TR6 What's this hole for?

[TR666]

After removing the water pump housing, I noticed an opening in the block directly behind it. You can only see a crescent shaped portion of it, since the remainder is behind the front plate. If you look at a Bentley manual on page 112, it is shown on the lower illustration between the reference numbers 5 and 9. Should this just be an open hole into the block or should there be a plug there? I should mention, I bought this car as a non-running vehicle and has not been running since the mid eighties. So, I couldn't tell you if coolant or oil had come out of there. I haven't been able to find any pictures of just the front of a bare block. Any ideas?

 

[poolboy]

Go to page 129 in Bentley illustration 12.41.00 sheet 1
Using the dowel (9) as a reference, I think you'll see a freeze plug in that location.

 

[poolboy]

Go to page 129 in Bentley illustration 12.41.00 sheet 1 and compare to page 112.
Using the dowel (9) as a reference, I think you'll see a freeze plug in that location.
I have a block in storage that agrees.

 

[TR666]

Thanks for that. What's confusing is, if you look at the Moss or TRF plate illustration, there appears to be two openings which is different from the Bentley picture, yet only one plug is referenced and it's not in the location of the opening. Of course they have to obscure the portion I want to see with the end plate gasket. Oh well, looks like I start tearing it apart. Anything else other than timing parts that can/should be replaced while I'm there?

 

[poolboy]

There's no telling what all that engine will need if you've never heard it run.
Just take the whole engine apart, save what you can, replace the rest, would be my approach.

 

[TR666]

That might be the way to go, since it may have been run without coolant if that plug had rusted through while it was still operational. It has about 52,000 miles on it.