freeze plug it may also have put a hairline crack in one or more places.

Your choice.

Diogenes opined in news:Zslad.2893$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.tampabay.rr.com:

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Thank you for your prompt reply!

This is the smaller 3.0 engine, and two rear freeze plugs are visible, intact, above the top edge of the bell-housing, one on each side of back wall of the block. Are there any freeze plugs lower on the rear of the block, placing it or them in the housing?

Reply to
Diogenes

I have found the answer! Two regular and one timing chain freeze plugs, behind the flywheel. $250.00 to replace all rear plugs with new brass plugs. Hope that is only problem. Thanks, folks!

Reply to
Diogenes

Thanks for the info it was helpful. I also had antifreeze leaking from the bellhousing area of my 95 Aerostar. It was leaking such that as I added water to the radiator, it was dripping out of the area of the bellhousing when the van was not even running. The funny thing is that it just developed overnight. Had no leaks before and then BAM, antifreexe pouring all over the place.

Just to be sure it was the freeze plug, I was able to see where the water level dropped off to in the radiator and it seemed to be even with where the freeze plugs on the back of the block would be located. I wanted to be sure before I jumped into this project.

Well, I'm happy to say, about 12 hours later over a couple of days of dropping the trans, exhaust, lines and cables and a few bucks for some parts and tools, and some banged up knuckles, I was able to get to the bad freeze plug, knock it out and put a new set in. This is not an easy job and really not much room to work with at least for me on the garage floor but way better then paying upwards to $1000 for a shop to do it. Actually I wouldn't pay that much and would have gotten another ride.

I'd recommend that you use prematex to help seal around the replacement plugs and also pressure check the system after you put the plug in before bolting everythin back up to make sure there are no leaks.

So far I've got about 5 hours of driving with no leaks. My only concern is what will be next... The antifreeze was rust brown and that is from when I last changed the antifreeze about 1-1/2 to 2 years ago when the radiator was replaced. I'll be changing it more frequently and keeping an eye on the cooling system overall. At least I'm back up and running and for only about a $10 repair... Feeling pretty good right about now!!!

Reply to
mhopper

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