[Vwdiesel] Grumpy starting

[Erik Lane]

There's some conflicting info out there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_plug
http://www.yourautonetwork.com/freeze_plug.html

Basically it looks like the plugs on the side of an engine block really are
for freeze protection, but that others are not?

I went looking to see how a TDI would be able to have a block without
casting holes, if others need them. But if it really is for freeze
protection when the holes are on the sides of the block then that would mean
that they aren't as worried about it freezing. Well, to put it better they
aren't as convinced that the freeze plug holes would help.

But I don't know much at all about casting. And those pages seemed to
contradict themselves by saying that most plugs weren't for freeze
protection, except for those on the side of the engine, which seems to be
the majority of them, in my experience. So I'm not sure how much to believe
what they say.


On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 4:19 PM, William J Toensing <toensing at wildblue.net>wrote:

> I wouldn't waste time putting a heating pad under a battery. Instead, put a
> battery charger or trickle charger on the battery. This way the battery
> temperature is raised to around +70F &battery will be fully charged. Haven't
> owned a TDI although I would like to. If there are no accessible frost
> plugs, why not splice the lower radiator hose & install one there? Some of
> the Canadian & Alaska members should be able to find out what sort of engine
> heaters they use on TDIs.
> As to frost plugs, they are really there to clean the sand out of the block
> after it was cast, not as a protection against freezing. One pet peeve I
> have is that manufacturers use steel rather than brass. The steel will rust
> out but the brass plugs won't. Steel is used because it is cheaper. False
> economy, in my opinion. Had one of those front plugs rust out on my wife's
> Taurus. The plug was located in the behind the bell housing so the
> transmission has to be removed. Was over my head & expensive to have a
> professional remove it. Told him to remove every steel OEM frost plug &
> replace them with brass or bronze frost plugs.
> Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA
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