I'd only agree to a point. This is a trailer boat. I'm betting he's not
taking it 20 miles offshore. If the plug comes out the water will stop
coming in when he stops the engine. One could run a while and then stop to
let the bilge pump catch up. Besides we're talking about 3 or 4 lbs of
pressure. I've seen these rubber plugs go for years in cars with 15lb
pressures. I agree that it's certainly a good idea to get them in to make
sure there are no other problems but similarly I would not pull the engine
just to replace a couple casting plugs. He's not going to be in a position
to pull the engine himself and a yard will charge him a grand or so to do
it.

I do share your concern that these plugs did not come put because of the
overheating. It really sounds like this block may have frozen and the newer
thin walled blocks seldom survive that.

"trainfan1" wrote in message
et...
landshrk4 wrote:



I am going to purchase a couple of plugs and install them to see if
there are any other pending (hidden) issues. I had been told that I
could get expansion plugs from a local parts dealer that are expandable
by way of a bolt instead of the "tap in" types that would be supplied
by Volvo (or aftermarket). Has anyone used these types of plugs? Can
anyone recommend how to replace the plug that is behind the motor
mount? It would be much easier to take it to a local repair shop but I
want to do the work myself.... how else am I to learn the
fundamentals?


The rubber expansion plugs will work, to a point. In a marine
environment, I would only use them to diagnose any further issues on a
test basis, which I have done, because they have a probability of popping
out, which will very quickly fill the bilge to a dangerous level with very
little advance notice. No typical bilge pump would be able to keep up.

If you can somehow extract the obstructed view/access one, you can
probably slip a temporary plug in blind, tighten & test, otherwise you are
looking at pulling the engine twice if you go rubber, once if you go with
the brass to start & luck out with no other issues at re-start.

Which brings us back to the initial failure - did you get ALL rubber
fragments/parts out of the engine & drive when changing the impeller? If
you can account for all parts, do the brass plugs and hope that the block
is not cracked.

Did you have any kind of low temperature alert or alarm in your storage
area?

Rob