Block froze

Very good chance the freeze plugs did their job and protected the block from cracking. You won't really know for sure until you install new plugs, refill with coolant and run the engine. Then inspect for signs of a cracked block. If none appear, you've dodged a bullet.

+2. There isn't much else you can do. Look for damage when you replace the plugs, and check it real good when you start it. You could pressure check the cooling system after replacing the plugs.

ice usually expands in all directions, by the time it's pushed out a freeze plug it has expanded all around it and cracked other areas. but you may be lucky and just replace the freeze plugs. about 20 years ago a buddy of mine had a vega with the stock 4 cylinder he had streight water in it, we were spinning around it this parking lot on the ice it was +13, he ran out of gas left it there, a week later we towed it to his house it was that cold the whole week, he covered the car with blankets and put an electric heater under the car, after about a couple of hours it thawed out (those engines only had one freeze plug in the front of the head,none in the block) and there was no damage to the engine! i would never have believed it if i didn't see it, so you may luck out(fingers crossed!!!)

^^ what they said. you won't likely see where the block is cracked if it is, could be in the lifter valley or in the back bellhousing area. I would just slap some rubber emergency plugs in there to see if the water & oil stay separated, then change them out for press in plugs when it's warmer

or not? ... those rubber plugs last a good long time

cali-johnny, that's pretty strange but I have a scenario that could splain it... if the engine was hot when it stopped / out of gas, the 'coolant' was expanded. then as the coolant froze, it only took up the same amount of space as it was already occupying   

got my fingers crossed, I haven't checked freeze protection in any of mine for a lot of years. my DD survived but I have one in the garage I haven't checked on yet

smhj wrote: thanks guys I'll try it. Just so ..... haven't even had the engine started after the rebuild.

a fresh engine froze?? THAT SUCKS!!

Any progress/news?

Sorry no. Have the Flu bug

^^^^ X2

no, as long as you are on TDC on the compression stroke for the #1 cylinder, then follow the firing order in the direction of distributor rotation

Restabbed the dis now she is spitting gas out if carb. Ideas please

a couple possible reasons for this come to mind
1. Distributor out of phase (engine not at TDC when distributor installed, or not taking the helical cut gears into account when lining up the distributor).
2. timing chain jumped a couple teeth.

If it runs ok. I'd go with #1, if it runs - barely- and you can't get it closer with timing adjustment, I'd go with #2


Edited by Big Bird - 27-April-2014 at 8:53AM

Stayed running because I'm air headed at times. MSD was hooked up to battery. Never moved it to switched 12v. Looks like she survived the frozen block I hope. After 15 minutes or so of breaken it in the water came out like a fountain. Had the rad cap off to add water. Any ideas?

smhj wrote: After 15 minutes or so of breaken it in the water came out like a fountain. Had the rad cap off to add water. Any ideas?

if you didn't have a fan blowing air through the radiator it could've simply overheated

not extremely uncommon but not great either

this is a 351C engine?

hopefully the head gaskets are oriented properly as they are marked 'FRONT'

Edited by Rockatansky - 07-May-2014 at 10:21AM

good, yes thermostat may not have opened, yes drill a small hole in the flat part , i do that to all of mine, it keeps it from getting an air lock in the system

true, i meant to say get a new one and if it don't have the small hole in it(many now do) then drill it and install the "new and improved" one!