Just Pulled my Lower Intake Manifold

[95strokerPSU]

Last weekend I looked at my oil seperator and noticed that I have coolant in my oil and when i started my car there was steam coming out of my tailpipes. I thought it was the lower intake manifold gasket because I just had my manifold off. I figured I was getting water into the lifter valley, stucked up through the PCV and burnt in the combustion chamber.

I just pulled the lower manifold and the residual oil in the lifter valley has no signs of coolant mixed in. If the water jacket didn't seal properly and water was getting into the lifter valley wouldn't it contaminate the oil there?

I need know whether or not this rules out intake gasket because the last I want to do is put it back together to find out it's the head gasket. I don't have the means to do a leak down test, I did a compression test and all cylinders were between 150-155

Thoughts?

 

[bill302]

with the info i read above,if it was my car i would replace the head gaskets and have the heads tested at a machine shop since you have it tore down this far just remove the heads if not but for a good piece of mind and to keep from possibly having to redo intake and tear down. and i might also take into consideration how old the head gaskets in it are....

 

[reddy351]

Check to see if there is coolant in the oil. It will come out first, if you pull the plug like you are changing the oil. If there is water there, I'd still say it was the intake gasket.

 

[95strokerPSU]

I just drained the oil pan and there was coolant in the pan, a good amount too. The headgaskets only have 7000 miles on them and weren't touched with this round of mods, only the lower intake was off. I called the dyno shop and asked them if they had any reason to believe that a HG blew, like detonation during tuning, and they said no. Now they could just be covering their ass, but I did sign a waiver stating no liability on their part and told them I don't expect anything from them.

Anymore thought? It's going to be in the 50s this weekend and I don't want to rush to a conclusion that its the lower intake gasket just to get it on the road this weekend. I also don't want to tear down the heads if I don't have to.

Thanks

 

[95strokerPSU]

I just got the bolt I dropped into the distributor hole out and repositioned the oil pump drive shaft. I'm gonna eat lunch and then put it back together assuming it was the intake gasket unless someone says otherwise in the next 30 minutes or so. Anyone?

 

[WHITE94COBRA]

If it was a significant amount of water and coolant in the oil, it's the head gasket's, the intake will let coolant in but not a huge amount and with it torn down as far as you do you would see a large intake leak.

 

[95strokerPSU]

Looks like it was just the intake gasket. I started it up today and took for a drive until it was good and warmed up and then drained the oil. No coolant and also no steam coming out the tailpipes.

 

[trav_19]

glad to hear it wasnt the head gaskets