what would i use to put them back in, and how many altogher are there on the engine? It has also been pretty cold up here, teens maybe single digits.

 

here is an idea.. If you do not have one already.. and since the freeze plug is loose or out already, put in a block heater. that way you can plug the thing in in the winter time.. makes starting much easier and the engine temp warms alot faster. (when you have coolant in the engine) and if it heats as well as the one i have, no matter how much snow you get, your hood and windshield wipers will be free of snow and ice.

 

to replace them, i usually get a punch and poke a hole in them, then pry them out, its a pain in the *** so just be patient.

to put the new ones back in, clean the area where they seal, the get a socket that fits inside the plug and tap it into the block. be very sure that it stays square and goes flush with the block and that you replace the plugs with the exact size you removed. do NOT use any sealant or lubrication, this will only help the plug work its way back out.

ive never done this with a motor in the car before so i have no pointers for that, maybe try taking the motor mounts loose and jacking the motor up to give you more room. there are also 3 plugs on the back of the motor as well as the 2 on each side.

good luck,

 

Reason I asked how cold it's been where you live is because if it got cold enough to freeze the antifreeze in your block to the point where it actually pushed the freeze plugs out then there may be the outside chance that your block could have been damaged as well. (Cracked.) I don't mean to scare you, but it's a real possibility.

As far as putting them back in: do you have access to an engine hoist? You'll probably need to unbolt the motor mounts and lift the block up just enough to give you enough clearance to hammer the plugs back in. You'll need to bolster them with something like a socket when you hammer them back in so they'll seat flush. It might make it easier if you used an air hammer that way you wouldn't need as much room to "swing." That's just how I would do it but I'm sure there are other ways. Good luck.