Skoda Forman: Coolant leaks from intake manifold

[NichiBlembom]

Hi again!

My Forman is taking the **** again (this time literally).
Fixed a couple of things. First the carburettor, vacuum leaks, then the brakes, fuel lines, fuel pump, oil pan, then carb again because of insane amounts of dirt in the fuel tank.
Now when I thought that I am finally good to take it for a longer trip it started peeing lots of coolant from the intake manifold.
On the pictures you can see from where it comes. Unfortunately its not a hose, but the metal part of the manifold (I guess it is a frostplug?) is heavily corroded, has hole and leaks brown rusty and smelly coolant. The coolant looked alright to me a couple of weeks ago, I had it parked because I didn't have time, now it looks like this, which I find rather strange.

.

 

Anybody here who has had this same problem?
Do you think I could somehow fix it with some sort of gasket glue, or silicon?

Changing the manifold is not an option for me at this point, since the studs look pretty rusty and probably will strip when I try to replace the gasket, which seals intake and exhaust manifold.
Right now I would like roll it in a ditch and get something air cooled rather than rework the head.

Hope to read something positive from you guys

Greetings,
an enthusiast thats not being treated well by his Forman
 

[KenONeill]

53 minutes ago, NichiBlembom said:

I guess it is a frostplug?

Yeah, that's a core plug. It should be quite possible to replace it, as long as you can find the right size.

[Thefeliciahacker]

If you can not replace it I would be tempted to just epoxy all over it

[mikefelicia]

J B Weld I have used a lot on my motorcycles and never let me down it dos what it says on the package.

[KenONeill]

3 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

If you can not replace it I would be tempted to just epoxy all over it

Which part of the alternate name "frost plug" is confusing you?

[R_Blue]

N  90881901 from what I've found.

https://skoda.7zap.com/en/cz/favorit+form+pickup/fav/1991-107/2/253-253000/#30

 

Price:

https://www.cc-autodily.cz/zatka-22-saci-potrubi?brand=SKODA

 

How to replace:

 

[Thefeliciahacker]

54 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

alternate name

Huh what's confusing me? 

[RicardoM]

On 18/07/2021 at 22:01, NichiBlembom said:

Right now I would like roll it in a ditch and get something air cooled rather than rework the head.

What are you talking about? What has the cylinder head rework to do with a leak from the intake manifold?

[R_Blue]

On 18/07/2021 at 22:01, NichiBlembom said:

My Forman is taking the **** again (this time literally).

We have the same cars, bought them at a similar time. I had no previous experience. First time car owner. I had to work every day on the car to keep it moving. Yet disgusting problems show up time to time. The problems I faced so far %70 previous owners' ignorance and previous mechanics' mischievous fixes. Rest is age related.

 

Here is one example:

https://pasteboard.co/KbXGNT3.jpg

There is something here that had been done intentionally by a human being to achieve something in a very very wrong way.

This was one of the most terrible finds about the car and one of the most disappointing one.

 

Some times I felt just like you, "throw the car in a ditch". I worked on carburetor and brakes too and those were hard for a beginner like me. I know you have come a long way. Keep the good work up.

[Thefeliciahacker]

6 hours ago, R_Blue said:

https://pasteboard.co/KbXGNT3.jpg

you mean trying to raise the car by moving the strut up the wishbone 
thats a how to die 101 moment

[NichiBlembom]

14 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

If you can not replace it I would be tempted to just epoxy all over it

I was tempted as well and I did it. I tried to just epoxy the plug itself so that it could still have the function of the frostplug, but I doubt that it will hold until it gets cold again! I will see

 

 

8 hours ago, RicardoM said:

What are you talking about? What has the cylinder head rework to do with a leak from the intake manifold?

As I said. Removing the Inlet Manifold requires removing the Exhaust Manifold to renew the gasket. If the studs on these strip (and I have seen those strip on newer cars already), its Cylinderhead reworking time.
 

 

Thanks everybody and especially R_Blue for your input! 

I ordered a new plug already and will try and bang the old one out of there with the manifold attached. Can't wait to find out what kind of problems that will cause
Thanks for the positivity! Hope to read more from your Forman project aswell!

[Thefeliciahacker]

1 minute ago, NichiBlembom said:

Can't wait to find out what kind of problems that will cause

It wont

[R_Blue]

1 hour ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

you mean trying to raise the car by moving the strut up the wishbone 
thats a how to die 101 moment

 

 

1 hour ago, NichiBlembom said:

Thanks for the positivity! Hope to read more from your Forman project aswell!

You are welcome. I will keep an eye on your future posts too. Formans are more rare than Felicias or Favorits. We must keep it up.

[RicardoM]

5 hours ago, NichiBlembom said:

As I said. Removing the Inlet Manifold requires removing the Exhaust Manifold to renew the gasket. If the studs on these strip (and I have seen those strip on newer cars already), its Cylinderhead reworking time.

Talking about positivity

Bite the bullet and you'll do a proper job.

