The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine losing coolant question

Ok guys, one more question: I fillet my radiator up with AF yesterday and when I took a look at it this morning I had a very slow drip. After chasing it down I found that the AF is coming out of a bolt hole on the block low on the driver side rear of the engine (straight down from the no. 6 exhaust port). The hole is threaded, but I don't recall taking anything out of that hole.

I suppose I should tell you that its a 1959 235. Anyone have any idea what is supposed to be there? Or is it more likely that I have a crack or something? I'll post a pic as soon as I can.

So I just found a picture of Curt B's 235, it has a steel line coming out of that hole running forward towards the generator but that's all I can see in the pic. Is there another straight-line that runs to the radiator?
\
http://s176.photobucket.com/user/curt160/media/engine/000_0019.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

that's the water drain plug.

The drain-cock, as described by baldbenny.

you guys are magnificent! I was hoping it was something that simple. I'm on my way to the auto parts store for a petcock!

If it was mine I would plug it with a pipe plug. A valve, as shown, can leak.

On the four trucks that I have worked on in the past 16 years, the radiator draincock is, I think, the same draincock that is used on the side of the block. None of them leak.

Got the radiator draincock in there, now to see if that sews up the leak. I sure hope that's it, I hate to think about tearing that thing down again.

Thanks for the quick turn-around guys, this forum is the best!

Notice it was a slow drip. None of my sixes ever drained well from that hole.

Notice it was a slow drip. None of my sixes ever drained well from that hole.

after i get mine flowing real good i put a ball valve on and plug the valve. when i need to drain it i screw in a ell and a long nipple and drain it right into a bucket no fuss, no muss and no mess. once a year i drain about a gallon of fluid out of it. if its all good and clean i just dump it back in the rad. its not original looking but its more functional that what came from the factory. here's the set up when the 228 was still in.
http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/B...mp;_suid=1374230892302030849790071747757

that is what I did, (the ball valve) One added benefit would be that you can jam something through the valve to clear out the hole if need be, and then be able to shut if off.

If you only have a small drip coming from where a drain cock should be, you have a lot of crud in the water jacket. While I would like to recommend that you get all the crud out of your water jacket, it is much easier said than done. The only way that I have been able to accomplish total clean out was by removing all of the freeze plugs including the ones in the front and rear and flushing it out with a hot pressure washer blowing through every coolant hole in the block including the ones under the head. It was also necessary to stand the block on end and then on the side to get everything out.

Like I said, a pipe plug is best. It only has one way to leak and a drain cock has several ways to leak/corrode. The pipe plug can be purchased with a hex head so easy to remove with a socket for FULL hole drain, not a small drain cock hole. Why a drain cock, to be "pure"? If you use Antifreeze and distilled water, why all this draining?

From this man's description, his drain cock was completely missing and was just barely dripping! My guess is, someone in the past did not follow your suggestion of anti-freeze and distilled water and now may have a seriously plugged up water jacket. I unknowingly had this same problem on my first 216. When my original brass t-stat stuck closed one day and overheated, my water jacket cracked right at the top of where the crud in the water jacket leveled off. Coincidence, maybe.