Gary Lewis Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 I put some coolant in it and let it set and started it the next day. I don't think it was high enough to go into the intake, but I could be wrong. Tore it all the way down to the block and checked with my smallest feeler gauge and a straight edge and it was overall good, couple kinda went under, not fully though but also my smallest feeler. I think that the gasket would take up that but could be wrong. I filled it all the way up today and it still filled up with coolant. I checked everything with the straight edge and replaced intake and head gaskets. Is the intake aluminum? Is it used? I've seen lots of aluminum intakes that have corrosion around the water passages and it might leak there. Otherwise, it acts as if you have a mismatch in the intake and the head. I doubt a crack in either would allow the amount of coolant you seem to be seeing to get into the cylinders. If it is all back together I'd be tempted to pressurize the cooling system with 10 psi of air and listen with a hose to my ear to various places. The carb. Each spark plug hole. The exhaust. Try to find any air leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Is the intake aluminum? Is it used? I've seen lots of aluminum intakes that have corrosion around the water passages and it might leak there. Otherwise, it acts as if you have a mismatch in the intake and the head. I doubt a crack in either would allow the amount of coolant you seem to be seeing to get into the cylinders. If it is all back together I'd be tempted to pressurize the cooling system with 10 psi of air and listen with a hose to my ear to various places. The carb. Each spark plug hole. The exhaust. Try to find any air leak. can we get a little "build" back history? i just picked up on this and will go back and read the thread if needed. was the block machined? and if so, was it decked? afr heads are not likely to be the issue and neither is the weiand intake. gaskets however are. I too am concerned about the water pump and timing cover part of the build but that has nothing to do with this internal leak issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weberman Posted December 6, 2021 Author Share Posted December 6, 2021 Is the intake aluminum? Is it used? I've seen lots of aluminum intakes that have corrosion around the water passages and it might leak there. Otherwise, it acts as if you have a mismatch in the intake and the head. I doubt a crack in either would allow the amount of coolant you seem to be seeing to get into the cylinders. If it is all back together I'd be tempted to pressurize the cooling system with 10 psi of air and listen with a hose to my ear to various places. The carb. Each spark plug hole. The exhaust. Try to find any air leak. The intake is aluminum.. it is used. I've had it on an engine that was used to be in the bronco too.. it locked up over winter. I always thought it was the cowl seal got water in the carb... but maybe not. It was new on that engine though. Engine was not decked but like I said checked it with a straight edge and the deck seemed good. The old heads and gaskets didn't have any indication of leaks/over heating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 The intake is aluminum.. it is used. I've had it on an engine that was used to be in the bronco too.. it locked up over winter. I always thought it was the cowl seal got water in the carb... but maybe not. It was new on that engine though. Engine was not decked but like I said checked it with a straight edge and the deck seemed good. The old heads and gaskets didn't have any indication of leaks/over heating. ok that is either a clue or distraction. did you disassemble the locked-up engine? if so, what did you find? rusted stuck cylinders are the question. oily bearings don't seize. if not then we are still at step one. 5.0 or 5.8? if we are working on the assumption that the intake is not fitting or seated fully, and the gaskets are what is causing this then we should think it through. the water jacket to the cooling system is at the very front and the crossover at the very rear (not all aluminum intakes have the rear crossover and just block the water with the gaskets). as the water leaks it will go to one of three places or all three. First out beneath the front bolts or rear bolts (most common) which is why so many bolts are rust seized. that and being exposed at the bottom. Second into the lifter valley and then into the oil pan. Third would be into the nearest cylinder. drain the oil and look for water! question which cylinder (s) had water. cyl 1 and 8 the most likely to show up first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weberman Posted December 7, 2021 Author Share Posted December 7, 2021 ok that is either a clue or distraction. did you disassemble the locked-up engine? if so, what did you find? rusted stuck cylinders are the question. oily bearings don't seize. if not then we are still at step one. 5.0 or 5.8? if we are working on the assumption that the intake is not fitting or seated fully, and the gaskets are what is causing this then we should think it through. the water jacket to the cooling system is at the very front and the crossover at the very rear (not all aluminum intakes have the rear crossover and just block the water with the gaskets). as the water leaks it will go to one of three places or all three. First out beneath the front bolts or rear bolts (most common) which is why so many bolts are rust seized. that and being exposed at the bottom. Second into the lifter valley and then into the oil pan. Third would be into the nearest cylinder. drain the oil and look for water! question which cylinder (s) had water. cyl 1 and 8 the most likely to show up first. It was rusted cylinders, whole thing kinda was, thats why I thought it may have been water coming in off the hood as the cowl seal was nonexistent at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 It was rusted cylinders, whole thing kinda was, thats why I thought it may have been water coming in off the hood as the cowl seal was nonexistent at the time certainly, a clue. was the air cleaner missing? otherwise it should have been able to shed water. the cowl seal is perishable for sure and replacements are available and some of us have successfully used garage door sweep. but the air cleaner housing should have protected it. however if the intake itself was able to pond water on the top of the engine it could certainly make its way past poor fitting gaskets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weberman Posted December 7, 2021 Author Share Posted December 7, 2021 certainly, a clue. was the air cleaner missing? otherwise it should have been able to shed water. the cowl seal is perishable for sure and replacements are available and some of us have successfully used garage door sweep. but the air cleaner housing should have protected it. however if the intake itself was able to pond water on the top of the engine it could certainly make its way past poor fitting gaskets It did not have a cleaner on it. I didn't know about the cowl seal when I was younger and didn't think about it. I have replaced it with the garage door seal you talked about. I also parked it on a slight hill, so it had all the rain all winter go down the hood into the carb too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 It did not have a cleaner on it. I didn't know about the cowl seal when I was younger and didn't think about it. I have replaced it with the garage door seal you talked about. I also parked it on a slight hill, so it had all the rain all winter go down the hood into the carb too. that just made me cringe! a few years ago, we got a 94 4wd parts truck. we each pulled a couple pieces needed right away and moved on. the truck sat. i mentioned needing a hood so my friend pulled the hood and brought it to me. the next time i went to get a part, there is the truck, hoodless, air intake tubes missing, throttle body missing, and not a single thing to keep water out of the engine! duct tape people! well that engine got bored on the rebuild. I'm happy to say it's being delivered today for break in on the run stand before we schedule the install. many mods in this one so I'm excited. at least the owner of the truck is also the owner of the engine.haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weberman Posted December 8, 2021 Author Share Posted December 8, 2021 Is the intake aluminum? Is it used? I've seen lots of aluminum intakes that have corrosion around the water passages and it might leak there. Otherwise, it acts as if you have a mismatch in the intake and the head. I doubt a crack in either would allow the amount of coolant you seem to be seeing to get into the cylinders. If it is all back together I'd be tempted to pressurize the cooling system with 10 psi of air and listen with a hose to my ear to various places. The carb. Each spark plug hole. The exhaust. Try to find any air leak. Cylinders #5,8 and 3,2 Why would the coolant not be in 1 or 4 since they are next to the coolant ports but 2 and 3 in the middle do have coolant. There wasn't really a trace of coolant either like on #5 where I found droplets.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsmblue Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 Cylinders #5,8 and 3,2 Why would the coolant not be in 1 or 4 since they are next to the coolant ports but 2 and 3 in the middle do have coolant. There wasn't really a trace of coolant either like on #5 where I found droplets.. Those gaskets look pretty damp in places. How flat are the intake surfaces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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