I'm looking at this 88 N/A that a guy has for sale on craigslist. He said about a month ago it started loosing coolant. In the ad he states all it needs is a lower rad hose, hmm B.S. When I asked him to pour water into the radiator it starter pouring out from the bell housing and around the starter.
I'm suspecting a freeze plug, but I would like to make sure from you guys that this could be the only thing wrong with it. I don't see any hoses cracked just water pouring out from behind the engine.
The car is up for sale for $900. Maybe if I can explain to him the "severity" of the malfunction then I could talk him down on the price.
If it is a freeze plug then all I would need to do is drop the tranny and press in the new one and I'm good to go right?

 

Maybe a freeze plug. Are you sure it's not a heater core hose? The heater core hose which goes into the rear iron under the oil filter fails because oil drips from the filter onto the hose. Oil softens coolant hose and the pressure makes it blow out.

 

Be careful if the guy starts with a BS story chances are he will finish with one also .. you should be able to take the little cover off the top or bottom of the bell and see what is going on in there .

 

If he claims the cyliders have a leak or the head gasket is old. Then that would be a red flag. And if he tells you it has electronic traction control he is a bullshitter.

 

maybe its the hose that goes from the TB to the engine block.I replaced it a few days ago...it was a PITA.I removed the TB and UIM.And the hose was a special order from the dealer.22 bucks.my vert kept loosing coolant from back there.


thanks

 

I'm 95% sure it's not a hose leak. The water was clearly pouring out from around the bottom of the bell housing. I just got a videoscope which I'm gonna use to try to pinpoint the leak.
My other concern is the condition of water seals inside the engine. I can't tell if they're gone until i fix the other leak

 

Yeah I realize how many bullshiters are out there, I just got done dealing with one and this young punk I'm dealing with now doesn't seem to know jack about 7's either. It's a shot in a dark pretty much... I'll post a video if I find a leak behind the bell housing.

 

Ok bad news
so bought car from guy. Towed it home took the transmission out and the flywheel. Turns out its not a freeze plug after all. Towards bottom left side of the rear iron i got an area about 3"-4" long .that's gotta hump with a crack running through it. How the hell did that happen to this engine? It cant be a similar case like in boinger a piston rod pushin through the block so i can only assume a frozen water pushing it out an.d crackin the rear plate. Now i didnt plan on spending additial 1k+ on a rebuild kit plus rear iron. Ive heard of people repairing similar failures on cracked tractor blocks with JB weld. Should attempt grinding the crack and jbwelding it? Any other suggestions?

 

The engine is toast,(the rear iron anyways).
The first clue that you were going to have to spend money was the leak..you should have been like the coolant and ran down the driveway too.
There are lots of N/A engines on the Sec Gen Parts For Sale Section..If you are budget minded I would start looking there.