coolant in oil and left bank only?

Kyle · November 27, 2011, 10:03:41 PM

i need some ideas diagnosing my problem.... 400 sbc bored 40 over iron eagle heads new intake. all gaskets were new all bolts were new and torqued in sequence with arp bolts and torque grease top to bottom. nothing leaks top to bottom on the outside. did the first startup and it ran fine got it timed and let it idle and all, didnt need to do the normal breakin at 2k for 20 because its a roller cam. we let it sit so we could change the oil, fire it up again and the drivers side starts dumping out white smoke, but only the drivers side.... pulled the plugs and theres no excessive coolant or at all on em but pulled valve covers on both sides and there is coolant in the oil cuz we did let it run and went down the road a very short distance hoping it would go away again, but it didnt. this thing has had maybe an hour runtime on it total now..... thinking it maybe head gasket but hard to tell... any ideas?

betterbeaters · November 27, 2011, 10:14:22 PM

head gasket/cracked head? but if you got coolent in the oil all the bearings are going to be hit!

Eroq · November 27, 2011, 11:33:56 PM

Coolant just in the cylinders? Which ones? All 4 on onr bank?

old school truck dude · November 28, 2011, 12:51:32 AM

Blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked block

randycrane79 · November 28, 2011, 02:17:32 AM

400 s are known fro cracking block when bored in the inside bye the cam and valve train and sometimes does leak coolant in but if its smoken its more then likely a head gskt does it smoke on start up or after it runs a min ?

Kyle · November 28, 2011, 02:28:40 AM

its only comin out of the one bank in the exhaust. there isnt a ton of coolant in the motor tho at all, doesnt even show up on the dipstick but there is a little amount sitting in the heads, but just a small amount.... it does it even after it runs for a while even at temp. not sure what cylinder exactly but thinkin it could possibly be the #7 cylinder

Kyle · November 28, 2011, 02:33:13 AM

my intake for some reason in its instructions says i need to retorque all my bolts to 25 ft lbs again after the engine is warm.... could this have anything to do with it?

randycrane79 · November 28, 2011, 02:34:31 AM

yeah sounds like its a head if its sitting on top of the heads could be cracked wipe it dry and preasure test it and see if ya see it bubble up on top of heads where ya seeing the coolant if ya dont have a preasure tester use a blow gun and pump it in the over flow tube at rad but only 15 pounds

randycrane79 · November 28, 2011, 02:35:03 AM

what kind is it

MR NASTY · November 28, 2011, 08:07:40 AM

If its setting under the valve cover I'd guess cracked head. How else would it get there?

Jjay78 · November 28, 2011, 04:51:00 PM

Quote from: MR NASTY on November 28, 2011, 08:07:40 AM
If its setting under the valve cover I'd guess cracked head. How else would it get there?

Kyle · November 29, 2011, 12:48:32 AM

got the head off. head gasket was fine bit there was a small circular crack/porosity around one of the steam holes between the 1 and 3 cylinder just inside the steel head gasket ring.... and its juuuust inside it where coolant cant get into the cylinder unfortunately. im hoping since its just a small spot bout 3/8s total it can just be welded in and fixed....

old school truck dude · November 29, 2011, 08:16:41 PM

Quote from: Kyle on November 29, 2011, 12:48:32 AM
got the head off. head gasket was fine bit there was a small circular crack/porosity around one of the steam holes between the 1 and 3 cylinder just inside the steel head gasket ring.... and its juuuust inside it where coolant cant get into the cylinder unfortunately. im hoping since its just a small spot bout 3/8s total it can just be welded in and fixed....

Drill the ends of the crack all the way through with a very small bit first, then use a nickel rod. Pre-heat it some and weld it and then ping it with your chippin hammer till cool then grind it smooth.

old school truck dude · November 29, 2011, 09:20:49 PM

Ya and put a straightedge on it and make sure it ends up flat

chevystudz7105 · November 30, 2011, 12:55:32 AM

Quote from: old school truck dude on November 29, 2011, 09:20:49 PM
Ya and put a straightedge on it and make sure it ends up flat

or take it to a shop and get it done right so you dont run into problems again.

betterbeaters · November 30, 2011, 01:12:35 AM

Quote from: chevystudz7105 on November 30, 2011, 12:55:32 AM
Quote from: old school truck dude on November 29, 2011, 09:20:49 PM
Ya and put a straightedge on it and make sure it ends up flat

or take it to a shop and get it done right so you dont run into problems again.

x2

Kyle · December 01, 2011, 11:36:05 PM

Quote from: betterbeaters on November 30, 2011, 01:12:35 AM
Quote from: chevystudz7105 on November 30, 2011, 12:55:32 AM
Quote from: old school truck dude on November 29, 2011, 09:20:49 PM
Ya and put a straightedge on it and make sure it ends up flat

or take it to a shop and get it done right so you dont run into problems again.

x2

thats what i did. took it to a shop to get a real plug done. turns out what happened was whoever had it before me drilled a steamhole too big and inside the gasket ring so they put a straight rod plug in it instead of a tapered pin plug like what is supposed to be done and when whoever had it overheated tyhe block bad the plud warped and twisted 3 thou and thats what caused it to leak. got it milled 10 thou to flatten it all up cuz after a pass of 3 thou the middle 2 chambers werent even touched. so i dropped the other head off to get that checked for flatness and miled 10 thou also. i dont wanna end up where in 5 thousand miles it pops the head gasket on the other side and i gotta do all this crap all over again... if one head is warped that bad, this one will be too....