Hello,

I have been lurking on this forum for a while now trying to find an answer to my question. I know there are many threads that relate to this, but I haven't found one that was very specific to my needs. So here it goes:

I have oil in my coolant. There is no coolant in my oil. There is no condesation in the oil. It is not transmission fluid in the coolant. It is oil in the coolant.

There is a lot of oil in my coolant. Not just drops, or a film. It looks like the only thing running in my radiator is oil. Thick, nasty, sludgy white/brown/black oil. The engine runs perfectly fine. And doesn't over heat (granted, I'm not really driving it until I fix this problem). The engine was re-built before I bought it. Oil pressure runs at 80 psi cold. The engine is over-bored.

My question is: What could be the most likely cause. In other words, if it was, per say, a head gasket leak, then could it create this much oil in the coolant without coolant in the oil? Or is this much oil usually a sign of a deeper problem (cracked engine block needing the pressed rod fix).

Last, but not least; number 5 and number 8 cylinders have low compression (50-60....where the rest run at 120). Related at all? Ideas?

I plan on doing the usual: send heads off and get them MPI'd / resurfaced; replace head gaskets; etc. I am going to swap this motor to another chassis (one WITH power steering) soon. But I want to make sure I get this problem fixed either during the swap, or before.

Any help, or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Nick

 

Welcome. I experienced this problem on a 390 myself several years ago and yes is is most likely a crack in the passage in the block that supplies oil to the rockers. That's the only place in the engine where a pressurized oil passage passes through a water jacket. You might want to ask about it in the FE forum on here though.

 

X2...years ago the AERA issued a tech bulletin on this (not too common) problem, repair info below...

FE Block Repair AERA

 

Thanks for the link and quick replies. I was afraid you might say that it was THAT crack. So, if someone were to suggest that it might be the heads or head gasket, they would be completely wrong then? I will also re-post this in the FE forums. Thanks for the tip.

 

Anything's possible, but based on your detailed description i'd lean towards one, or both, of the cam to deck surface oil galleys being rusted through.

You could pull the valve covers and remove the rocker arms, get a coolant pressure tester and pressurize the cooling system...

If the oil galleys are corroded through coolant should start coming out of the rocker arm oiling holes in the heads, this will also determine which side (if not both) is leaking.

 

Thanks for the detailed explination. Sounds like that might be my next step in the near future. I have another 390 that runs fine.....but I sure would like to get this one fixed, and not just replace the block!

 

It's definitely nothing to trash the block over, it's a relatively easy fix, granted it's a huge PITA cuz you gotta tear the motor down...

If you don't wanna go the Chevy pushrod route Survival Motorsports Home Page machines an insert to sleeve the cam to deck oil galley, it does the same thing, you just won't have a Chevy part inside your FE.

 

Thanks for the encouragement and the link. Glad I don't have to contaminate my beautiful truck with something from a chevy .

 

Actually, I wanted to tear the engine down anyways. I want to put it on the stand and make it pretty. So, not to worried about the fix. Should be fun. Any pointers on cleaning up the engine?? Anything like primer, paint, protective coating I can use etc? Preferred cleaners?

 

P.S. The valve covers, air cleaner, and various parts are all ford racing blue. There is a really nice polished aluminum fan shroud as well. So, only the block and heads need some TLC.

 

Sorry for reviving old thread................

Could someone elaborate on the condition and fix options including: (chevy pushrod route) This regarding a 1974 F250 390 2V/AT 2WD pickup. THANKS!

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "condition"....troubleshooting? Are you having the same oil in the coolant problem as originally posted?

Silly me...of course you are...otherwise why would you be asking, correct? So you need "The Fix?"

 

YES, F_B, I have oil in the coolant. Engine and trans oil are clear of water.

 

Ok. I guess you know from the above statements that you'll have to tear into the engine to expose the lifter galley.

Rather than yak about what to do, I'll throw up the FE AERA shop bulletin....thanks to Montana Highboy.

If you have it already, well then, it's pretty self explanatory and a good read.

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I did not have those bullitons. I saved them, Thanks "FB"!