Weird tag on Freeze / Expansion / Welch Plug

[Salvagedcircuit]

I finally got around to removing the exhaust manifold to address the smoking issues I've been having and I found this lovely present waiting for me on the front most engine Welch plug.

That looks like a nail, washer and some JBweld to me.

 

I think she's dead Jim. I knew the truck had 269k miles, but the engine seemed to run just fine, and I tested compression the first day after I purchased it: 128,130,130,126,130,128. It also idled great.

But I have never seen anything like this in my life.

 

If anyone has any opinions, that would be great. Is this some kind of rebuild mark? If so, it's the most shade-tree one I've ever seen.

The previous owner told me this had engine work done and the engine had an "ho block"

So far, I have yet to find anything HO in my engine bay.

 

Otherwise, I think I'm going to need a new engine.

 

Edit: Crisis averted. Read last response. Warranty rebuild tag.

 

 

[eaglescout526]

That could be a warranty button. My heads on my MJ and T/A have buttons like that that says “warranty do not remove”. That could just be an older one. 
 

And that may not be an HO block with the AMC numbers being there. 

[gvthnks]

Is it leaking?  Knock it out and see what's behind it before condemning it.  I replaced all these plugs in mine last year.  Easy peasy except you have to remove the head to get to one back there.  

[Andy in Pa]

That is a block heater.  That is very common in the colder states.  Looks like it was completely destroyed at some point, but there is usually an electrode that sticks out in the center where a wire attaches.  They can be a MAJOR pain to replace if one goes bad.  Happened to my neighbors car, and I helped him replace it.  Shouldnt affect how it runs at all, but it looks like someone tried to put a new one in and had to JB weld it in place.

 

 

[Salvagedcircuit]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

I am thinking it's either someone who tried to remove a plug and gave up and patched it or like @eaglescout526mentioned some kind of warranty tag. Do you think that's a nail holding it on? I'm hoping it's just held on with JB weld.

I'm going to see if I can find photos of engine plug block heaters, maybe @Andy in Pa has a point.

 

My plans are to degrease the side of the block, drain all the coolant then I'm thinking of taking a torch to the plug and seeing if the tag/washer falls off. If it falls off and there is no hole in the plug, I'll just leave it be.

Thanks.

 

[eaglescout526]

It should be just a really tough epoxy

[Salvagedcircuit]

It feels like JB weld. The gray goop on the surface peeled off in gray shavings like JB weld.

The mushroomed surface in the center that I thought was a nail, was soft. It shaved off clean. I shaved a little into it and it's soft.

It's possible that the entire us pat pend washer was simply just jb welded on to the surface. I just have no idea why.

Is there some kind of freeze plug patch kit? It just seems strange for this to be a warranty tag when it says nothing. Not even a company name or anything.

 

Debating whether to try and remove it and see if there's something on the opposing face.

[Salvagedcircuit]

It seems my question has been answered

https://www.chevelles.com/threads/engine-tag-on-freeze-plug.862705/

 

It's some kind of rebuild tag that melts when the engine overheats.

Wild.

[fiatslug87]

If it’s not leaking I would leave it alone, I don’t see any corrosion on the freeze plug.

Remember what your mom said “don’t pick at it.”

 

Edit: learned something new, thanks 

[Salvagedcircuit]

Yep. The last photo I posted is how I'm leaving it. Now that I know that there is not a hole in the welch plug, I'm not investigating further. I picked at the center a little bit, but not much. I'm going to call the previous owner and see who did the remanufacturing. Regardless, I doubt the engine warranty transfers owners, but it would nice to have an idea of how many miles are actually on the bottom of the engine.

 

Thanks everyone for the input.

Title was changed to help future comanche owners find answers

 

[cruiser54]

So, what year is the Comanche and why did you think you should find HO stuff in the engine bay? 

[boxyjeep]

16 hours ago, Salvagedcircuit said:

It seems my question has been answered

https://www.chevelles.com/threads/engine-tag-on-freeze-plug.862705/

 

It's some kind of rebuild tag that melts when the engine overheats.

Wild.

 

These are typically installed on replacement crate engines, cylinder heads, and even junkyard engines.  I've seen them on my Clearwater cylinder head and ATK crate engine.

[Salvagedcircuit]

6 hours ago, cruiser54 said:

So, what year is the Comanche and why did you think you should find HO stuff in the engine bay? 

1988. The seller stated that the engine was an HO. So far, absolutely nothing is from an HO in my engine bay. So far, I know the bottom of the engine was remanufacturered at some point. The head and intake may be original because the head ports have 1/16in of carbon build up, the top of the of the head had literally 1/2in of carbon and sludge, and the intake has 1/16in carbon, possibly because my intake and exhaust manifold bolts were all finger tight except 1 bolt. I don't think the intake is supposed to have any carbon buildup, so I have still to figure out why that is. I'm currently in the process of cleaning it up.

 

 

 

[boxyjeep]

1 minute ago, Salvagedcircuit said:

1988. The seller stated that the engine was an HO. So far, absolutely nothing is from an HO in my engine bay. So far, I know the bottom of the engine was remanufacturered at some point. The head and intake are original because the head ports have 1/16in of carbon build up, the top of the of the head had literally 1/2in of carbon and sludge, and the intake has 1/16in carbon, possibly because my intake and exhaust manifold bolts were all finger tight except 1 bolt.

 

 

 

 

Other than some differences in metal composition, the Renix to HO block is exactly the same.  If you have a Renix head (casting number 2686) and Renix intake/exhaust manifolds, sorry, but there is nothing HO about the motor.

[cruiser54]

And the crud in the intake manifold is normal.