Rebuilt engine issuses

[Agnem]

That's a bummer that you have a leak. A major disappointment to be sure. Didn't anybody try pressurizing the cooling system with shop air before throwing $60 worth of coolant in it? Sounds to me like they messed up a mating surface. The leak shifting from outside to in, sounds like a gasket isn't even squeezed tight.

 

[ifrythings]

Small update, I put the coolant back in and ran the truck down to the machine shop, I didn't check the oil before driving it down, but when I got there and we checked it, it was milk and about 2-2.5 inches over the full line it makes horrible white ish smoke clouds. Then I went over to a local shop that we had talk to on the phone and after talking to them for 10 minutes or so, went out and the engine hydro locked itself, pulled number 8 gp out and it cranked over no problem(not after having a nice shower of coolant sprayed on me).

Defiantly going to have to pull the heads off and I'm going to pressure test the oil cooler.

That's it for today, not looking good.

Also one thing I noticed, the coolant I drained on Monday and sat, when I poured it back in, the bottom of the bucket was green (this is the pink/purple coolant), I'm guessing its nothing to worry about as I reused the coolant from the 6.9 I pulled, it was only 2 months old, I'll get new stuff when the engine is fixed.

 

[icanfixall]

Thanks for the update. Well at least you found where the problem cylinder is. Sadly you now have coolant throughout the complete engine. It will be tuff getting that all out once the problem is solved but it can be done. you just need to change oil more times than normal.

 

[ifrythings]

I'm thinking about getting some wally world cheap oil and running that threw it since now I'm out 70 bucks in oil and another 15 in filter I'm hoping its #8 that is the issues, being at the back on a downward slope and condensate from the cdr in the intake may have happy traveled into an open cylinder. If I can get to my compression tester, I'll try to do a leak down test just to see what cylinders are bad, my guess right now is where the head gasket is bad, its pushing coolant into a drain back oil hole, hence why I'm not getting a pressurized or bubbling rad.

 

[Wicked97]

There really is no point in running or testing it any more.
Pull it out and take it apart.

 

[ifrythings]

Got the oil drained this weekend (well it was oil at some point in its life ) put some fresh cheap oil and filter in just to get some cleaner oil in there to try and save the bottom end.

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Did a compression test as I had all the gp's out to make it easier on the starter to move the fresh oil around with.

1-300 2-375
3-375 4-350
5-330 6-340
7-320 8-320

I was expecting there to be a very low or dead cylinder, but apparently not

Drivers side exhaust manifold is just soaked inside from coolant so that's the offending head for sure (I'm pulling them both for piece of mind)
The head gaskets are still leaking coolant externally, just very slowly.

This is what is in the coolant after letting it sit in a bucket for a while, looks like oil but is sewer green colored I'm thinking it is mostly because when I was flushing the rad and green colored water that was coming out was making nice rainbow effects on the ground.

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I'm going to pull the pan off as I see they put a gasket on there and everyone says don't use one as they leak, also going to pull the oil cooler off and get it tested, be it if I have to go make a plate for it, so be it.
Hopefully more updates tomorrow, I'm going to see if the machine shop wants to tear it down and check it out or if they want me to do it.

Tip for people wanting to clean there engines (I put the old one back in so I can still use the truck) DON'T do it, they love to leak, had a non leaking engine, now its leaking out of the block heater, water pump (somewhere) and lower rad hose (rant over)

 

[junk]

That sucks. For a new rebuild those compression readings seem low to me, but maybe since it has no miles the rings aren't seated yet?

 

[ifrythings]

Well I went down to the machine shop today as they wanted to show me what was wrong with the engine, it ended up being one of the head gaskets was put on upside down, so the water jacket holes where mostly plugged off (the little ones) and the bigger ones by the valley was just dumping into the valley (hence the water in oil) and the little ones where dumping into number 8 and leaking externally.

