Coolant in Oil AGAIN! Rant/Help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Coolant in Oil AGAIN! Rant/Help
Just some background, my first car buying experience and vette experience is turning out to be the worst nightmare of my life. I bought this car from premier auto auctions in WI, over the internet from auto trader.com. I paid about 15k for a 96 corvette with 64k on it. Since I have gotten it I've had to put 4 new tires on it, a new optispark, and rebuild the tranny. I have logged prolly 600 miles on the car and it of course blew a head gasket. I've been working on the head gasket for the past 2 months finally get it all back together and it starts smoking again. Coolant seems to be coming from the driver side head from the exhaust. And my oil level went up with antifreeze in it...I'm at a f'in loss here...I had the heads skimmed and compression tested, used a torque wrench, used the book, permatex the threads...all the crap I can think of to do it right and here I am $500 more dollars short and no where near ready to go...Could use some advice or what the heck I can do....I just don't have any more money to throw at this thing...I feel like I'm going to end up paying 350 bucks a month for the next 5 years for nothing...I sure wish I knew about this place before I bought my vette off the internet.....
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 163
From: Davis CA
I am very sorry to hear about this outcome. You deserved better.
How quickly did this leak appear after your repair?
Did you do only one head before? This one I was included I assume?
Was it clear from your tear down that it was a gasket failure before or could there be a cracked head?
The good news is that you will make the repair this time in less than 1/2 the time.
How quickly did this leak appear after your repair?
Did you do only one head before? This one I was included I assume?
Was it clear from your tear down that it was a gasket failure before or could there be a cracked head?
The good news is that you will make the repair this time in less than 1/2 the time.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
I am very sorry to hear about this outcome. You deserved better.
How quickly did this leak appear after your repair?
Did you do only one head before? This one I was included I assume?
Was it clear from your tear down that it was a gasket failure before or could there be a cracked head?
The good news is that you will make the repair this time in less than 1/2 the time.
How quickly did this leak appear after your repair?
Did you do only one head before? This one I was included I assume?
Was it clear from your tear down that it was a gasket failure before or could there be a cracked head?
The good news is that you will make the repair this time in less than 1/2 the time.
2. I did both heads at the same time.
3.It wasn't very clear that it was the gasket, to me at least, however, I brought the heads to the shop and my heads were warped.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You might have a cracked block causing the coolant leak into the oil. I also recommend that you use Felpro teflon coated head gaskets, they last much longer than non teflon coated gaskets. Regular gaskets never lasted more than 1 1/2 yrs on my 87 until I used the teflon Felpro's.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
If you cannot see an obvious crack, then the block has to be Zygloed.
This is a process where a dye is sprayed onto the block and removed and the dye stays in cracks and can be seen with a blacklight. Not easy to do, but a lot cheaper than replacing head gaskets everyday!
I would first have the heads checked with Zyglo to see if they have a crack.
This is a process where a dye is sprayed onto the block and removed and the dye stays in cracks and can be seen with a blacklight. Not easy to do, but a lot cheaper than replacing head gaskets everyday!
I would first have the heads checked with Zyglo to see if they have a crack.
Last edited by jfb; Jun 21, 2007 at 03:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
I noticed as well that all the plugs on the passenger side were kinda sooty/normal, where all the plugs on the drivers side looked white and new...would that indicate, as well only one side is screwing up?
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
What do you mean when you say "coolant appears to be coming from drivers side head exhaust"? Can you see water coming out from between the head and the block?Could be cracked block,head,inlet manifold.Dye test would seem to be the answer but it seems it has to come apart again unless it's something really stupid.If that's a 383 have the heads been badly ported?Nice clean plugs could indicate water in all four cylinders which would push me in the direction of the inlet manifold.
Last edited by staugur; Jun 21, 2007 at 05:23 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
What do you mean when you say "coolant appears to be coming from drivers side head exhaust"? Can you see water coming out from between the head and the block?Could be cracked block,head,inlet manifold.Dye test would seem to be the answer but it seems it has to come apart again unless it's something really stupid.If that's a 383 have the heads been badly ported?Nice clean plugs could indicate water in all four cylinders which would push me in the direction of the inlet manifold.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,997
Likes: 1
From: Lake Ozark MO
I bought mine off the internet. Never a problem.
