robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

The picture you see is AFTER I did a full coolant back flush. I removed the thermostst, connected the hose to the manifold, and ran water through the block and radiator for a few minutes, refilled, and today it looks like this again. Thoughts suggestions?

8t2 z-chev

yuk!!-any water in the oil?,steam out exhaust,
spark plugs shorting out or other bad head gasket
symptoms?

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Oil looks ok just little low, nothing else really.

avilla20

hmmm looks like head gaskets, block, or oil cooler if equipped.

ASE doc

Pressure test the oil cooler by holding under water and carefully pressurizing it with shop air. Look for bubbles from the heat exchanger core. Also look for coolant in Trans fluid.

Oil in coolant is not generally a symptom of head gasket failure on cam in block engines. There are no pressurized oil passages between the block and heads. Therefore, it is unlikely that oil will be forced into the coolant at the head gasket. Coolant in oil would be more likely with head gasket failure. Cracked block is possible but you would likely again have coolant in the oil.

Most common symptom of head gasket failure is HC in coolant and coolant boiling in reservoir.

Chevy8588

iTrader: (1)

yea, the oil only drains back from the heads on these cars, a bad head gasket would end up with coolant in the oil since the cooling system is pressurized, with the engin running, it there any false boiling? does coolant come pouring out constantly? it could be ALOT of block rust, or the other thing it could be is if you accidentilly mixed dexcool with your green coolant. it cant be trans oil from the cooler, he obviously has no lines going into the trans cooler on the radiator.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

I think I've eliminated the head gaskets as a possible cause. The cooling system was just EXTREMELY NEGLECTED!


The new 3 row radiator arrived last night.

J91

Keep flushing that system, even w/ new radiator, so it does not get clogged up...

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Oh I've been flushing the hell out of it! 3X now at least. The impressive part is that even with 100% garden hose water my temp sits rock solid at 190*. Since I don't have a heater core, I just hook a hose attachment up to the manifold and back flush everything.

The main problem is that people USE garden hose water in their cooling system, and not distilled water like they should. That is a huge reason you see nasty **** like that in a cooling system.

I need to devise a way to drain the entire block before before installing the new radiator. Any suggestions?

J91

There should be some pipe type plugs on the side of block near the bottom, looks to me like someone put some kind of stopleak in there along time ago and left it. I'd put some Prestone cooling sytem flush and run it through (at least 2 bottles), it'll help break that sludge up...

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

You mean here?

J91

See the pipe plugs right after the 3rd journal on the bottom on both sides. Those are the ones. You may have to stick a pic in there and loosen the crud up once you get the plugs out...

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Cool. I'm gonna also take the temp sensor out of the head to see what I can find.

J91

Good luck...