What to use getting water out of engine

[charlieman2004]

Whats the best way to remove all the foamy water/oil in my engine from cracked heads? I have the old heads intake etc off now and want to get as much of the moisture out of the lower end as possible before installing new heads. Should I use mystery oil, atf to flush the engine or somthing else before re-starting the engine?

 

[Ken]

Did you pull the pan yet? Gotta clean that too.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Overhaul the engine.
If you had water in the oil and ran the engine for very long. You can bet there is damage to bearings and perhaps cylinder walls.

 

[charlieman2004]

overhall the engine

Engine overheated from bad radiator, no water in oil then, but after replacing radiator and then filling with coolant, and Collant surged out of the heads! After freaking out, I checked the oil before starting engine and it was way overfilled. I started the engine and ran only a minute or two to get the car on a trailer. Checked the oil again and it was all foam.
I have a nice set of freshly machined heads, new lifers, cam and push rods. I was thinking about doing the bottom end later when I have more cash. Any idea how much a machine shop would charge to redo my short block?

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

I started the engine and ran only a minute or two to get the car on a trailer. Checked the oil again and it was all foam.
I have a nice set of freshly machined heads, new lifers, cam and push rods. I was thinking about doing the bottom end later when I have more cash. Any idea how much a machine shop would charge to redo my short block?

When you started the engine some damage was done! As soon as the motor kicked over you had water replacing the film of oil in the main bearings.



At this point you still have a good crank. You could get lucky and get away with new inserts but a grind job is cheap. Why take the chance? The bottom end is much less expensive than the new heads etc. that will be destroyed when the big-end lets go.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

We took my block and crank to a machine shop this summer and while I don't recall the actual cost, I'm pretty certain it was well under $200. They honed the cylinder walls, checked clearances, pistons, connecting rods and the crank. Nothing was bored. The crank, block and other pieces came back beautifully cleaned and the block was ready for painting.
We disassembled and reassembled everything ourselves. Cost will increase if you pay someone else to do the work.
Heidi

 

[Randy Eads]

After freaking out, I checked the oil before starting engine and it was way overfilled. I started the engine and ran only a minute or two to get the car on a trailer.

I'll probably catch hell for saying this but running a engine for less than two minutes at a low speed certainly doesnt warrant a complete tear-down in my mind .... granted, its not a favorable situation, but all is not lost!

Two minutes running time isnt going to turn the water/oil mix into an abrashive as if sand or metal shavings had contaminated the oil.

I mean we are talking Chevy engines here ... "Like a Rock"!

I'd flush the system with trans/fluid until it came out clean and then run it whilst watching the o.p./o. temp like a hawk and constantly check the dipstick and filler cap for contaminates.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

I'll probably catch hell for saying this but running a engine for less than two minutes at a low speed certainly doesnt warrant a complete tear-down in my mind .... granted, its not a favorable situation, but all is not lost!

Two minutes running time isnt going to turn the water/oil mix into an abrashive as if sand or metal shavings had contaminated the oil.

I mean we are talking Chevy engines here ... "Like a Rock"!

I'd flush the system with trans/fluid until it came out clean and then run it whilst watching the o.p./o. temp like a hawk and constantly check the dipstick and filler cap for contaminates.

:bash The bottom end of the motor is cheap; why take the chance?


The exchange price for a SBC rebuilt crank is +/- $100 add another $50 for the bearings. Unless the cylinders need boring another $50 to hone them and you have a like new short block for $200.
It is cheap insurance against this!

 

[Randy Eads]

... and that is exactly why the wife doesnt get to drive Ruby! ... LOL






Actually, isnt that an example of a FoMoCo with an inoperative rev-limiter??

