I have a 96 Chevy 4x4 Z71 with the vortec 350. I just bought the truck and it had a leaky freeze plug. The truck ran but I had it towed home anyway. I replace the freeze plug, just drove it for the first time and it drives great, runs strong, everything is good including the running temp. I put fresh oil and filter and brand new antifreeze in it. When I opened the radiator cap to make sure the level was right, there was oil in the water (unlike the other guy you helped that had water in the oil). I am very perplexed. The new green antifreeze appears brown now and when I felt it, it is clear there is oil in it. I didn't drain the entire system when I changed the freeze plug, just added the antifreeze. But when I took the freeze plug out, the water that came out appeared pretty clear (can't say for sure, but I didn't think there was oil in it). Any help is appreciated.
Thank you,
Tony
tonmar@rsaa.com turns over but does not start. when u let off key it sputters like maybe 3or4 times 1998 chevy Z 71 5.7 350 vortec
The freeze plug you replaced was due to rust or was it pushed out by freezing temperature? These plugs are not designed to protect the engine block from cracking during freezing temperatures, they are there to remove the sand from the block after casting it. I would drain your system completely and flush out the radiator thouroughly and fill with plain water, then run the engine and see if oil gets in the water, if it does and the plug was out due to freeze, then your block is probably cracked, although you could just have a head gasket leak. Oil pressure (40psi) is higher then water pressure (17psi), so getting oil in the water is always more prominent than the other way around. Flush out the system and let me know if oil returns to the water, hope this helps
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