I HAVE A 54 FORD F 100 WITH A 239 OHV FRESH REBUILD WHEN I WAS FILLING THE RADIATOR IT ALSO FILLTHE CRANK CASE NO WATER IN THE CYLINDERS JUST THE OIL PAN. WHAT WENT WRONG COULD IT BE WRONG HEAD GASKETS. HELP?

 

Howdy,


Welcome to FTE!


1. Turn off your CAPS lock! Everybody will think you're SHOUTING!!


2. You might have a cracked intake manifold, or a leak in one of the manifold gaskets! water would then probably go directly into the "valley" and right into the crankcase!

3. Take pictures and post them. WE LOVE PICTURES



Cheers,


Rick

 

I'm going to have to disagree with that statement. There is no way water can get into the valley from the intake manifold on a Y-Block. They are not even connected. maybe on a engine configuration like the Ford FE/FT, but not a Y-Block.

My guess would be the timing chain cover, bad gasket or cracked. Second I would check head gaskets or cracked head? Lastly maybe cracked block.

Since you said the engine is freshly rebuilt, I am assuming you had the heads and block magnafluxed??

 

Ah, you know you're SO RIGHT!!

I have been on the iBoats site for the last couple of hours and have answering the same question (all GM marine!) so many times that I did it here without even thinking!! ......I hate when I do that!!!!! (this is the time of year that all the cracked blocks come out to play!!!)

I'm glad you jumped in there .........

Timing cover, cracked head/block. There's not many other ways for water to get in!

Let me also add that you can check it using the same "procedure" used to find cracks in marine engines.

Disconnect the upper and lower radiator hoses and block one off and apply air into the other using a suitable fitting with a valve and a gage connected so you can pressurize the block (use PVC plastic fittings from a plumbing store. Close the valve and listen for hissing with the valve covers off. If you have a cracked head or leaking gasket...you'll probably hear it.

The block should easily hold 7-10 psi.




Cheers,


Rick

 

Yes -- blocks and head were magnafluxed -- ordered new gaskets from Mac's, I even called cuz they didn't look right -- they assured me that you could use the same gaskets on all Y-blocks all the way up to 312's. How could the timing chain have a direct passage for water into the pan? After filling up the radiator (i noticed it was taking a lot of water...) -- I started it up & it ran fine -- but I then noticed foamy water coming out the blow-by tube...I'm stumped.

 

The water pump bolts to the timing chain cover, the water passes through passages in the timing chain cover. If the timing chain cover gasket is leaking, water goes into the timing chain cavity which drains to the pan. That is how...

By the way, thanks for not yelling...

 

Did it happen after it warmed up and was the cooling system pressurized or do you think water was running in as you were filling it?

 

Thanks for your replies. As I was pouring water in the radiator with the engine off, I could hear water running through the engine -- or so I thought. It was actually running into the oilpan. When I started it up, it ran great but then I noticed something leaking and the tan foam coming out of the blow by tube. Will have to check out your ideas about what caused it....that's another day.

 

Based on your description, I do not think that the timing cover gasket is likely. The way the front of the block is cast, if coolant is getting from the passage and into the block via the timing cover, coolant will surely be visible outside the engine.

My guess is the head gasket, a crack in the timing cover, or a crack in the heads or block that is in a position that makes it difficult to spot. Were the heads and block checked for flatness? Other areas where cracks can occur but are easily missed because it just isn't usual to check them is the intake at the ports adjacent to the coolant passage and the timing cover at the area behind the water pump. If it is in the intake, not only might you get coolant in the oil, you will see steam coming out of the exhaust while running.

 

I hope you didn't run your engine too long with all the water in it. What really concerns me about your engine is how seemingly fast the water filled the pan. Something is really wrong in there, be it a gasket or crack. You mentioned the head gaskets didn't look right to you. What didn't look right? I personally never worked on a 239" and I don't know if 312" head gaskets would work or not. Big cylinder bore difference there? Here wishing the Best of luck to you.

 

I should have said I don't think the timing cover gasket is likely. I suppose, if the leak is on the timing cover side of the gasket it could get into the crankcase with no signs on the outside of the block. But there is no way for it to get directly to the crankcase from the block side.
For lack of a better word, there is a trough cast into the block which mean that for a small distance between the coolant passage and the crankcase, the gasket is not compressed. If coolant makes it from that passage and into the timing case it has to pass this uncompressed section which means it will seep at least a little to the outside.

If water gets into the intake via a crack between the coolant passage and the intake port, the coolant can travel down the port, past the valve, into the cylinder, past the rings, and into the oil pan. Since he did say no coolant was found in the cylinders, this is not likely in this case.

 

Sorry, Charlie, been a long, hard day. Didn't mean to unload on ya... Got time for a beer?

 

No worries! I didn't even see it that way. But yeah, I got time for a beer

 

OK, meet you at the Pitcher House in Hermosa Beach in 30 minutes...

 

Didnt see it mentioned, but are the head gaskets steel? If so there may be a sealing problem if deck and heads werent milled. Tough luck on the 239, but dont give up .