Tons of OIL in Coolant!

[Darb Opar]

Chevy 305 small block.... Put heads on, but had an extra bolt that we couldn't find where to go.... There is tons of oil getting in the coolant passages... the bolt is about about 1.5 inches long... could a missing bolt cause TONS of oil to go into the cooling system (heat exchanger).... assuming the head bolts were all torqued correctly? Also, if this bolt is meaningless and has nothing to do with the problem... would a new headgasket not torqued correctly cause so much oil to get in the heat exchanger that it looks like and has the consistancy of mud? I do not think it's a cracked block..... but that missing bolt stumps me. There is no water getting in the oil... Oil is fine... is the only way for oil to get in cooling system through the head?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Tons of OIL in Coolant!

you very well could have a cracked block.... could have warped heads..... could be alot of things.....

but start with the basics.....

whatcha working on... merc, omc, vp?

gotta serial or model ###????

whats the whole story behind "put heads on"?

the more you help us the more we can help you

 

[TOM MELTON]

Re: Tons of OIL in Coolant!

Check the intake manifold especially if the heads were machined. Being a Chevy man and a mechanic since I could hold a wrench I can help you with this one. By the way, what size bolt is it ? 5/16" 3/8' 7/16" 5/8" etc...?

 

[Spookeay]

Re: Tons of OIL in Coolant!

This is a real fun one...

I have seen this be a Head gasket put on upside down.

Use this a rule of thumb, Oil pressure; depending on the engine can be 70 to 10 Lbs,, Most cooling systems push 3 to 20 Lbs as a average high to low....

if the oil is getting into the coolant It's almost always in the head because that is about the only place the cooing system and Oil ports cross paths close.

In the lower end, most of the oil pressure is at the crank and mains.... the cam is a long way away from the water jackets. A blown oil port on the head gasket or warped head " Common for Aluminum can force oil into the cooling jacket by defeating the pressure of the coolant and water pump..

Unlike a Cross flow of compression into the coolant system when you have a Classic blown head gasket, at about 150# cylinder pressure will over ride the flow of the water pump and cavitate thus causing a fast and un controllable overheating, but no water may be seen in the oil and visa versa,,

PS to Edit... If thereis a way to run the engine in a closed system with Dawn liquid AFTER THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED this will clean the oil from the block. and places it should not be. At least that is what we do with cars.... Boats may just dump it back into the water and that is enough.....

 

[Darb Opar]

Re: Tons of OIL in Coolant!

Check the intake manifold especially if the heads were machined. Being a Chevy man and a mechanic since I could hold a wrench I can help you with this one. By the way, what size bolt is it ? 5/16" 3/8' 7/16" 5/8" etc...?

Hi, thanks for the quick reply. What am I checking on the manifold? Also, do the gasket heads for this chevy 305 cid 1983 engine have a top and bottom, or left and right? They looked symmetrical.... The bolt I am not sure of..


Bradley

 

[TOM MELTON]

Re: Tons of OIL in Coolant!

As for the head gaskets, most small blocks can be installed either way but, some gaskets do specify "top". The intake should lay down on the heads pretty flat if not, you need to have the manifold LIGHTLY MILLED. Then you want to use Mr.Gasket or Fel-Pro Performance gaskets because they are made of thicker and tougher material and use Permatex gasket maker called "THE RIGHT STUFF" for the end seals because it will lay down flatter than the rubber end seals and it won't leak as long as you clean all surfaces with brake cleaner or rubbing alcohol. Also, put a VERY THIN SKIN of sealer around both top and bottom sides of gasket around the water ports . I have fixed many of these leaking manifolds where they were sucking oil into the intake ports and burning the oil and after repairs they would stop using oil.
Good luck and I hope this will help.
Tom