Oil mocha latte getting worse...

Yellow302

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Mar 2, 2003

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Nov 3, 2007

#1

• Nov 3, 2007

• #1

What could cause vast amounts of coolant/water to get into my oil?

This all started after HCI install.

 

jtfairlane

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Mar 5, 2006

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#2

• Nov 3, 2007

• #2

A bad head gasket seal: Did you tap all the threads for all the head bolt holes to ensure proper torque readings? Did you torque your headbolts/studs in stages? Did you remember to put sealant on the bottom row of head bolts on each head? (These go into water jackets).

A bad intake gasket seal: It is not unheard of for intake gaskets to tear at the coolant ports adjacent to cylinder 1, 4, 5, or 8. , especially if you are not extra careful in seating the intake on the gasket/heads before tightening the intake manifold. If this happens, it is possible for coolant to not only be burned (causing a lot of white smoke) but also mixing with oil by getting into the lifter valley.

 

Yellow302

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#3

• Nov 3, 2007

• #3

jtfairlane said:

A bad head gasket seal: Did you tap all the threads for all the head bolt holes to ensure proper torque readings? Did you torque your headbolts/studs in stages? Did you remember to put sealant on the bottom row of head bolts on each head? (These go into water jackets).

Click to expand...

Tap threads no.
Torque in stages yet, 3 times untill max torque then rechecked.
Sealant on head bolts no.

Its not the intake ive redone that 4 times...

 

jtfairlane

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#4

• Nov 3, 2007

• #4

It's not a practice I recommend, but some folks can get away without tapping all the head bolt holes when they have the heads off the block. I'm sure that threw your final torque readings off, but probably not enough to cause a major coolant leak.

However, if you didn't coat the threads of all the short head bolts (the head bolts that are close to the exhaust ports/spark plugs are much shorter than the ones that are between the rocker arms) with thread sealant than I would bet that THAT is your problem.

Because that is not something you can get away with. That has to be done, period.

 

jtfairlane

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#5

• Nov 3, 2007

• #5

You need to put something like this:




On all your short head bolts. They thread into water jackets, and without sealant, there is nothing preventing coolant from getting up past the threads on the bolts.

 

SuperStang83

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Nov 3, 2007

#6

• Nov 3, 2007

• #6

I think that it is coming from your heads, either what jtfairlane is saying or the gasket isn't sealed properly.

 

Yellow302

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#7

• Nov 3, 2007

• #7

i would say in about a 3 mile drive im losing about 1/2 a radiator worth of fluid.

I dont mind doing to work again, but its just getting expensive for me to redo everything. if I pull the heads ill make sure to do it right. I might even have one of my mechanic buddys help on a sunday.

Are there any other possible causes for this leak? Besides Head Gasket?

 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

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Nov 3, 2007

#8

• Nov 3, 2007

• #8

did you change the oil after pulling the intake and stuff? its possible some coolant spilled down in there

 

Yellow302

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Nov 3, 2007

#9

• Nov 3, 2007

• #9

urban96 said:

did you change the oil after pulling the intake and stuff? its possible some coolant spilled down in there

Click to expand...

Non spilled down, everything went smooth ive been having this problem for a while not just after the intake swap.

Im looking for other possible problems other than the headgaskets to check.

 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

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#10

• Nov 3, 2007

• #10

craked timing cover could also do it

 

Rick 91GT

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#11

• Nov 4, 2007

• #11

Usually if you do not put some sealant on the bolts/studs you will see water come uop the threads to the top of the bolt or stud. Look at the bolts/studs and see if you can see water coming up.

Use Permatex on the lower studs, the ARP tends to not seal perfect everytime. I was a die hard ARP sealant person since I build a lot of engines but after a few leaked and a few phone calls to ARP they told me to use Permatex. There are a lot of variables, cleaning the threads as mentioned above is really a must for proper tq settings, you also should slightly take the sharp edge of the ARP bolts and clean them very well. Make sure you drain the block down to the proper level so you are not fighting water/coolant as you try to do all of this.

Do a compression test it will help narrow down if it is the head gasket...

 

reddy351

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Jun 13, 2006

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Nov 4, 2007

#12

• Nov 4, 2007

• #12

Yellow302 said:

ive been having this problem for a while not just after the intake swap.

Im looking for other possible problems other than the headgaskets to check.

Click to expand...

You didn't mention that it had been going on longer than since the intake swap. You could have a crack in the block or one of the heads. If it's losing coolant as quickly as yo say, it's a pretty decent sized leak. Sounds like you'll have to pull it apart and see what you can find.

Good luck!

 

Yellow302

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Nov 4, 2007

#13

• Nov 4, 2007

• #13

would it be possible for me to drain the fluid, pull 1 lower head bolt, clean it, use some rtv and torque it back down? Do that for all of them one at a time, Just to see if that helps?

where would the timing chain cover be cracked to cause a big leak?

 

Rick 91GT

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#14

• Nov 5, 2007

• #14

Yellow302 said:

would it be possible for me to drain the fluid, pull 1 lower head bolt, clean it, use some rtv and torque it back down? Do that for all of them one at a time, Just to see if that helps?

where would the timing chain cover be cracked to cause a big leak?

Click to expand...

Yes you can replace them one at a time, you will most likely need to pull one of the block drains loose to get the water level low enough. They are on the side of the plug, NPT plugs... just make sure you pull the water plug and not an oil plug.

The timing cover would need to be cracked where the water is trapped by the water pump, this would allow water to entire the crank case.

 

Yellow302

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Nov 5, 2007

#15

• Nov 5, 2007

• #15

ok when i did the change i never took off the water pump left it attached to the timing cover, I find that highly unlikely so im guessing it has to be a head gasket. I cant see white smoke burning because i have no antifreeze left its all water and flows into the oil.

How can coolent from a blown head gasket get into the oil?