S.O.S

Heads are at the shop as we speak.

Are you thinking the manifold is opening up under heat? I can always switch it out with my new (to me) one, just trying to avoid more work. Getting those risers off of the manifold is a PITA.

Turns out the heads are good. Having them resurfaced and a valve job done. He said they actually look pretty good, a little blow-bye going on.

He suggested that when it overheated the bolts might have backed and pulled the head away from the block some. Or something like that.

Guess I'll swap the port manifold, install the reworked heads and give it a go once more.

Have you checked on that cylinder's wall with the piston at BDC?

again, if after so many days after you last ran it, water was still on top of the piston, it isnt water from the cylinder messing your oil.
Maybe the other exhaust is cracked too, but it's not causing your emulsionated oil.

It seems you have a cracked block.

Now if you dont mind getting new gaskets and doing the job all over again, it's up to you, but I feel you already been there.

Now if you dont want to tear it all down, you could still try to find a way to pressure test the block while still assembled.
Maybe making fake heads to cover the water ports and sending pressurised water on the system could make it?? any takers?

The head bolts are not the issue.
The exhaust manifold is not the issue either.

Been telling you since page 1, first the intake, then the heads, then the block. Now, the intake was good, the heads are good, so what's next to check?

Exhaust manifold is OUT of the question unless that cylinder has no rings left, and it seems it does since water was still on top of the cylinder a week after you last ran the boat.

Start looking for options, if any, to test the block without taking it apart.

David, Your engine was not built with TTY(torque-to-yield) head bolts. Those are the ones designed to stretch and taking a chance if reused. I don't think Ford used them till probably the mid 1980's on some of their engines. You have original style head bolts that are reusable. Though not a bad idea to replace, don't worry about them if you don't. Reusing the head bolts was not an issue with this engine.

Let's recap...

Installed new intake manifold and carb.

First run of the year after overheating there is water in the oil. There was no water in the oil from running in driveway.

Water in number 4 cylinder. Found cracked exhaust manifold on starboard side and fixed. Reinstalled intake manifold just in case I messed up the first time.

Flushed 3 times in driveway, oil clear, brought to the lake two days in a row. No water in oil.

Drove 4 hours to my brothers house for the 4th, checked oil before we went out for the evening on the boats and no water in the oil.

Checked oil next morning, water in the oil. Could not see any water in the cylinders.

Pulled heads found water in the number 8 exhaust port.

Checked heads and no cracks. Personally don't see any signs of blown head gasket.

No visible signs of cracks in cylinders.

Luchog thinks the block is cracked. Chris thinks the intake is installed wrong.

The block usually cracks from freezing right? So if any water was left in the block it would have been in the number 4 cylinder area because that's the lowest point to drain. And as I have now discovered, there is some water in there after draining, I can see it with the heads off. The drain on that side is towards the front of the engine. The drain on the number 8 cylinder side is right below number 8 so the water drains completely out of there.

So for clear water to get in the number 8 exhaust port we would need a crack in one of the cylinders, 5-8, a blown head gasket, cracked head, or cracked exhaust. That correct?

vondy wrote: This brings up another point, do I spend $275 to rework these heads or do I spend a little more on remanufactured heads that would better suit my 4 barrel carb?

You know my answer to this! With shipping added in, youre still looking at less than $200 extra to make a pretty substantial upgrade.

What the story on the intake manifold- did you buy it new or used? Finding water in the back 2 cylinders at different times is strange, but would have me looking for a common cause (intake or block).

This a FWIW only.



The dark trails in the top right of this pick are from cracks. I thought it was just dirty because I couldn't see the cracks until the block had been dipped and they were magnafluxed.

Maybe this will help you see something? Also, that engine ran with frequent oil changes for 2 years. The cracks were super small; so much so that most of the oil changes showed little or no signs of water in the oil. Good luck.

vondy wrote: He's thinking exhaust manifold. The water will push by the rings slowly causing the milkshake. If water were coming from inside the block it would most probably be dumping water and would be immediately noticeable. Being aluminum they would expand more from the heat causing to leak. He called me back saying his guy surfaced the heads last night so I'm just going to have them do the valve job and use these for now. If he doesn't find anything wrong with the pressure test. Going by at lunch to talk more and bring the head gasket. Comments....?

You mean exhaust manifolds? Both would have to be cracked if that were the only source of water intrusion... you had water in cyl # 4 and 8, correct? Last I checked, those were on opposite banks.

Id get a cost on the heads before having him proceed. Personally I wouldnt put a dime into them (or any stock Ford head, for that matter).

man we've been around the block and back a couple of times now, this is just crazy. I feel at this point and time you really need to slow down and really examine everything and even get a extra set of experienced eyes to help you out. I question the intake install as well as the pressure test/know good exhaust mainfolds. I know your tight on cash and you have another boat and this one isn't ideal for the normal water conditions your lake has, but without actually examining in person and seeing first hand not sure what road to steer you down, too many variables, too many question if things where done right....but we'll get there.

well some of the spots seems heavy some looked alittle lite with the amount of RTV, paper gasket never, you'll have more problems than you do now. Fel-pro yes all the way, mr. gasket no.

double triple check the manifold for a leak look for water marks in the exhaust section of the manifold, if you see any it bad and should not be used, hell if you have to scrape the HM's scrap them and use PCM, osco's any that are known to not cracked or leaks for the short term.

I've read I should dip the head bolts in oil before torquing. Still not sure if I need any sealer or thread locker. I don't believe my block is open to the water jackets.

Vondy, clean all the threads with a "thread male" (dont know the translation) clean with WD40 and shoot some air on the holes.

There's a torquing secuence (from center to the sides going on diagonals) the secuence on the manual.

Sandpaper and clean the block surface for the gasket, dont use any product on the gasket. The open holes on the gasket go on the rear of the block.

Good luck.

79nautique wrote: The head gasket is the wrong head gasket don't use the one you posted.

That was the only Fel-Pro that came up for my engine, I did not realize there was a Fel-Pro Performance option to click when I searched. Now I have 19 options. How do I go about finding the right one?

fel-pro

You think marine is really necessary? It says for harsh marine environment. I wouldn't think fresh water lakes would be a harsh environment. Being that it will be stored at the house and not on the lake. Of course I could be wrong.

Apparently I need to know the bore size, compressed thickness, compressed volume.....