S.O.S

Finally got a chance to bring the Mustang out for the fist time this year. Adjusted the timing and tuned in the new Holley 4 barrel. Just before we were ready to leave I decided we should see what she would do at WOT. Everything was running great, engine sounded beautiful. Had her at WOT for probably less than 10 seconds.

Went back to idle, looked at my temp gauge and it was almost maxed out! Opened up the box and the entire bilge was filled with water! I turned on the pump and headed for the ramp before we sank, water just kept flowing in. The temperature was moving down as we were moving, and moving fast, water was going everywhere.

To shorten the story a bit, we set her on the ramp while I got the truck backed down and pulled her out. I'm thinking hose blew out, hole in the bottom, who knows. All the hoses are intact, as they should be since they are new. Finally I noticed something sitting on top of the starter. It's a plug! From the engine block. Popped right out.

I never even new it existed. I guess the pressure from WOT and the fact that it looks pretty old just was too much for it. Well I bumped the engine to see if it would turn over and she wanted to start right up. But I didn't. So there was hope. Until I got home and checked the oil. It's white. I pulled off the flame arrestor and water was dripping out. My guess is with the water flying around in the engine box it sucked it right in.

Well hell. What do I do now? Is there any hope or did I kill the H.M.? Is there anything I can do right now to minimize the damage? Drain the oil? The manifolds where hot, water sizzled off of them.

And what is this plug I knew nothing about? Never saw a reference to it in the manual.

Anyway, bad day, thanks for any help!

I'd change the oil, replace the plug and get it running. It sounds like a freeze plug that pulled out? I had that happen once, but caught it sooner. I had slowed down to an idle and noticed the bilge pump come on. I never did find the plug or figure out why it came out.

There's the plug.

Is the oil white from water? Does it even make sense that water would get into the oil from the intake? Would it not go straight to the combustion and vaporize? Or did I blow my intake gasket?

That doesn't look like a freeze plug. Most freeze plugs are brass (marine use) and need to be carefully driven into the block. That plug looks like a home remedy substitute. Go to www.skidim.com and look under 'engine-block related for a pic. I wouldn't stay up tonight to do it, but as soon as you can tomorrow would be best.

At least you weren't in salt water...........

Thats one of those cheap quick fix freeze plugs. Drain the oil asap, refill,pull the plugs put some oil in the cylinders and turn it over to coat the cylinder walls.

Yeah, that freeze plug is a back-yard mechanics quick fix. You tighten up the nut and it expands the rubber to form the seal. We got guys that come in all the time to get those for their 'hoopdees' Change the oil a couple of times and check that tranny fluid too!That motor is rock solid, wouldn't worry about her.

David,
Go with some cheap oil for the flushing. Run it for about 10 minutes till it's up to temp and change it.

Someone at Skidim must be smoking something again. Brass has a very high thermal coefficient close to aluminum. IE: it transfers heat/cold very well. Put the core plug in the freezer and by the time you get it to the hole it will be warm!! Do a "how to search" on line. I remember seeing a real nice tutorial with pictures on the install.

If you had water on sizzling on the exhaust manifolds then it got pretty hot. Possible scenario-core plug popped messing up the cooling, it got hot and maybe blew a head gasket?

Hope not, good luck.

I do not understand how you could get enough water to turn the oil white just from a bad rear seal or oil pan gasket. Unfortunately, I think there are bigger problems in there.

Compression test is done.

All between 110-130. Median being 120. Cylinder 3 was the lowest at 110 and it's opposing cylinder, no. 7, was 130.

Spark plugs looked great.
The oil level on the dip stick seems to be right at where it was before I went out. But white of course. There is also white oil under the oil cap.

What do you fellas make of that?

What do y'all make of that?

It has that curdled milky white look. When I pull the dip stick, I don't see any signs of "regular" oil. All white. As is under the oil cap and pcv valve.

I have not had time to dig any deeper than that. I will flush it after work and post the results.

Is it possible to blow the intake gasket and get water in the oil from there? What if I screwed up my installation of that? There was no water in the oil after I ran it in the driveway, but this was the first time under load.

Here's what's coming out.

Vondy post a pic on your spark plugs too see how good they look please.

I'll post a pic of a plug tomorrow, done for the night. All of them were dry and clean.

I don't think the block would have frozen. I drained her before any freezing weather hit. Also, when I installed the carb, she ran for quite a while in the yard while tuning her. The oil was fine then.

All I got was the oil drained tonight. My pump takes forever and never get's it all. I have to drain the rest into the bilge with oil absorbing towels below. I have a drain hose but realized there is no possible way to get it installed with the engine in the boat. So tomorrow I hope to put some fresh oil in and start the flushing process.

Gary I got a new rubber freeze plug in place for now.