Caught The Drip and Need Help

bretamo

Member
May 13, 2005
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I wish 5 days of penicillian would solve this drip, but I am afraid it won't. There are questions near the end of this post I hope you can help with.

My current situation is that I found water/coolant in the oil pan and a little steam/water dripping from the exhaust after a head, intake, and TB install. I ran the engine for about 10 minutes after install, and it ran very rough at idle and would not easily accelerate past 1200 rpm, at which point steam/smoke would come out of the engine compartment. I have not checked timing or the TPS voltage, as the coolant in the oil has my utmost attention.

I drained the oil and left the oilpan plug off and performed a pressure test on the cooling system at 20lbs. of pressure. After about an hour, the pressure dropped to about 19.25lbs., and water was dripping out of the oil pan at a rate of 3 drips per minute.

Three drips per minute .....isn't that a pin hole leak?

Its a windy day in Florida after hurricane Alberto, and with the upper intake removed I cannot easily locate where the leak is coming from. I took a heater hose and put my ear to one end and the other inside each of the lower intake runners to no avail. I also listened very carefully through the pushrod guideplates, and could not hear anything there either.

Questions:
1. Am I going to be able to locate "by ear" a three drip per minute leak inside my motor? I'm thinking not, but would like your opinion.
2. If I cannot locate it by ear, is there an alternate method to use before I separate the lower intake from the heads?
3. If no alternate method, will I be able to easily see where this leak is, or am I destined to replace the head gaskets and the lower intake gaskets again?

As you can see, I am focused on the diagnosis part of this drip and praying that I find the leak at the lower intake and not the head gasket. I do not want to go through adjusting the rockers and valve lash again.

And lastly, I have seen a awesome photo of RTV applied to the lower intake in this forum, but cannot seem to find it. It had the most delicate and even application of RTV I have seen, and would like to have it as something to shoot for when I redo mine. I appreciate anyone that can find that.

Thanks anyone's help and comments.
 
Sounds like an Intake leak, not head gakets, the intake gaskets allow the coolant to run down the lifter valley and thru the internals and out the oil pan, as far as running rough, there is probably a vacuum leak to go along with the coolant leak.
 
mattmcdan said:
Sounds like an Intake leak, not head gakets, the intake gaskets allow the coolant to run down the lifter valley and thru the internals and out the oil pan, as far as running rough, there is probably a vacuum leak to go along with the coolant leak.

Its also possable tosuck water into the cylinders,so be careful.

I would say you're gonna need to replace the lower intake gaskets.I put a thin beed of Red RTV around each port,then clean the gaskets up and put them in place.Let it sit a litte bit and the gakets won't move when putting the intake on,and it also will ensure a good seal to the head surface.

The water jack ports should get the RTV too,but on both side of the gasket.Also,for the valley rails,I like to use the supplied cork gasket with a thin beed of RTV on just the top and in the corners.