Coolant In Crankcase!

[motorhead]

Note: Engine out and on stand.

Well, here is the deal. Doing the RMS last night look into the crankcase and back near the 5 & 6 cylinder bores is something that looks like coolant... but I figure it is 1am and my eyes are playing tricks on me in the early morn... this afternoon I am changing out the oil pick up gasket... and I drop a piece of the ol' gasket into the crankcase... so I elect to turn her over and let it drop out... over it goes and down comes some oil, no gasket bit, and coolant.

Coolant?! WTF?!

Now, this motor ONLY ran rich before it came out of the car... no white smoke. The only guess that I have on how this got into the crankcase is via the front cover... How so you ask?

Well, I only drained 1/2 of the block (by accident) so when I popped the cover she must have dripped a bit of coolant into the now exposed pan. And after she got flipped for the RMS, the coolant must have made its way around inside.

BUT. This doesn't seem totally accurate since I HAD drained the pan before flipping her, twice. Each time I got oil. No, coolant. Or so I think.

Also, there is a slight leak at the back of the lower manifold, looks to be oil, caused by its evening on its top.

Is it possible that this coolant leaking is a bad manifold gasket or...?

Some thoughts on this please... because I am going to put the pan back on, flush the system with oil (quick oil change) and assume all is well.

Thanks,

 

[Intercooler]

Wow, all that leaves me confused. Myself I would just put all new gaskets and check "everything" out while it is out of the car. Simple enough, right!

 

[motorhead]

Thanks for the... um... post

Seriously, I doubt it is anything that I hadn't done myself. <- That reads confusingly.

The fact of the matter is that I am running out of captial & patience to spend on this thing. I have all new sensors coming from GM so that is $$$. But what are a few more gaskets, right?! The time spent on this is killing me... as I am neglecting the other car.

I suppose that I can ask my Dad (the real mechanic) for some pointers... this really weird.

Hmmmmm... my head hurts

 

[GNVAIR]

Michael, Michael, Michael!
What the heck are you doing?? Just messin with ya!
IMHO, if you already have the engine out and suspect coolant was mixing with the oil, then pull ALL of the caps and inspect the bearings. You are right there already and it probably wouldnt hurt to check them out and possibly replace them if the engine has some miles(kilometers for you guys up north) on it.
If they do look bad, then yank the cam and lifters out and have the cam bearings done at the same time since they are most likely toasted if the mains and rods show evidence of coolant. Also look at the wear on the cam and lifters.
Thats about all I can think of for now.

 

[motorhead]

Originally posted by GNVAIR
Michael, Michael, Michael!
What the heck are you doing??

...I have been asking myself that question for weeks. LOL.

IMHO, if you already have the engine out and suspect coolant was mixing with the oil, then pull ALL of the caps and inspect the bearings. You are right there already and it probably wouldnt hurt to check them out and possibly replace them if the engine has some miles(kilometers for you guys up north) on it.
If they do look bad, then yank the cam and lifters out and have the cam bearings done at the same time since they are most likely toasted if the mains and rods show evidence of coolant. Also look at the wear on the cam and lifters.
Thats about all I can think of for now.

All of the coolant is not mixed. It is just sitting in there. A very minor amount really. Pops said it was just because I pulled an engine apart and stuff always finds a way.

As for the bearing they look good. damn good for 134,xxx kms (or 80,xxx miles for you Yanks), especially for one that had a serious over boost problem. So they are staying as is.

This will be a strong engine... I can just tell.

 

[GNVAIR]

Just make sure there is still bearing crush. I have opened many of these engines that have been over boosted and the bearings may appear ok, but they will no longer snap into the rods or the caps. This is from the bearings getting pounded. With 80k miles, I would definitely replace them now if you plan on running it hard. Bearings are very inexpensive considering the cost of a replacement Buick V6.
The V6 going into my father's Monte had bearings that showed signs of overheating on 1,3, and 5.
I am very anal retentive when I put my engines together, so I had the rods resized and the crank polished to make sure everything what within specs.

 

[motorhead]

Lee = Old guy with a well paying job due to tenure and paying his dues.
Michael = Young’un with a decent paying government job, school to pay for and another “Hot Rod” on the side. Making him kinda poor.

Lee, I would do it, really I would. But the garage is only available for so many weeks this spring before we have to swap a SBC into my brother’s 81 Malibu (it has a 229 running on 3 cylinders), so time & parking is at a premium. Yeah, I will run it hard. And it will likely come out of the car in a year or two for a full do over. BUT, that is then. I’ll be done school and on my way to more $$$… or I’ll be getting my Master’s in Arch (2 more years ). Who knows. I do want to enjoy the car for now… it won’t see over 20#s and with the limited amount of driving I do day to day the car will last.

