Did I hurt my head?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

71 402 - I'm green to all of this Engine was previously rebuilt, I'm just adding new gaskets and such


Three weeks ago I washed the heck out of my engine block. And two weeks ago I turned the engine upside down on a stand to work on the oil pan. I left the block upside down. That's a bad combination, don't do that

So today I pulled the spark plugs, was working on some stuff when I see water draining out of the #7 spark plug hole......YIKES. That "cylinder" is at the lowest point where the engine was positioned on the stand, upside down.

I wasn't going to pull the intake today, but I couldn't take it off fast enough. So I turned the engine upright and oil and "fluids" poured out of the bottom (no pan). Anyway, this is what I found (pictured). Only thing I can think of is water came through the intake somehow. Could have been the crappy valve cover gaskets, I pulled the covers as well.

You figure I jacked this up? Near as I can tell I vacuumed it dry. I'm thinking about taking a pipe brush to the port, for lack of a better term, vacuum as I go and then hit it with fogger. Might be better to skip the brush, I don't really know.

Ideas, input appreciated.

[truckster]

The openings on the end of the head are water passages. If the little bit of rust in there is what you're concerned about, you don't need to be.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

This engine has been run on pure water. Bet you got a crack somewhere

[special-K]

It's just an ugly water port. How long has it been sitting? It will look better once you run it on coolant.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Do I dare read the responses I'm not happy. I don't know much about engines, can't say what's going on here. Okay, I'll read

Water port huh? I can live with that, but why would water drain into what I believe is a cylinder? All I know is water poured out the lowest spark plug hole after I removed the plug. The engine was upside down. It appeared as water anyway, no scent. Only thing I've "poured" into the cylinders was a good shot of fogger.

I suspect the water came from washing the block, there was a leak somewhere and it's been upside down over the last three weeks. But I don't begin to know why water would come through a spark plug hole. The plugs were installed when I washed it, maybe the one was seated right, but I don't see why. I don't know man, might be a crack. For what it's worth, the water system included antifreeze, this looked like water.

It's been sitting two years. Will be another two before I drive this thing. I can say the engine was TIGHT when I put it to sleep, without water coming though a spark plug hole.


Other than that, are the front and rear ports on each head for water (i.e., four total)?

[special-K]

If water got in the intake and the intake valve was open is a way.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by special-K

If water got in the intake and the intake valve was open is a way.

I suspect that was it. Not planning on removing head gaskets. Thanks Tim.

[truckster]

You want to get some oil in the cylinders and rotate the crank to make sure you don't have a ring rust to the cylinder wall. Two or three turns should do it.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by truckster

You want to get some oil in the cylinders and rotate the crank to make sure you don't have a ring rust to the cylinder wall. Two or three turns should do it.

Squirt some regular oil or fogger into the spark plug holes I take it?

Any reason to spin the cam as well? The timing chain isn't on.




On a side, I see there are four water ports to answer the question above. Seems the other ports are for "combustion".

[demian5]

You need to have an experienced person come over, understand your concern, and give you advice.

[Grumpy old man]

All a big tado about nothing , fog the cylinders with DW40 finish cleaning it up and install the timing chain . intake and continue on . it's not going to be apart for so long you need to worry . Don't use any type "lube" in the water jacket . Your one of very few I've ever seen brush Por-15 on , it's way overkill but it's yours so do it it makes you feel good . tearing it down ,cleaning and reseal and paint is a weekend project . It's lasted 50 years already without such special attention . It's a Chevy V8 it will run caked in oil sludge and running on turpentine ...

[truckster]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Squirt some regular oil or fogger into the spark plug holes I take it?

Any reason to spin the cam as well? The timing chain isn't on.



On a side, I see there are four water ports to answer the question above. Seems the other ports are for "combustion".[/SIZE]

Any type of oil will work - motor oil, machine oil, even WD-40. You just want to coat the rings and cylinder walls with a light coat of oil to disperse the water.

You have a water jacket port front and back. The four ports in the middle are intake ports - the fuel/air mixture flows through the carburetor and the intake manifold and into the cylinder through those ports. The exhaust flows out through the ports on the other side of the head.

Put the plugs back in it when you store it and cover the carburetor so water and debris don't get into the intake, and you should be fine to store it.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

All a big tado about nothing , fog the cylinders with DW40 finish cleaning it up and install the timing chain . intake and continue on . it's not going to be apart for so long you need to worry . Don't use any type "lube" in the water jacket . Your one of very few I've ever seen brush Por-15 on , it's way overkill but it's yours so do it it makes you feel good . tearing it down ,cleaning and reseal and paint is a weekend project . It's lasted 50 years already without such special attention . It's a Chevy V8 it will run caked in oil sludge and running on turpentine ...

Somehow I always feel better with a Grumpy opinion. Except the part about a weekend job. Don't tell anyone, but to do the pan over again I'd spray, and I'm not sure I'd use POR-15.



To anyone confused, it's just me. I thought water drained through the water port in the cylinder ha!. Didn't know it was a water port. Speak of water port, I cleaned up my intake today and noticed the rear water ports on the intake are sealed up. Don't know why, but it works.