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Terminology and maybe an incorrect understanding.
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:29 pm    Post subject: Terminology and maybe an incorrect understanding. Reply with quote

About 6 weeks ago my Dodge Journey sprung a coolant leak. After a 800Km/500 m round trip I was under a mile from home so despite audible and flashing warnings I continued.

Problem is a 6$/£10 item... it is what I have referred to for the past 60+ years as a core plug. This one however is between the engine and the transmission, sideways V6, auto. To even see it involves K frame/subframe removal, suspension removal, transmission removal, but that isn't the topic...

The garage, parts suppliers, YouTube, Ladies sewing circle, Church Sermon, all refer to it as a "freeze plug"... and they go on to say that they are there to protect the block and/or head from cracking should the antifreeze not work.

I turned to Google and found this link...
https://coreplugs.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions

and yet local garage, Dodge Dealer, even motor factor suppliers here in North America/Canada insist on calling them "freeze plugs" and their sole purpose in life is to prevent bocks/heads from cracking in the event of an antifreeze inadequacy.... So may I ask, in particular our older members, what is your understanding about these "plugs" ?...........

BTW at 195k Km- 122K miles, I asked the garage to replace front shocks and all other front suspension related items "while they were at it".. they also did new transmission oil, brake fluid and of course coolant.......... the end invoice $1600 Cnd / £950.... I still do a lot of my own maintenance but this was one occasion when sensible came before pride.
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roverdriver



Joined: 18 Oct 2008
Posts: 1210
Location: 100 miles from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have known them as Welch plugs.

I looked up Welch Plugs on Wikipedia and found this-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_plug.

I decided to look into the name a bit more and found this-

Brief History of the Welch Plug

by Nevin Hubbard of www.hubbardspring.com

A brief bit of totally obscure history that I am one of the few living persons who knows.

My family business, established in Pontiac, Michigan in 1905, is the original manufacturer of the "Welch" plug. The Welch brothers had a motor car company at the turn of the century that was later bought by General Motors - the Welch Motor Car company. They would run the cars around Pontiac to "break them in."

At that time core holes in the engine blocks were fitted with pipe plugs. During one of these run-ins a pipe plug backed out. In order to get back on the road one of the brothers drove a quarter or half dollar into the hole. From this they developed the Welch plug, some with the help of my Great Grandfather Martin Hubbard. They then patented the plug and the M.D. Hubbard Spring Company become the sole manufacturer of the Welch plug for the life of the patent. To this day we have the largest range of sizes available anywhere.

So the Welch plug in origin is an American innovation and name.

Best Regards,

Nevin Hubbard
M.D. Hubbard Spring Company
www.hubbardspring.com

Found at https://www.britishcarweek.org/welch_plug.html
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.
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mikeC



Joined: 31 Jul 2009
Posts: 1771
Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They are core plugs; their purpose is to enable the block, or whatever, to be cast with a hollow 'core'. The fact that they may also have a secondary purpose in protecting the block from cracking under freezing conditions is co-incidental.
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!
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Miken



Joined: 24 Dec 2012
Posts: 544

PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As well as being positive locations for the hard sand cores during the casting process, If there were no through holes, it would of course be impossible for the foundry man to remove the cores when the mould has been cast.
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V8 Nutter



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Posts: 587

PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Henry Ford insisted, when the flat head V8 was being developed, there could not be any core plugs. It caused a great many problems, but Charles Sorenson (Cast Iron Charlie) managed it. I don't know how.
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