Block problems?????

[customcar2boat]

Hello again all, well its been a long 3 weeks of fixing parts and it may have all been for nothing now. . GOt my 4.3L started today finally. . so i decided to drain my oil. . as soon as the plug came out i had water come out for the first 5 seconds i would say then a brown muddy looking substance(oil)? I let it sit for a good hour then put plug and new filter on and filled her up. . started up and ran it for a min or so. . and took my plug out again. I figured i would flush the system and put new oil in after this. . Well. . as soon as I took the plug out. . water came out again then milky white oil came out. . WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. . and I SOL???????????? please help

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Block problems?????

s.o.l? depends. i wouldn't run the engine any more till u get this fixed. if it hydrolocks u will be s.o.l. i would pull the exhaust manifolds & risers. take em to an engine rebuilding shop & have them pressure tested. without getting too technical if the manifolds & or risers are shot they can cause water to run back into the engine. i had the same thing happen to me on my 3.0 cobra. i changed the manifold & riser which solved the problem. it's not a cheap fix, but it's cheaper than buying an engine, which u will have to do if u run it like this & it hydrolocks. good luck.

 

[jdcook]

Re: Block problems?????

I'm sorry to but in to this, I don't have an answer, but could you define hydrolocked? I am just curious. <br />thanks.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Block problems?????

simply put, water mixed with oil. can cause an engine to self destruct. customcar2boat, do u run in salt water?

 

[mlslocks]

Re: Block problems?????

Sounds more like a cracked block. If the manifolds and risers were bad more water would be in the cylinders not in the crank case.

 

[denniz]

Re: Block problems?????

What year is your 4.3? is it a vortec engine? (says on valve cover 98 and up?) Did you winterize it? If its a vortec your problem may be a cracked intake manifold. If not properly drained it will freeze and bust even if you drain the block and manifolds. AND YES A VORTEC HAS A WATERCOOLED INTAKE.

 

[customcar2boat]

Re: Block problems?????

I have a feeling its a cracked block. . Its like a 91 or 92 4.3 and I know I brought this on myself cuz I didnt totally drain everything last fall. . .was my first winterizing :-( costly begginers mistakes. . any help?

 

[denniz]

Re: Block problems?????

Yeah its not a vortec. pull the intake a 4.3 will normally crackin the lifter valley (must be the thinnest spot) Good luck D

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Block problems?????

customcar2boat... Durring all your work, did you remove and replace the intake manifold? <br /><br />Your problem could be a poor sealing intake manifold gasket in the coolant passage, likely caused by not following the proper bolt pattern sequence and torque specs. ...<br /><br />Just a thought?...

 

[customcar2boat]

Re: Block problems?????

Nope. . havent done anything like that yet

 

[Bondo]

Re: Block problems?????

Rod Knocking has the answer.....<br />The block is cracked just below the heads in the lifter valley....<br />Cracked or rusted manifols,+ risers are Not even a remote Chance....<br />The Vortec intakes are Not the only intakes with water in them.... Most All V-motors have a water-jacket under the Carb... It's to Heat the intake charge.. NOT to Cool it.... Though I'll Agree, They(Vortecs) Don't Drain very Well, do to different flow patterns of the cooling system + heads....<br />If you find a block from a Chevy truck of about the Same Vintage, You can Swap out all your parts into, Or onto it..... Sometime in the mid-90s they added a Third shaft, just above the cam... in the late 90s, they became the Vortec motors... Make Sure the 1 you buy is the Same as yours....<br />OR, If you find a newer motor from a Truck(NOT a Vortec) You can swap over your accessories to the gen2 engine, Swap the freeze-plugs to Brass,+ Run It.... The Cam in these motors is cut Very Close to the Marine cut.. You'll Never Know the Difference....<br /><br />jdcook... Hydro-lock is when water is let into the cylinders,+ you Try to turn the motor over.... Water Doesn't Compress..... SO, the motor Locks Up.... This Most Often happens when the risers, or manifolds Leak....Eventually the water will get to the base, But Not in the time frame of This motor....

 

[jdcook]

Re: Block problems?????

Bondo, <br />my motor may have hydrolocked last weekend and i just didn't know what to call it. What are the next steps to take if you think that this has happened?

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Block problems?????

before u start looking for a new engine, take it to a shop to confirm that the block IS cracked. that seems to be the consensus. how one would know without seeing it run is beyond me.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Block problems?????

FYI <br />When you drain a block you should refill it with antifreeze or something, if only to prevent corrosion and when you refill the antifreeze runs through all those passages.