So I flushed and filled my coolant last week. I suspected i was having a coolant leak under my car so i went under this morning to check and it seems that the head of the plastic drain plug under the radiator is broken off (maybe i may have overtightened it causeing it to snap afterwards). But the plug is still in allowing coolant to drip.

I immediately ordered 2 new drain plugs online (one for a backup) and im gonna temporarily use some plumbers putty over the old plug. My question is how would i get out the old plug? Would I have to drill it out of the radiator? Can I do that without damaging the radiator itself.

 

 

Needle nose pliers Without seeing how it broke we really can't tell you.

 

I just put the car on the ground so sorry i dont have any pics for now. But the very top of the head of the plastic screw is broken off like it was overtightened. Its leaking very slow.

I think a needle nose pliers just may do. As for now i have some plumbers putty covering it but its not doing much im gonna pick up about 2 gallons of coolant later and keep topping off until i get my new plug and remove the old one.

 

if it's dripping just sitting there, you're gonna have problems once it heats up and builds pressure. Plumbers putty likely won't seal enough since the system has ~20lbs of pressure behind it. I'd start it and let it run in the driveway for a while to make sure it doesn't just start blowing coolant out around the broken plug. If it does it on the road, you could drain your car of coolant in just a couple miles.

 

I think the plug is still holding in the radiator well enough that coolant wont come out of the sides. Its just from where the head is broken there is a small hole directly on top of the drain plug where small drops of coolant are building up. Im gonna start it and inspect it now. Im still thinking of ways to get the plug out.

 

These guys sell aluminum replacement plugs, btw: RX8 Performance Parts : Koyo Drain Plug

 

^ Thanks but i already ordered the plastic replacement ones. And Im not too sure if those fit the oem radiator because it says it fits all koyo radiators

And an update. I started the car and the coolant was dripping very slowly from the plug. So i put some plumbers putty (not expecting it to hold at all) and topped off with some coolant. I drove to autozone and picked up about 3 gallons of prestone 5050.

Came home and looked under the car while it was running. And the plumbers putty actually held. It was soft and from the heat and a little damp from coolant but no leak.

 

I also took some pics of what the broken drain plug looks like. Not too sure if you can see to clearly.

 

https://www.rx8club.com/tech-garage-...change-121814/

 

Thank you^ What a life saver lol. Looks like im gonna follow that once i get my new drain plug.