[NichiBlembom]

1 hour ago, RicardoM said:

Talking about positivity

Bite the bullet and you'll do a proper job.

yea you're right. it's just those worries that keep me up at night

 

[RicardoM]

Don't worry. We will not let anyone down, even if that means stripping the car to the last bolt and putting it back in one piece

So long as you are willing to do some elbow grease, there are DIY solutions for almost any mechanical issue.

[Thefeliciahacker]

I agree

[R_Blue]

On 19/07/2021 at 22:44, R_Blue said:

N  90881901 from what I've found.

https://skoda.7zap.com/en/cz/favorit+form+pickup/fav/1991-107/2/253-253000/#30

 

Price:

https://www.cc-autodily.cz/zatka-22-saci-potrubi?brand=SKODA

 

How to replace:

 

 

I've experienced this from firsthand now. All I can tell you is above video is a fairy tale. 🦄

This is what happens when you hammer the freeze plugs:

So my freeze plugs started to leak recently. One 30mm right side of the engine head just above the engine number. The other one is the smaller 22mm from intake manifold.

 

After replacement:

 

I used a 6cm diameter short rod with a flat round end to hammer the plugs but after the very first hits, instead of moving, the plug started to tear open just like a tin can. 😠

The plug's rear side is too thin because of corrosion but its side walls remain their original strength.

I couldn't continue to hammer from inside. I couldn't hammer from outside too because of damage risk to the plug housing. This left me clueless. Then dremel tool came to the rescue. I placed insulation tape over the tear on the plug to prevent metal dust entering inside of the engine. Using the flat edge grinding tip, I started to grind one side of the plug wall to structurally weaken it. I did this painfully slow to prevent over grinding and completely ruining the engine head. Eventually plug wall became thin like a paper at one side and I hammered again. This time it moved so I could pull it off. This happened only with 30mm large one. Small plug was teared too but it moved from its place. This work took all Sunday afternoon and it was very distressful too. Be advised.

I really wonder how the professionals do this.

[J.R.]

They drift against the side flange to rotate the plug.

 

I think you meant a 6mm diameter rod but the witness marks in the 30mm plug indicate the use of both a 10mm and 20mm diameter drift.

 

Perforated ones are a sod but the 30mm one should have come out with the right technique, with perforated ones its better to pierce a hole in the weak part to get a cranked lever through to lever outwards against the stronger part.

[R_Blue]

On 05/10/2021 at 17:35, J.R. said:

They drift against the side flange to rotate the plug.

There are still some plugs left. Sooner or later I'll be changing them too. I will keep this in mind. Thanks.

 

On 05/10/2021 at 17:35, J.R. said:

I think you meant a 6mm diameter rod but the witness marks in the 30mm plug indicate the use of both a 10mm and 20mm diameter drift.

Right. That is 6mm. I don't have a drift tool set. I just used different metal parts to hammer on. I tried different parts, hoping larger surfaces might not punch though easily.

 

On 05/10/2021 at 17:35, J.R. said:

Perforated ones are a sod but the 30mm one should have come out with the right technique, with perforated ones its better to pierce a hole in the weak part to get a cranked lever through to lever outwards against the stronger part.

Better than a youtube video!

[J.R.]

I must have had a moment of lucidity, I know how to do these things, mainly self taught through experimentation and learning the hard way how not to do something, it's instinctive but incredibly hard (for me) to explain in words, in that respect Youtube videos are far better as long as its not a nacissist who loves the sound of his own voice.

 

Working with fellow engineers of different nationalities but who were hands on like me we could understand 100% how to do a job by watching each other perform the task, far far better than I could explain it to a fellow English speaker.

 

I used to use a very narrow sharp cold chisel on the edges of core plugs or a pin punch of about 1/4 the plug diameter with a sharp non deburred or worn edge, chain drilling 1/8" holes close to the flange around a 90° arc will the weaken the interference fit to either rotate the plug or displace that part to get a lever behind.

[Thefeliciahacker]

I would make a hole and then fabricate a 90degrees pick like thingy to pull it out.

[R_Blue]

On 07/10/2021 at 12:23, J.R. said:

I must have had a moment of lucidity, I know how to do these things, mainly self taught through experimentation and learning the hard way how not to do something, it's instinctive but incredibly hard (for me) to explain in words, in that respect Youtube videos are far better as long as its not a nacissist who loves the sound of his own voice.

 

Working with fellow engineers of different nationalities but who were hands on like me we could understand 100% how to do a job by watching each other perform the task, far far better than I could explain it to a fellow English speaker.

 

I used to use a very narrow sharp cold chisel on the edges of core plugs or a pin punch of about 1/4 the plug diameter with a sharp non deburred or worn edge, chain drilling 1/8" holes close to the flange around a 90° arc will the weaken the interference fit to either rotate the plug or displace that part to get a lever behind.

I totally understand what you mean. Don't underestimate the power of your words too. When the need arises, I feel ready for another round with corroded freeze plugs. I'm sure the people who find this topic in the future will benefit from your description well.