freeze plug
 

i just recently bought a 85 grand marquis sedan with a 302 v8 for $400, not a bad deal really. but it needs a new freeze plug on the passenger side, i know where it is. what is the best way to replace, besides taking it it a mechanic?

on the front of the engine, just take the accessories off enough to get the brackets out of the way. on the rear, good luck. There's no easy way to get at the rear. you can get one of those rubber expanding freeze plug stoppers (two large washers on either side and a bolt to tighten and it squeezes the rubber out to fill the hole) to make the job easier. If you get it good and tight, you probably won't have any issues with it.

the leak appears to be coming from the middle of the block, like near the motor mount.....cant really see it cause of the exhaust manifold is in the way.

in that case, you'll need to get under the car to get at it. If you can't get a clear shot at it from under it, you'll have to lift the engine out some, if not all the way, and then work on that.

freeze plugs are as follows... 3 on each side of block, 1 on front of each cylinder head and 1 in rear of each cylinder head.

you can lift engine some, remove /unbolt motor mount bracket and get to it that way from above if you have a/c and smog lines outta the way. the crosssmember is in way from under the car. might have to remove the exhaust manifold too.