7.4 mpi.
Has anyone seen freeze damage bad enough to pop the freeze plugs but nothing else? Just wondering what the odds are. Engine ran fine for about 2 minutes or less before I discovered the water pouring out the side of the block. Manifolds did not get hot or anything.

Is it possible that the only thing I would have to do is replace the freeze (casting) plugs and be on my way?

Fingers crossed so hard it hurts.........

Yep. I've seen it a few times. Just had to replace a freeze plug or two.

Keep an eye out for any signs of water in the oil. Chances are it would show up immediately, but ya never know.

If it seems OK, drive it hard for an hour, yada yada, would you pull off the intake manifold to check out the lifter valley anyway to be sure?

If there is damage, I need to find it right away - because if it shows up later, I may have to pay for it....

If you had damage in the lifter valley, you'd have water in the oil.

bbc or small block? The small blocks I have seen that froze had cracks in the lifter valley and some didn't even have the soft plugs pushed out. You might know this already but soft plugs were never meant to protect from freezing whatsoever, they simply seal the holes where the casting core sand risers/core mold form the cooling jacket and so that core sand can get out after the casting process. If you didn't have actual cracks you are real lucky, I hope you arre, Smitty

It's a 7.4 mpi.
So freeze damage does not show up in the valley as much with big blocks?

i have seen 1 bbc with crack running down lifter valley in the scrap pile. i have the crank and 4-bolt main caps in garage from it. i tried marine tex-ing up same crack in a v-6 a guy promised me he had winterized...it worked for a week.

I have a GEN V 7.4 here that did not push out the core plugs but has a long crack front to back between them.

Years ago with my first boat, my winterizing skills were not so sufficient and I didn't get all the water out. It popped one of the freeze plugs out of the starboard 454....Engines were coming out for a rebuild anyway, so everything was checked when disassembled at machine shop. No damage was found except for the plug.....I was lucky.

what do you mean? did somebody else winterize this boat for you? if so, i would be all over them already!!! i would be screaming for a new engine, because you can't know if it cracked where you can't find it and will leak later. the only way to be SURE is to strip motor to bare block and have it magnafluxed. if you don't see a crack in valley, and water and oil both stay where they belong, you are probably ok. but if it is somebody else's responsibility, at least get it documented now. and make THEM do freeze plugs and r&r the intake. just make sure you eyeball the valley before it is reinstalled...