Freeze Plug question...

Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
A not so uncommon woe....

Got caught in Upstate NY by the cold weather before I could winterize boat.
In a panic, I tried to do it a few weeks ago when I was in town, but the bilge was frozen solid (I still cannot figure out where the water is coming from!!!!)

I have a tee that allows me to pull antifreeze from a bucket and has worked great for the past 8 years. I got the motor to start, but it wouldn't stay running. I finally gave up and when I went back down below, I could hear bubbling and hissing.

I popped the aft freeze plug of the Atomic 5 gas engine near the distributor.

I ordered new plugs from Moyer and today I went down and ran a propane heater for 3 or 4 hours to melt all the ice. I was able to remove most of the water from the bilge and I cleaned out the opening for the freeze plug...installed some silicone and was able to put the plug into place, no problems.

Once I started the engine, the freeze plug immediately popped out and the engine just squirted antifreeze all over the place. I stopped the engine and cut down a wooden plug and hammered in into the hole so that I could at lease get some liquid in there for the rest of the winter.

Obviously, I didn't install plug correctly. As I was driving home, it occurred to me that the plug/cap is concave in shape. Do I need to place the plug into the hole and then somehow bang the dome shaped cap 'down'?

I tried looking on this site and Moyer's and didn't quite see anything....or I missed it.

Thanks guys.
Chris

...as an aside. I noticed in the bilge that water froze around the keel bolts in a clear dome pattern...I thought this was weird and kinda cool from a freak of nature point of view. Is this normal?
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Was silicone recommended by someone for the freeze plug??

I suspect it was pushed out because there is a frozen plug still in the engine.

I didn’t know Universal had gas engines past the Atomic 4.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Typically, the plug is installed with the hollow side out (concave to the outside).. the installation is done by pushing in on the outer edges with a flat tool; a chunk of hardwood that covers the whole plug is fine.. .. if ya hit it in the middle, it deforms and will not stay in the hole..
 

leo310

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Dec 15, 2006
635
Catalina 310 44 Campbell River BC
Have you looked at youtube on how to install a frost plug as this may help, yes in most cases its for car engines but at the end of the day they are installed the same way and are used for the same reason.
 

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
No silicone or other lube required! As previously described, the plug is forced into the hole, and the friction of the plug against the hole holds it into place until a freezing situation forces it out. As a young car owner back in the middle part of the last century, I remember this being a common occurrence.
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
So yes...I installed in INCORRECTLY. I put the concave side UP. DOH

One of my co-workers, who is an expert on cars. Said...dude...concave down...so the pressure of the engine pushes up on the cup and creates the metallic pressure that keeps it in place.

Sigh. I will address in the spring. Again....learn as you go...hope for the best!
 
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