Help! New Rebuild - Got Milk

[twstdv6]

Just rebuilt, started fine ran great for the first 5 min, then cut off. Won't stay started by itself and alittle milky in the oil. Builder says run it for 45 min. and see what happen's and we'll go from there. Drivers side heads is leaking alittle antifreeze, builder say's run it. Has fullthrottle 202/208 cam and seems to be running hot, around 200+, with coolant circulating as it should. What do you think? Could the head torques be wrong or felpro 9441 head gasket gone? Not sure if I should take it back or do it myself. Cars been down hakf the summer getting motor done, wanted to get alittle fun out of it. Is this normal for breakin? Need help ASAP or I'm gonna short block it this weekend.

 

[V6POWER]

I would not run it. If you blew a hg the antifreeze/oil mix will play havoc with your brand new bearings.

 

[Boost231]

F that take it to the builder and tell him to run it and if anything goes wrong its on him

 

[TurboDave]

The problem you have with getting coolant in the oil is definately NOT normal, and for the builder to suggest running it is just plain BAD advice!!!! Do not restart that motor until the leak is tracked down!!!!!

It could be a bad head gasket seal, could be a bad intake gasket seal.

Wanna know what I think. Based on the stupidity of his reply, I'd bet that this builder probably doesn't/didn't realize that Buick motors have "wet" thread head bolts that all penetrate the water jacket, and likely didn't seal them. That's a guess, but I've seen it happen before.

As I said, under no circumstances, start this motor until the leak is fixed, the pan drained, removed, and all the main and rod bearings checked (antifreeze will ruin bearings in very short order).

 

[dan lephart]

eeeek

Find another builder/tech. Quick! Bad advice on the "run it"

 

[bison]

Never run with anti-freeze in the oil! I never run anti-freeze on a fresh engine myself. I use water and a wetting agent. What type of headgasket do you have in there? Id pressure test the cooling system to confirm a coolant leak into the crankcase. Id drain and flush out the anti-freeze with water and change the oil and run again with fresh oil and change it 1 more time after you run it for 5 minutes to remove the anti-freeze.

 

[bison]

Where is th anti-freeze leaking that you can visually see? On the drivers side head where? Out the side of the block and head? From under the bolt heads?

 

[twstdv6]

Here's some Pic's

I couldn't wait any longer, I tore into it. What do you think? It seems to leaking from the head gasket's from the rear area. If you look you can see the front area is clean & the rear is milky, towards the rear. Maybe bad torque or Head gasket, Should pull the heads?

 

[87GNSteve]

What kind of head bolts did you use?

 

[twstdv6]

ARP, I don't know what he torqed them to though.

 

[DragulaGN]

+1 on the no sealant theory...

 

[twstdv6]

Okay! This is what I came up with, before I took intake off. Seem to be getting so blow by. I ran it with the radiator cap off and drained as much anti-freeze out as I could, and it actually cleared up the oil and returned to normal fluid level. Soon as i topped it off with water and put the radiator cap back on, the oil was milky again, that's when I pulled the intake after it cooled. Water is being forced somewhere and I'm assuming it's the head gasket's, as the intake looked great. I will be pulling the heads on Thursday and could use some help on the torque specs for ARP head bolt studs & rockers. I am going to do this myself, as I will not be taking it back to the builder. Any input would be great, and thanks for your advice. I will keep you posted!

 

[Boost231]

sound like you got it covered. i know how you fell trust me. just pull the heads and do it right. new gaskets and torque the heads to spec and make sure you seal the threads.

 

[twstdv6]

Okay! I got ready to break the head bolts on the drivers side, and one I could turn with my finger, the other's maybe had 5 lbs of torqued if that. The passenger side was torqued, but not torqued to spec, not very tight. I had to call the builder and give him a ear full, as he's suppose to come by this evening and help re-install and torqued. He can't believe the bolts weren't torqued, I think he had on of his rookies do it, and I told him to specifically build my motor. You can't even pay people to do things right, if you know what I mean. I'm already into it, and I'm going to finish it myself.

Are the ARP studs suppose to be tight also, as they seem to be finger tight, but not tightened?

 

[dan lephart]

builder?

I would tell him to stay home. Hope you haven't paid him.
Start a new thread on tightening the head bolts?

 

[Boost231]

wow. yes the studs should be tight. you might be luck and be able to just torque the heads and be done with it since it hasnt run long. not sure but i think if you torque them to spec. you will be good without having to pull the heads.

 

[twstdv6]

I pulled the motor and broke it completely down. dropped it of for the machine work only and ended up letting him assemble it. I had to pay him to get it from his shop. I dropped it back in, thinking this guy had tigthened up everything. I had a time getting the motor mounts lined up 8 hrs, as they are stiffer and don't want to give any. there's no way I'm pulling this motor back out, I would rather do the heads gasket's, than mess with the mounts.

I already have the heads of, and the new parts. I am going to thread seal the studs and tighten them, and everything else to specs. My only question is, with head bolts loose and water leaking in oil, would this cause an overheating issue? As I have new water pump, thermostat, Dual fans and everything is circulating.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

"My only question is, with head bolts loose and water leaking in oil, would this cause an overheating issue?" Yep.
Compression/ exh gases going into the water jackets will do that.

 

[twstdv6]

I really hope that's the problem, that's just one more issue to solve. I really thank all who have replied, you have been very helpful. I'm going to button the heads up tonight, and the rest on Friday eve, and fire it up Saturday, will keep you posted.

 

[scot w.]

What are you going to do about getting all the milky Rad fluid/ oil out of the radiator and the rest of the block? What have some of you guys done to flush the engine and system of this mix?