coolant in crankcase

H

hydropower

Member
New here, hoping the brain trust can offer some advice?
I have a 36 ford truck with a 48 engine and 8BA heads. It has been parked for 7 years. It ran good when parked. The engine had recently "in miles" been rebuilt. The other day I looked in the radiator and no fluid visible then checked the dip stick and had to much oil. I drained the oil this morning, there was about two quarts of coolant that came out first.
Just wondering what you all think I should take apart first or some test before I take it apart?

Thanks Hydropower
 
I'm guessing that it doesn't go below freezing in Hawaii??

(I just googled it - It goes NOWHERE near freezing in Hawaii!)

If that is the case, it might be head gasket related.

And hello.

Mart.
 
Well I pulled the plugs one of the plugs was not firing right, put a flashlight in the hole :eek: the seat was out of its recess keeping the valve from closing. I guess I have at least two problems.
Hydropower
 
My '47 Merc with older, possibly 39/40 merc motor ended up with water in the oil just after Xmas. Changed the head gaskets, and have seen no more probs.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I took both heads off all of the sealing surfaces looked good the bores were all perfect no ridge. The truck when it was shipped from long beach 7 years ago got bumped for some military cargo. Possible it froze one of those nights the coolant was brown and nasty when I got it. I am pulling the motor to fix the valve seat hopefully the block is not cracked!

I had the same issue with my 8BA. It was a head gasket. The Flathead King is giving it a total rebirth.

Did it look like the head gasket had failed when you took it apart, was there water in the bore?

The block has a triangular water inlet hole in the middle upper the head has a round hole and the gasket has a round hole with metal seal ring for newer head does not look like it was leaking into the bore though.
Hydropower
 
If the car hasn't run since being shipped to Hawaii, it may have been cracked beforehand. This could get messy.

Good luck.
 
Ray Balukas said:
Hopefully Walt will chime in on this. He is the one who tore it down. One piston was real clean.
Click to expand...

Ray's engine had a broken head bolt, it was the bottom bolt of the 3 bolts that hold the oil filter to the head. When I pulled the head you could see the fire ring imprint around all the cyl. The imprint was very light around that broken bolt and a water hole is right close to that broken bolt. I could see signs of water that had been setting in the cyl about 2in, down. Mag engine, looked real good. NO, I didn't pressure test the block so don't ask me. Should be running the engine on the test stand in a couple of weeks. Yea I know, that will ruin the engine. I've got a lot of ruined out there. Walt
 
The truck probably ran for less than 1 hour after changing oil and coolant 7 years ago. There was no mixing of the oil and coolant in the oil pan. Should know more this afternoon wish me luck!
 
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