Not my week, third issue in one week, Antifreeze leaking, What is this part?

[RMoore]

Third time is one week working and still working on issues with this car.
1995 Avalon 6 cylinder, I fixed the thermostat, reservoir and temperature switches for an overheating problem.
Now it runs cool, BUT I see antifreeze leaking from the side of the engine. I cannot figure out what it is.

It is on the side of the engine facing the front of the car, It is in the side of the block\head. Right above and to the left of the oil filter.
It looks like a freeze plug , about 1 1/2 inch circle with a bolt on the top and a bolt on the bottom. It is leaking from there.

Looking up freeze plugs or expansion plugs they have no bolts with them.

I have looked up pictures in the the manual and there is a picture of it but know reference to what it is.

What is this and how can I replace it or stop it from leaking.

Thanks
Ray

[bob2]

a pic would be nice

[RMoore]

I will try to get one today, It's buried in there but I will try to get an angle on it for a pix.

Thanks
Ray

[RMoore]

Here it is and where the leak is coming from, It looks like I may try to tighten the nut and try to fix it???

[bob2]

that thing is not on my engine. i was looking today, right in that area.

seems as if you need to drain the coolant, remove that thingy (which is obviously a plug for something that was not installed on your model) then clean the surfaces of both the cap and the head. being sure it's dry, put silicone on the plug and bolt it down. after 15 minutes, refill coolant. that should work. if not, you're gonna need to find a gasket... and i sure don't know what to call that one

[RMoore]

Thanks Bob

I just got the thing off and cleaned it, used RTV sealant and finger tightened it , after it sets a while I will tighten it down a bit and see what I get. When I took it off it's no mystery to see why was leaking, there was almost nothing as far as a gasket behind it. looked like hit and miss with a little black RTV.

After lots of researching on the INTERNET I found out they call it a bolt on core plug, apparently in 1995 that was a hole when casting the block and instead of a freeze plug that you hammer in they used bolts. Go Figure.

Thanks
Ray

[bob2]

ya know... that just might be a plug for where a distributor used to go? interesting...

[pmesfun]

nope, dizzy was on the right of the valve cover. Look at the semi-circular plugs.

[bob2]

yeah - lol - i was just thinking - was this engine around before distributors went the way of vinyl recordings? it was, in one form or another...