 

[MMM]

Blew a head gasket on a 2.8 Chevy V6 in an '83 Blazer. It had 207,000 on at that time. Limped it 10 mile to home. Crankcase contained 3 gallons of water/oil/ethylene glycol.
Considered getting a replacement 3.4 V6 but cheaped out and tried the following:
- replaced all upper end gaskets and reassembled engine.
- bought 10 gallons of kerosene and 5 cheap oil filters
- put 2 gallons of kerosene in the engine and ran it through the engine by using a 1/2" drill to drive the oil pump (like pre-lubing a rebuilt engine).
- drained the kero, replaced the oil filter and started the same procedure again until I drained clear kerosene out of the pan. Used all 10 gallons of kerosene
- put in 10 wt. hydraulic fluid and did the same (new filter)
- put in 10W-30 and did the same (new filter)
- put in 10W-30, new filter and started the engine. Let it run 2 minutes and drained the oil.
- put in 10W-30, new filter, drove it 500 miles and changed oil
After that went back to my usual 3000 mile oil change schedule. Engine now has 260,000 miles and runs fine. I drive the car daily and have always driven it hard. It uses a quart of 10W-30 every 2000 miles. I plan to drive it past 300,000 before I replace it, if the body lasts. My "alimony special."
Sounds like a lot of work but was roughly equivalent to just pulling the engine out.
Mike

 

[Ken]

All I can say is - WOW! :eek

Blew a head gasket on a 2.8 Chevy V6 in an '83 Blazer. It had 207,000 on at that time. Limped it 10 mile to home. Crankcase contained 3 gallons of water/oil/ethylene glycol.
Considered getting a replacement 3.4 V6 but cheaped out and tried the following:
- replaced all upper end gaskets and reassembled engine.
- bought 10 gallons of kerosene and 5 cheap oil filters
- put 2 gallons of kerosene in the engine and ran it through the engine by using a 1/2" drill to drive the oil pump (like pre-lubing a rebuilt engine).
- drained the kero, replaced the oil filter and started the same procedure again until I drained clear kerosene out of the pan. Used all 10 gallons of kerosene
- put in 10 wt. hydraulic fluid and did the same (new filter)
- put in 10W-30 and did the same (new filter)
- put in 10W-30, new filter and started the engine. Let it run 2 minutes and drained the oil.
- put in 10W-30, new filter, drove it 500 miles and changed oil
After that went back to my usual 3000 mile oil change schedule. Engine now has 260,000 miles and runs fine. I drive the car daily and have always driven it hard. It uses a quart of 10W-30 every 2000 miles. I plan to drive it past 300,000 before I replace it, if the body lasts. My "alimony special."
Sounds like a lot of work but was roughly equivalent to just pulling the engine out.
Mike

 

[Vettefan87]

I agree with Spanishvetts. I am certainly no expert, but with all the problems I have been having with my engine I know a little. I would not take the chance and do half the job. The only way it will get pricy is if you cant pull the motor and put it back in. Other then that I would definetly go with rebuilding the bottom end. Just my 02.



Justin

 

[charlieman2004]

The picture is worth a thousand words. This would be my luck.

 

[lucky76]

Water in Oil

I'll probably catch hell for saying this but running a engine for less than two minutes at a low speed certainly doesnt warrant a complete tear-down in my mind .... granted, its not a favorable situation, but all is not lost!

Two minutes running time isnt going to turn the water/oil mix into an abrashive as if sand or metal shavings had contaminated the oil.

I mean we are talking Chevy engines here ... "Like a Rock"!

I'd flush the system with trans/fluid until it came out clean and then run it whilst watching the o.p./o. temp like a hawk and constantly check the dipstick and filler cap for contaminates.

I agree, flush it, put in new oil and filter, start it up and see what happens. What's with you people, do you think money grows on trees?

 

[charlieman2004]

Thanks everyone

I really appreciate the help you all have given me here on my engine problems. I am leaning toward pulling the engine and having a machine shop check everything out. I plan to do everything else myself and take my time.
Charlie

 

[78SilvAnniv]

What's with you people, do you think money grows on trees?

Believe me, I know money does NOT grow on trees. We pulled my engine TWICE in the last year before all of its issues were solved.
The first pull was replacement of the heads and the single piston that had been kissed by the intake valve. We continued to be plagued with problems and had to pull it again. That time we sent everything to the machine shop to check the bottom end. (bearings needed replacing)
After the experience of building our own engine, which was educational, fun and did save some monies by doing it ourselves...we have decided that in the future we will purchase a crate engine with a warranty and swap 'em out. The cost of the stand, hoist, special tools and myriad small parts kept adding up.
I don't even want to know what the final cost was!

In my opinion, better safe than sorry and having to do it twice.
Heidi