Freeze plug Water is leaking from the top of the motor under the thermostat housing. Could this leak be caused by my freeze plugs?

16F IS NOT COLD EVER, 50% AF IS -30f PROTECTION
READ MINUS -30f (PRESTONE SPEC)
SO NOW WE KNOW YOU RUN WATER FOR COOLANT
DOOMED,
AND THAT DESTROYS ANY ENGINE, BOAT OR CAR
FREEZE PLUGS PUSHED OUT SURE
LEARN TO FIND THE LEAK, LOOK CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY
WE CANT WE ARE BLIND AND QUADRIPLEGIC, SORRY

sure all V6;s love to leak , at the "V" up top , loves to
and is 2 causes, bad gaskets or warped surfaces there.(heads)
can I assume the thermostat housing and pump do not leak now.
to find leaks and yes some are huge challenge
first make sure water (aka coolant AF 50%) is not found in the engine
oil or transmission A./T oil. (seen as green water or milky)

in your case it is to the ground and not to passenger toes (foot well)
leaks to the ground can be lots of places,
to find it use good a new RAD CAP not , 19 years old
get engine fully hot parked. best is idling parked until....
at hot idle 180 to 200F is par.
at this temp the rad PRESSURE IS 15 PSI (LOTS)
AND UNDER PRESSURE ALL LEAKS ARE EASY TO FIND
WARNING SOME LEAKS WILL SQUIRT 3 FT (1M)
AND FOOL ANYONE ONE.
if driving car then hood up wind-age effects move the water to false places. so do only parked tests even wash off old coolant so only fresh leaks are found.

MY GUESS IS (WILD) THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS
LOOK USING a FLASH LIGHT 360 DEGREES AROUND THE ENGINE
AVOID FAN, KEY OFF IF NEED BE. now asit leaks.
then make sure all core/freeze plugs on block and heads are no leaking. (under the tranny bell leaks, omg hard to find) but see only under the bell,. sure.
leaks are where you find them , just like finding GOLD
keep an open mind , take your time and it will be found.

Dear Connie,
This depends on the year, make, and model of your vehicle.
Some engines are installed longways to the car, some crossways. That matters.
A stuck thermostat will not leak water.
(It can, however, cause water to leak , sometimes violently!)
Thermostats are inside metal housings.
Water pumps can leak water, out the "weep" hose in the casting. Water spewing out of the engine could also be a cracked or burst radiator hose or heater hose.
On a few cars, mostly older ones, it can also be a leaking or burst "freeze plug", also called a "sand plug".
God bless your efforts.

Yes, that is a possibility. I have a 4-liter V-6 in my 1993 Ford and it had two freeze plugs that had rusted and were leaking. It was easy enough to replace them because they were on the side of the block but I learned there are two freeze plugs hidden under the transmission bell housing. It they are leaking, antifreeze would be dripping off the back of the engine.

Freeze plugs should not cause oil leaks as they are a safety device for the water jacket.

Have you replaced the timing belthis could be the cause.

could be leaking at the top radiator hose going to thermostat, that is a hard spot to see leak remove the air filter and air filter housing look below throttle body you see thermostat housing, check for leaks around thermostat housing gasket and check for leak at the top radiator hose going to radiator and thermostat.if all is good check all radiator hoses for leaks check small coolant lines going to throttle body for leaks and check make sure bleeder screw on thermostat housing not loose it will leak also check around radiator and water pump heater bypass metal lines for leaks.

freeze plugs are normally on the sides of the engines, check to see if hose connected to thermostat housing is not leaking, and also check to see if coolant is coming from the water pump.

CHECK AROUND WATER PUMP AREA.AND THERMOSTAT HOUSING FOR LEAKS.THE MECHANIC WHO PUT THE WATER PUMP ON MAY FORGOT TO PUT SEALANT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WATER PUMP GASKET CAUSING LEAKS.LOOK AROUND THERMOSTAT HOUSING FOR LEAKING.IF THERMOSTAT SEAL WAS DAMAGE DURING INSTALLATION IT WILL CAUSE LEAKING.IF ALL LOOKS GOOD CHECK FOR COOLANT LEAKS AROUND RADIATOR .CHECK RADIATOR TOP AND BOTTOM HOSES FOR LEAKS AND CHECK HEATER PIPES AND HEATER CORES HOSES FOR LEAKS.IF ALL HOSES GOOD.CHECK FOR LEAKING CORE PLUGS.

we had the same problem on my 97 rodeo and thought the same thing but it so happens that there is a water tube that runs under the intake and has an o ring that over time gets hot and ends up dry rotting. which causes it to leak you wont be able to tell unless you remove the intake manifold and see. i had water filling up and running over the back of the motor which cause us to thing is was a freeze plug but in return it was a lot less work. though you might start here before you pull your tranny