SBC - Water in the oil

47convert · March 18, 2008, 01:32:13 AM

Hi guys. Don't get a chance to post too often anymore. Here's where I need some advice. I pulled a good 355 inch Chevy out of my old '60 Elky a while ago because I spun a main bearing and had to put a new crank in it. Now I've bolted it back together with the same old "Fuelie heads" that were on it before but with a different intake. The manifold is an old Fenton three deuce unit that looks very nice. I've installed this combo in my 34 Ford now. Here's the problem: When I went to fire it up a few days ago, I checked the oil to find the level was too full. Couldn't remember putting too much oil in it so I drained the pan and removed the filter to find a couple of inches of water in the bottom of the pan! As I continued to look, I also found it in the lower rear head bolt holes on the driver's side (5 and 7) and in #7 cylinder. There was a tiny bit in the lifter valley too, at the rear left side but I could have dropped that there when I pulled the intake. I pulled the head, cleaned everything (there was no rust in the cylinder walls) and replaced the head with a new gasket after sucking all the water out of the threaded holes with my shop vac. This time I installed a good thread sealer on the head bolt threads (only on the driver's side), and reinstalled the intake with new gaskets. I left the oil plug out of the pan and refilled the rad with water, As I started to pour the second gallon of water in the rad it started leaking out of the oil pan drain hole. Tomorrow I plan to do the sealer on cylinders 2,4 6 and 8 even though I saw no water on the side. The head bolts are ARPs and I did clean the threads by hand with a tap and a small tap handle - never saw too much junk come out of the holes when I cleaned the tap between each hole. What can be happening here? I wondered if my intake could have been machined at some point in time since it's probably 50 years old but it fits nice with no gap anywhere that I can see and the intake manifold bolts thread right in nicely without having to angle them in or anything like that. Id sure like to hear some informed theories here! Thanx

rumrumm · March 18, 2008, 08:45:07 AM

Go with your plan of using sealer on the passenger side head bolts. If that does not take care of the problem, I would investigate the seal between the intake manifold and the heads. Some warpage may have occurred and the gaskets are not sealing properly.

Dave · March 18, 2008, 08:49:23 AM

Ive never seen one leak that bad. Thats not good.. I dont think its the Head bolts. Id go with the intake also.. You might try running a good heavy bead of RTV on both the intake gaskets. That might just seal it.
dave

enjenjo · March 18, 2008, 11:14:03 AM

If you are running end seals on the intake, lose them and use RTV. those old manifolds will flex enough to leak water with end seals on them

GPster · March 18, 2008, 01:15:35 PM

Did you put the first Caddy 355 together? If not maybe somewhere along the line someone had those heads milled and the former intake too, to match. A different intake might not be up to the mis-match and maybe the bolts act like they're tight but you're jamming a miss-match together. GPster

348tripower · March 18, 2008, 02:42:01 PM

Cracked head?

47convert · March 18, 2008, 07:06:24 PM

First time round, I had the short block assemled by the rebuilder. I installed the same heads that are on it now. (It is a Chevy 355 BTW) The clearances were a little tight I think and it ran a little hot and ended up spinning a bearing. Now it's the same deal but with this tripower intake and the new ARP head bolts and a new crank. I think we're on the right track here. I'll seal the rest of the head bolts tomorrow and try again. If I still have the problem I'll bolt on an old cast intake and see what happens then. If anyone has other ideas I'd like to hear them. Thanx

Bib_Overalls · March 19, 2008, 12:56:30 AM

Put the original manifold on and see if you get a leak. if it seals up then the new manifold is the problem. If it does not keep looking.

47convert · March 19, 2008, 01:41:47 AM

Don't have the original - it went when I sold the car, but I'm looking for an old stock cast intake to borrow to try that. Thanx

WZ JUNK · March 19, 2008, 06:41:31 AM

Yesterday I drained one and a half gallons of clear water out of a new GM crate engines oil pan. This engine was in a car that has been inside and out the weather since the engine was installed. There has never been any water or antifreeze in the cooling system. I have not a clue as to where the water came from or how long it has been in there. The engine is four of five years old but it has never been started or cranked. I will pull the spark plugs and crank it through a few times, before I start it, just to be sure that there is no water in the cylinders. I have flushed the engines oil side to hopefully remove any residual water.

On a related note I had some concerns on the break in oil. This is a not a roller lifter motor. I have decided to go with Rottela oil and a new break in additive from GM.

Everyone keep their fingers crossed for me during the next few days.

John

WZ JUNK · March 19, 2008, 03:12:59 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"Yesterday I drained one and a half gallons of clear water out of a new GM crate engines oil pan. This engine was in a car that has been inside and out the weather since the engine was installed. There has never been any water or antifreeze in the cooling system. I have not a clue as to where the water came from or how long it has been in there. The engine is four of five years old but it has never been started or cranked. I will pull the spark plugs and crank it through a few times, before I start it, just to be sure that there is no water in the cylinders. I have flushed the engines oil side to hopefully remove any residual water.

On a related note I had some concerns on the break in oil. This is a not a roller lifter motor. I have decided to go with Rottela oil and a new break in additive from GM.

Everyone keep their fingers crossed for me during the next few days.

John

My saga continues.

This morning I pulled all the spark plugs. I gave each cylinder a good squirt of Marvel Mystery Oil and then I spun the engine over. Water came out of every spark plug hole. Some much more than others. I shot some more oil in each cylinder and then a good dose of WD 40. I intend to spin it again this evening and then use an air hose to blow air in each cylinder for a few minuets to try to get all the moisture out. I will let it air out and then repeat this a couple of times before I replace the spark plugs. I will let you know what happens later.

John

Leon · March 19, 2008, 04:50:21 PM

Was this an engine that was stored in a warehouse in New Orleans?

purplepickup · March 19, 2008, 06:08:10 PM

Quote from: "Leon"Was this an engine that was stored in a warehouse in New Orleans?

Sure sounds like it's been under water with that much water in it doesn't it?

John, the owner didn't buy it from a Ford guy did he? You know, some of those guys say that Chevys make good boat anchors.

47convert · March 19, 2008, 08:56:45 PM

Today I pulled the intake off and filled the block and lower part of the rad by pouring water slowly into the crossover ports at the front of the heads (where the water would normally enter through the T Stat housing) After putting slightly more than one gallon of water into the engine it started to pour out of the oil pan plug hole. I noticed that the water had reached the opening in the rear of the heads and was leaking into the lifter valley and down into the pan thought the oil return holes and the distributor hole. After taking a very close look at the intake I realized the gasket surface of the manifold didn't cover the gasket opening completely. I had a bead of weld TIG'd onto the area, filed it flat and reinstalled the intake. No more water in the pan!

WZ JUNK · April 18, 2008, 12:38:21 PM

I just wanted to report that the engine seems to be okay. (This is the engine that had one and half gallons of water in the oil pan) I have changed oil in it 3 times and I have broke in the cam. It runs smooth and does not make it any odd noises. It does not smoke or leak. I guess the final test will be to see how long it last on the road.

As a side note, I could not get the engine to time by the timming mark. I went back and relocated top dead center and I found out that it has the wrong harmonic balance for the timming mark on the timming chain cover. Once I marked the balancer correctly and timed the engine, it ran fine. This is not the first time that I have had a problem with harmonic balancers.

John