My timing chain adventure begins..

[reamer]

My truck is 100% drip free, and I love it...lol.

I wish my truck was drIp free, but I have no plans to pull the engine for a RMS.

I didn't either, until "Niagara Falls" started at the rear of the block:nabble_smiley_argh:

[ArdWrknTrk]

I didn't either, until "Niagara Falls" started at the rear of the block:nabble_smiley_argh:

A coolant leak under pressure is quite a bit more serious than some dripping oil.

[reamer]

A coolant leak under pressure is quite a bit more serious than some dripping oil.

Now this IS puzzling.. The pin-hole in the rear right plug is what we know about.

The amount of coolant "splashing" was greater than a pinhole could produce, And the coolant was flowing out the rear of the block, But pulling the engine today, hoping to see a huge issue on the back,... I got nothing, clean and dry.... this is concerning....

[Gary Lewis]

Now this IS puzzling.. The pin-hole in the rear right plug is what we know about.

The amount of coolant "splashing" was greater than a pinhole could produce, And the coolant was flowing out the rear of the block, But pulling the engine today, hoping to see a huge issue on the back,... I got nothing, clean and dry.... this is concerning....

Plug the water pump and heater hose outlets, and put about 10 psi of air to the thermostat housing. That will show where the leak is.

But a Windsor has a coolant crossover between the heads on the front and, I think, the rear of the intake manifold. If the one in the rear let go you could get coolant there.

[Steve83]

Plug the water pump and heater hose outlets, and put about 10 psi of air to the thermostat housing. That will show where the leak is.

But a Windsor has a coolant crossover between the heads on the front and, I think, the rear of the intake manifold. If the one in the rear let go you could get coolant there.

There's no crossover at the back, but there are coolant journals in the heads - they're just supposed to be blocked off by the intake manifold casting. But if the intake gasket(s) blew out back there (which is common), coolant would pour down the bellhousing.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Now this IS puzzling.. The pin-hole in the rear right plug is what we know about.

The amount of coolant "splashing" was greater than a pinhole could produce, And the coolant was flowing out the rear of the block, But pulling the engine today, hoping to see a huge issue on the back,... I got nothing, clean and dry.... this is concerning....

I'd be asking myself what I touched that c/would cause a massive overpressure.

A freeze plug rotting out or a gasket letting go, on after 33 years, okay...

But the freeze plug and a coolant gasket letting go -out of nowhere- after I spent the better part of a month screwing with an inoperable vehicle?

Sure, the radiator cap should let go at 13 psi. And the entire system should be equalized.

But if it was mine, I would be retracing my steps.

It seems very odd to me that this all happens at once

[reamer]

I'd be asking myself what I touched that c/would cause a massive overpressure.

A freeze plug rotting out or a gasket letting go, on after 33 years, okay...

But the freeze plug and a coolant gasket letting go -out of nowhere- after I spent the better part of a month screwing with an inoperable vehicle?

Sure, the radiator cap should let go at 13 psi. And the entire system should be equalized.

But if it was mine, I would be retracing my steps.

It seems very odd to me that this all happens at once

Very true, but as you mentioned, I just did the timing chain, and I'll stick the T-stat in some boiling water to see if it opens....

Once I get the leak-down tester, Ill set it to 10 PSI and check coolant system...

[Gary Lewis]

There's no crossover at the back, but there are coolant journals in the heads - they're just supposed to be blocked off by the intake manifold casting. But if the intake gasket(s) blew out back there (which is common), coolant would pour down the bellhousing.

Thanks, Steve. There was something in my mind that said it doesn't crossover back there, but I couldn't remember for sure. But, as you point out, there's coolant in the heads there and if the gasket let's go there's gonna be coolant down the back of the engine.

Ron - Was this a new intake manifold or a used one when it went on? I ask because the manifolds are frequently eroded around that gasket surface if people don't keep new coolant in the system. That's due to the electrolysis that goes on with dissimilar metals in close proximity in the presence of a liquid. So if that manifold had erosion at that spot it would be a weak point if the pressure in the system got up.

And, speaking of pressure, what is the radiator cap rated at?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks, Steve. There was something in my mind that said it doesn't crossover back there, but I couldn't remember for sure. But, as you point out, there's coolant in the heads there and if the gasket let's go there's gonna be coolant down the back of the engine.

Ron - Was this a new intake manifold or a used one when it went on? I ask because the manifolds are frequently eroded around that gasket surface if people don't keep new coolant in the system. That's due to the electrolysis that goes on with dissimilar metals in close proximity in the presence of a liquid. So if that manifold had erosion at that spot it would be a weak point if the pressure in the system got up.

And, speaking of pressure, what is the radiator cap rated at?

With Windsor's you just have to be SURE that the head gaskets go "front"

Otherwise you WILL have a mysterious cooling problem.

[reamer]

With Windsor's you just have to be SURE that the head gaskets go "front"

Otherwise you WILL have a mysterious cooling problem.

Intake Gasket was installed 4-5 years ago when I trashed the feedback 2-v and went with the Eddy 4-v and intake. That appears to still be dry.

Just remembered I have a regulator on the handle of my HPLV Gun, So I replaced the one rotted plug, cleaned and installed a new plug (with RTV). I'll let that set up over night and inject 10 psi tomorrow...