A head gasket problem is severe. You probably have a moron engine builder that is assembling your stuff.
A head gasket problem is pretty much very low priority in the realm of small block GM. Shoot your assembler.
A head gasket problem is severe. You probably have a moron engine builder that is assembling your stuff.
A head gasket problem is pretty much very low priority in the realm of small block GM. Shoot your assembler.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
Regardless hind sight is 20/20 ....there would of been no way to predict headgasket failure. Tires etc. is realatively normal.
The first thing I would do is to make sure it isn't coming from the inatke.
Before you actually pulled the heads how much was it leaking ? where? Did the gaskets match up properly to the water jackets etc.? What method did you use to torque the head bolts down? As to being able to use dye to find the problem, the motor would need to be running, and from what you describe if it is pouring out like that you won't be running it now. I think if it is flooding everything outside like that, you should be able to see something. You will have to inspect the block, the freeze plugs et. all carefully.
The first thing I would do is to make sure it isn't coming from the inatke.
Before you actually pulled the heads how much was it leaking ? where? Did the gaskets match up properly to the water jackets etc.? What method did you use to torque the head bolts down? As to being able to use dye to find the problem, the motor would need to be running, and from what you describe if it is pouring out like that you won't be running it now. I think if it is flooding everything outside like that, you should be able to see something. You will have to inspect the block, the freeze plugs et. all carefully.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I only knew it was a 383 by measuring from the top of the head to the top of the block and it measure more than a stock 350 would, which would indicate it had been bored out.
The only way to know if its stroked or not Is to pull the pan check for a notched block or pull the heads and measure how far down in the bore the piston goes. Otherwise you cant tell what it is.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Regardless hind sight is 20/20 ....there would of been no way to predict headgasket failure. Tires etc. is realatively normal.
The first thing I would do is to make sure it isn't coming from the inatke.
Before you actually pulled the heads how much was it leaking ? where? Did the gaskets match up properly to the water jackets etc.? What method did you use to torque the head bolts down? As to being able to use dye to find the problem, the motor would need to be running, and from what you describe if it is pouring out like that you won't be running it now. I think if it is flooding everything outside like that, you should be able to see something. You will have to inspect the block, the freeze plugs et. all carefully.
The first thing I would do is to make sure it isn't coming from the inatke.
Before you actually pulled the heads how much was it leaking ? where? Did the gaskets match up properly to the water jackets etc.? What method did you use to torque the head bolts down? As to being able to use dye to find the problem, the motor would need to be running, and from what you describe if it is pouring out like that you won't be running it now. I think if it is flooding everything outside like that, you should be able to see something. You will have to inspect the block, the freeze plugs et. all carefully.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
I guess thats what I mean, I measured how far down in the bore the piston went from bottom to top.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
As far as the engine builder I don't know who the hell it is.
Last edited by rap87; Jun 29, 2007 at 11:28 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Just doing some thinking, but as far as in the intake, how does it work in terms of coolant. I put RV sealant on the back of the gasket and put it down on the heads. Then I put rv sealant on the back and front of the block itself. Then I put the intake down and tightened all the bolts. How would you go wrong on that...However, if lets just say one bolt happened to fail on the head itself it doesn't make sense that all 4 cylinders would have coolant in it making clean plugs...you would think it would only show up on one or something....
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Well, from doing some googling, it seems that the LT1, doesn't run coolant through the intake manifold, so I guess its back to how the hell could the block and the head not seal...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Nope, they are both blue when facing up and identical gaskets...**** anyone in near va beach, va that might help troubleshoot this with me? Im just at a loss, I mean I did exactly everything identical on both sides and the passenger side isn't leaking...The only thing different on the drivers side is I had to install a heli coil on the drivers side right medium size bolt hole, but it did torque to spec with no problems...