It has to

I got into tearing a motor down once for a “re-bearing and re-ring” and it never went back together. It was an L89 396 (factory aluminum heads)… I sold it to a guy in CT. I don’t want this to happen again.

 

[The Radius Kid]

C'mon Michael.We're only talking about a new set of bearings here,not rebuilding the ancient ruins at Cheops.You'll probably be glad you did later.Nothing lasts forever.

 

[GNVAIR]

The turbo crank you save may be your own

 

[motorhead]

Too late guys... the pan is back on and the engine is going back in this weekend.

 

[GNVAIR]

You can lead a horse to water, but cant make him drink.

 

[motorhead]

Neigh.

 

[Intercooler]

If there is any trace of coolant left in there we will be seeing you post again real soon (I would say within days):

_Thread_

"Guys I think I have something knocking!"

 

[motorhead]

Sure, there was a trace. But nothing that won't burn off almost immediately. You need a fair bit of glycol to "coke"/"suga" up the inside of the motor... about a litre of 50/50 will do it.

You guys worry tooooo much... must come with age

Intercooler: Watch for that thread...

 

[Intercooler]

You will never get to the temp it takes to burn it off inside your motor. BTDT (can you say metal milkshake!)

 

[motorhead]

Honestly, we aren't looking at more than a Winter's worth of condensation build up here... many have survived from worse things.

 

[motorhead]

Originally posted by ILBCNU6
my engine leaked some coolant internally (distilled water only) yet it was flushed out completely before installing it in the car. (removing the pan etc.) Your choice to do it now or later! Gene

Gene, thanks for the info. To calm the minds of all... the pan has been off, the internals have been left to drip... been shaken... spun... and even had some compressed air blown around inside to boot! I am confident all will be satisfactory

But just in case I am creating this list:

I Told You So...
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Feel free to enter your name more than once

Thanks guys.

 

[GNVAIR]

Nope. No need to enter the list since you are so obviously an expert. You have been warned by many of us that have been down this road. Your age and experience definitely shows. All of us were young once and have been through a similar situation. We know you are anxious to get the engine in the car and running. Most of us were just trying to help you avoid the pain, heartache and $$$ you will have to spend if and when it lets loose. Especially since turbo Buick V6's dont grow on trees and are not inexpensively acquired like a 350 Chevy. You know the old line pay a little now OR a lot later. After all, what does a set of rods and mains for a V6 cost? At most $80. Thats peanuts man. If you can't afford to do it right; will you be able to afford to do it twice?
But, dont say that we didn't tell you so.

 

[motorhead]

Originally posted by GNVAIR
Nope. No need to enter the list since you are so obviously an expert. You have been warned by many of us that have been down this road. Your age and experience definitely shows. All of us were young once and have been through a similar situation. We know you are anxious to get the engine in the car and running. Most of us were just trying to help you avoid the pain, heartache and $$$ you will have to spend if and when it lets loose.

But, dont say that we didn't tell you so.

Lee, I think that you missed something I mentioned earlier. I am not going off of "your" advice because I am taking someone else's into consideration: My Father's.

Who is my Father you ask?
[rant]
Why he is a certified mechanic (and has been as long as I have been alive, 23+ years) How many here are?! <my guess is fewer than we'd hope> If he says that it will be just fine, I'll believe him. He hasn't steered me wrong yet. Don't take this the wrong way but most of us here are computer geeks, white collar workers, and over educated bafoons (myself included) which clearly hold ourselves in high regard. But! When my Father speaks on general automotive repair and operation... I LISTEN => AND LISTEN HARD! He won't be around forever and I need to get from his vast experience what I can. He is a different kind of intelligent... the practical and appliable kind.
[/rant]
So don't think for a moment that I am disregarding a word you have all been good enough to share, I have passed along the suggestions to him, and "we" still came to the same conclusion.

The engine crane will be here on Friday... and the engine is going in

Such is life. And I know you all "told me so..."

 

[GNVAIR]

No Michael, I was an ASE Master Tech with L1 certs before I took my present job 7 years ago. I have been messing with cars since 1986. I have experience in both the automotive and computer fields. I am glad you take your father's advice. I'm happy for ya. But don't come on the board and ask what we think. If you already had an "expert" opinion, then why waste bandwidth asking what we think? A "certified" technician already told you it would be fine afterall.