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So there going to make it right which is very nice of them since it was out of warranty, there ripping it right down and cleaning the block, bearings are in great shape, cylinders have no rust, heads are in great shape, there going to polish the crank(It looked perfect to me but if they want to, ill let them)

I figured now would be a great time to get head studs and a cam to wake it up a bit, just waiting now.

 

[racer30]

That's nice them standing behind there Build like that......You don't see much of that after the warranty is up...

 

[icanfixall]

Well I glad they found the problem and will stand behind what they did. The gaskets have a message printed on them.. Its top.. I'm surprised someone would make that mistake but things happen. It shows someone was really paying attention when they pulled the engine down. I sure would not have even guessed that was the problem but now its in the books what will happen is coolant leaks like in this case.. Glad its going to be repaired correctly.

 

[ifrythings]

That's nice them standing behind there Build like that......You don't see much of that after the warranty is up...

I'm very glad that they are, it is true most companies would rather blame you and throw you to the curb instead of help you out now a days, I do find though that smaller mom and pop shops do care way more and are a lot more helpful then big chain stores.

Well I glad they found the problem and will stand behind what they did. The gaskets have a message printed on them.. Its top.. I'm surprised someone would make that mistake but things happen. It shows someone was really paying attention when they pulled the engine down. I sure would not have even guessed that was the problem but now its in the books what will happen is coolant leaks like in this case.. Glad its going to be repaired correctly.

I never guess that as an issues either but I can see how something that small of a detail could be missed by anyone, the "up" on the gasket is very small, I would of not noticed it unless looking very hard for it. The guy tearing it down said it took him a bit to see what was wrong, he said it look out of place then he notice when he pulled the gasket off that the "up" was facing down.

The other thing that's great is there not just fixing the one head gasket, there tearing it right down, cleaning it and re checking everything, you don't see that everyday, I would gladly keep doing business with them, just next time I wont wait so long to use an engine lol.

 

[icanfixall]

What your telling us about this shop is impressive to hear. Thats not the norm in today's business work for the most part. I'm happy they are removing everything because there has been water in the entire oil system. Please don't forget the lifters and the oil pump needs to be opened and cleaned too. Now any water or coolant thats left over will boil off but some will be there for a couple of oil changes too. The % will be very small but an oil analysis can pick it up if you were to take one.

 

[ifrythings]

What your telling us about this shop is impressive to hear. Thats not the norm in today's business work for the most part. I'm happy they are removing everything because there has been water in the entire oil system. Please don't forget the lifters and the oil pump needs to be opened and cleaned too. Now any water or coolant thats left over will boil off but some will be there for a couple of oil changes too. The % will be very small but an oil analysis can pick it up if you were to take one.

Well a small update is in order, they tore it down to a empty block and steam cleaned it, then they started to assemble the short block (there waiting for me to get studs and a cam), they polished the crank, put NEW bearings in (that's nice of them) and the heads got new (again) valve guides, now with the guides, they had previously drilled them out (or however they do it, I'm not sure) and put in thinner guides, but apparently he didn't like how the valve seals sat on them so there going to put a "full" valve guide in (from my understanding theres nothing left of the old one after) and again, on his dime not mine so I defiantly will go back there any day for another rebuild! They also pressure tested the oil cooler and rinsed it as best as they could (pain trying to clean these things) and bled out the lifters so they should be clean, I would also imagine that the oil pump was cleaned out with the rest of it as they fill it up with assembly lube before putting it on, but I will just double check with them on Monday.

I also just got in head studs and r&d's (j2) cam so I'll be bringing those down there on Monday, I'm not in a big rush to get it back as the weather is not even closes to desirable for an engine swap and I still need to find a flex plate for the idit version, Anyone know where to get one? junk yards around here don't have anything older then 2000

I'll keep you updated as more progress is made.

 

[chris142]

Thats great news! Sometimes ppl make a mistake. Local hot rod shop put head gaskets on upside down on a $20k 351 cleveland stroker!

 

[racer30]

Sweet... Your going to love your J2 Cam.... Just remember It loves to rev up in the RPM range so it will be perfect with that C6 trany and 3.55 gears