Coolant on top of intake valves?

[flagoworld]

So... all of the sudden I started seeing coolant in my oil. (cry)

 

Pristine coolant. I pulled my intake manifold first. I wondered(hoped) if maybe... just maybe... I messed up the cyl1 gasket when I pulled it off before and coolant was seeping through from the neck. One can hope for something simple like that, but I highly doubted. I feared head gasket or cracked head.

 

When I pulled it off, I was surprised to see every closed valve had a pool of coolant on top of it. The open ones had drops/traces on top.

 

I can't think of any other way for coolant to be there other than a crack in the manifold water jacket. What do you guys think?

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by flagoworld

[TobyB]

If it was #2 or #3, I'd say the head was cracked.

 

But all FOUR?  That's odd.  Heads don't usually fail that way.

 

Yes, like you, my first guess would be it's getting in through the intake.  So bypass that, and see if it stops.

 

It shouldn't be making it into the oil in much quantity, that way, though.  But I guess, if it's seeping after you shut down, it could.

 

If you had a REALLY gross leak into the crankcase, it could be coming around through the ccv hose.

But I'd think you'd see that.

 

What does it look like under the valve cover?
 

Try the easy things first,

 

t

and then change your oil.  Twice.

 

 

[Simeon]

Any chance the coolant on the valves is a coincidence from removing the inlet manifold?

 

Water passing through the valves would just steam off and maybe not make it into the oil. 

[TobyB]

Unless it's seeping on shutdown.

 

But, thinking about it, I'd think there would be puddles

in the manifold, too, then.

 

t

[xr4tic]

How much coolant did you use?  Any white exhaust smoke while it was running?

 

It's possible the manifold is cracked and on engine shutdown the built up pressure is spraying coolant out into the valves, and leaking past the rings into the crankcase.

 

It should be easy enough to pressure test the manifold though.

[flagoworld]

No usage that I can see. Nor any visible or smellable contamination of the coolant with anything. But I really have not put more than a few miles on it, so I wouldn't expect there to be much visible usage.

 

I'll be pulling the head in a few days. Basically half way there already, so just going to do it to inspect everything and make certain. I'd rather have everything apart and visible and be able to properly inspect everything than to start guessing and waiting for things to get tested. If there's no visible damage to the gasket, head, or block, I will have the manifold tested.

 

I could "do the easy things first" but pulling the head on these motors IS pretty easy...  And a lot more cost-effective than going through gallon after gallon of coolant and expensive high-zinc oil.

['76mintgrün'02]

3 minutes ago, flagoworld said:

I will have the manifold tested.

 

What is involved?  Just plug one end and pressurize the other, while watching a gauge?  We could probably pull that off over here, if you want to bring it over.  Why not do that before pulling the head?

 

EDIT:  "pull that off" as in "do that", once you pull it off at home.

Edited February 19, 2018 by '76mintgrun'02

[flagoworld]

Just now, '76mintgrun'02 said:

 

What is involved?  Just plug one end and pressurize the other, while watching a gauge?  We could probably pull that off over here, if you want to bring it over.  Why not do that before pulling the head?

 

The timing is too perfect with some nasty, violent run-on I had from old fuel and I have  this strong suspicion something else has also happened...

 

I also have no way of pressurizing it myself right now and will have to spend time creating a setup to do that... just as much time as it would take to remove and inspect the head gasket, probably. If you think you have all the materials present to help with that, I'd be happy to bring it over first.

['76mintgrün'02]

seems like a little plumbing project with bits of crap I've kept around.

I have a one way valve for the brake booster that we could either blow or suck through, to keep it charged, once the other end has been plugged.  Should be easy to plumb a gauge inline.  I have a spare intake manifold here that I will go look at.  If it is as easy as it seems, I will let you know.

 

I don't see how old gas would cause the nasty violent run on...

 

[flagoworld]

7 minutes ago, '76mintgrun'02 said:

seems like a little plumbing project with bits of crap I've kept around.

I have a one way valve for the brake booster that we could either blow or suck through, to keep it charged, once the other end has been plugged.  Should be easy to plumb a gauge inline.  I have a spare intake manifold here that I will go look at.  If it is as easy as it seems, I will let you know.

 

I don't see how old gas would cause the nasty violent run on...

 

 

Well, it has not done it since switching to new, 91 octane. It was >2yrold 87, and 1 second after turning off the car and the engine came to a full stop:

THUNK.. .5sec THUNK .5sec THUNK. .5sec THUNK

['76mintgrün'02]

Well, that took a bit of digging through the junk bins, but TWENTY-FIVE parts and pieces later, it is holding 30 psi.

 

I had to get a little creative.

 

I can see why you said "take it somewhere".  

Not everyone is such a pack-rat.

 

You can bring yours over if you feel like it.  If not, no big deal.

(No pressure har-har). 

[flagoworld]

LOL. That's exactly what I was talking about. Thanks, I will bring it over and hook it up to your "rig". Uh... I'll email you and we can figure out timing.

[ray_]

2 hours ago, '76mintgrun'02 said:

Well, that took a bit of digging through the junk bins, but TWENTY-FIVE parts and pieces later, it is holding 30 psi.

 

I had to get a little creative.

 

I can see why you said "take it somewhere".  

Not everyone is such a pack-rat.

 

You can bring yours over if you feel like it.  If not, no big deal.

(No pressure har-har). 

 

 

How big is your oven, to simulate operating temperature?

 

['76mintgrün'02]

I do have a kiln, but that'd be hard on the rubber bits... : )

 

I was thinking maybe we should fill it with boiling water and then pressurize it, in case the crack is temperature activated.

 

Filling it with water would also make it easier to spot the leak.

 

We just need to keep the gauge pointing up, so it does not get wet.

[jimk]

Air charge it w/o the gauge and set it in a tub of water.