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location of frost/freeze plug

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location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Tue Oct 14, 2025 6:25 pm

bought a 2012 ford transit with a 2litre, 4 cylinder engine that does not have a block heater. need to install a block heater and looking for the location of frost or freeze plug.
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby knobby1 » Tue Oct 14, 2025 7:54 pm

chivago2000 wrote:bought a 2012 ford transit with a 2litre, 4 cylinder engine that does not have a block heater. need to install a block heater and looking for the location of frost or freeze plug.


No such animal as a 2litre 2012....it "must" be a 2.2litre. There are several "freeze plugs" in the 2.2 engine, a few in the head and some in the block.

In the cyl head HP1, HP2 & HP3 in this pic:

http://www.catcar.info/ford/?lang=en&l= ... EzMw%3D%3D

In the block HP1, HP2 & HP3 in this pic:

http://www.catcar.info/ford/?lang=en&l= ... EzMw%3D%3D

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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Tue Oct 14, 2025 8:35 pm

Thanks for the response Lord, I agree that I would want to die peacefully in my sleep
That’s a good one I’ll be sure to share that with my fellow retired friends and family
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby andz327 » Sat Oct 18, 2025 12:06 am

Eh....wtf......
And whats a block heater??

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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Sat Oct 18, 2025 4:52 pm

Block heater AKA Toque for one’s head or engine block heater that aids in starting engine in the brutally cold Canadian winter months
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby knobby1 » Sat Oct 18, 2025 9:11 pm

andz327 wrote:Eh....wtf......
And whats a block heater??

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In the "old days" 1930's etc I understand they used to light a fires under the engine sump to heat the oil and "unfreeze" the coolant before trying to start the engines.

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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby andz327 » Sun Oct 19, 2025 2:54 am

chivago2000 wrote:Block heater AKA Toque for one’s head or engine block heater that aids in starting engine in the brutally cold Canadian winter months
Show me a block heater for a 2012 transit

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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Sun Oct 19, 2025 3:49 am

Here is the image of the block heater, it was installed and is located on the rear of the engine block, but there was no cord hooked up to it and you need a cord to plug the darn thing in….do you not?
I bought this vehicle in June 2025 for my son to use for his business. Asked them to install a block heater,which they did, but didn’t hook up a cord to it. So it’s now October and if you zoom in on the picture, you’ll see that the contact pins are all corroded.
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Sun Oct 19, 2025 3:54 am

And FYI you remove a freeze plug(aka frost plug)by unscrewing it and install a block heater.(they thread in and out)
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Sun Oct 19, 2025 3:56 am

Make sure you drain the coolant before you pull a freeze/frost plug
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby knobby1 » Sun Oct 19, 2025 7:59 am

chivago2000 wrote:And FYI you remove a freeze plug(aka frost plug)by unscrewing it and install a block heater.(they thread in and out)


Freeze plugs/core plugs aren't screwed in, they're essentially a press fit, water/coolant expands when it turns to ice and they're designed to pop out in the event the coolant freezes solid and helps prevent the block or head from cracking.

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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Mon Oct 20, 2025 5:45 am

I disagree because these plugs are threaded and I installed a new block heater, which is threaded
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby knobby1 » Mon Oct 20, 2025 6:07 am

chivago2000 wrote:I disagree because these plugs are threaded and I installed a new block heater, which is threaded


So...if the coolant freezes...how do these screw-in freeze plugs do what they're supposed to do and pop out to save the block from cracking..??

I'd suggest they're not freeze plugs at all, just screw-in access ports used for for something else.

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When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my Grandfather, not screaming like the passengers in his car..!
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby chivago2000 » Tue Oct 21, 2025 4:00 am

Coolant to water mixture maximum 60:40, that will give you freeze protection down to -62c, 50/50 mixture down to -37
Your coolant won’t freeze unless it goes past -67. If there’s a chance of that happening then vehicle operators don’t shut off their vehicles.
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Re: location of frost/freeze plug

Postby metalworker0 » Tue Oct 21, 2025 2:35 pm

looks like there are several designs --- non of which screw in as you say ...wrong misleading

pushes in .. and oring seals it .. bolt in middle moves wedge like anchor bolt mechanism that keeps it there.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/167682660934?


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/126269751419?


all the best mark
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