Water in engine... or something else
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Granbury TX
Water in engine... or something else
Ok, after a year of messing with this engine, I got it fired up tonight. Some may remember my problems with 2 1/4 gallons of water being in the engine at one point (and this is a brand new rebuilt engine). My question is... could the assembly grease on a rebuilt engine cause the dipstick to look like water is in the oil. Sure enough, after running the engine for a minute, the dipstick had white streaks on it. I'm praying that it is either from the assembly lube... or that it is remnance from water being in the engine even though I drained the engine and removed the pan. Any thoughts? I don't want to have to buy another engine (and I sure has heck don't want to have to install it!!). 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Granbury TX
Well, it looks like fresh oil with white streaks going down the dipstick. It's definitely not the blatant milkshake look. Of course, I've only run the engine for a couple of minutes. I'm assuming it would take a little longer running time for it to get that milkshake look. I'm going to run it again tomorrow night.... I was just anxious to see what others thought.
I guess another question would be... what do I do about it if it's a cracked block? It has zero miles on it since a machine shop rebuild (but the engine sat in my garage for 9 months... and in the car for another 6 months). Has too much time past to try to get the machine shop to help me out if it is, indeed, cracked?? Just curious as to what some of you would do...
I guess another question would be... what do I do about it if it's a cracked block? It has zero miles on it since a machine shop rebuild (but the engine sat in my garage for 9 months... and in the car for another 6 months). Has too much time past to try to get the machine shop to help me out if it is, indeed, cracked?? Just curious as to what some of you would do...
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA Website: ChrisMitchell.us
If you didn't do a complete tear down then there could still have been some water in places. I'd run it for awhile longer and then change the oil and run it some more. Then you will know if you have a problem or not.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Dunno if this motor was ever subjected to a hard freeze. Lotta times in course of flailing an older motor ... they end up with just water and no antifreeze ... then the old motor sits around for awhile with only some water in bottom of jackets ... then if there's a hard freeze ... crack. I saw this happen to a $20K race motor ... only had water in it ... overwintered in a hauler ... busted block.
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 2
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the World
Did you get the builder to check for cracks? If its a cracked block and they didn't check unfortunately I feel it is on your head.
IF they did check for cracks and didn't find any they they might still deny fault even though it had water in it without running.
I had a block with a porosity between the oil and water. Took ages to find. Finally found it by stripping the motor and filling the water jacket with kero. It slowly dripped out overnight and left a trail in the crankcase. No recourse with the guy who sold it to me cos it was 4 years after i bought it.
Worthwhile to change out the oil and filter and try again to see if it reappears.
IF they did check for cracks and didn't find any they they might still deny fault even though it had water in it without running.
I had a block with a porosity between the oil and water. Took ages to find. Finally found it by stripping the motor and filling the water jacket with kero. It slowly dripped out overnight and left a trail in the crankcase. No recourse with the guy who sold it to me cos it was 4 years after i bought it.
Worthwhile to change out the oil and filter and try again to see if it reappears.
