Water in all cylinders

[A guy named Rick]

Hey everyone. New here, however been reading the forums for a long time now.

 

I have a 1986 720 pickup with the napz 2.4 (california model). Bought the truck from a shady dude for 1700 and shouldn't have, but I was a dumb 22 year old looking for a little pickup that I could work on.

 

Anyways, so in 2014 I decided to do the head gasket, having never done one before. Don't ask why, I couldn't even tell you why I did. And I didn't even have anything done to the head or block. At the same time, I had switched back to the hitachi carburetor and when everything was back together I tried starting and couldn't get it running. So it, sat for a long time, until this year. I actually got it running and noticed more water from the exhaust than should be normal. Didn't run it too long at a time because I have no fan on it (fan sat outside and disintegrated). So, a few days ago I tried to start it and it was locked up. I thought omg, I seized the engine. Took the plugs out (exhaust side) cranked by hand and it puked out cylinder 4. However all cylinders showed signs of water (i had only water in the radiator for now until I get it on the road).

 

The water in the radiator also smelled like gas ( i did flood the engine a couple time while setting the float level).

 

Prior to getting it running, i did compression test and was about 150 psi across the bored, though after getting it running i had almost 180 psi (probably because oil circulated) I have not done a proper leak down test, but by hooking air up to my pressure tester hose, I will get air escaping into the crank case. Not a lot, I know it's normal anyways to hear a bit. However I believe cylinder 4 leaks a bit past the intake valve.

 

So, why do I have coolant in all cylinders?? It also looked like I may have had coolant leaking from the intake and not from between the head and block, but not certain. Also, I pressurized the radiator and then would hand crank and I would get coolant in cylinder 4 for sure.

 

It's just weird that cylinder 4 literally filled up over night. I know the coolant passage into the intake is below the intake port, so I can't imagine it leaking upwards. Also the inside of the intake manifold seemed to have a little milkshake in it, which I would imagine could be due to water in the exhaust going through the ear.

 

I'm legit thinking about just tearing it down for a full rebuild. 

[datzenmike]

The head will have coolant in it at a higher level than the passage under the intake port so if the gasket is not on correctly or loose water will flow down dill into the cylinder.

 

Water left in the cylinder for a long time 6-7 years? is not good as it can rust and the engine will be hard to turn over. The rust can damage the cylinder walls and rings.

 

 

 

Some questions....

 

1/ Did you set the engine to top dead center when changing the head gasket? Did you at any time turn the cam when the head was off??

 

2/ Did you use a tool to block the timing chain tensioner from falling out when you removed the can sprocket???

 

3/ What method did you use to tighten the head bolts? sequence and final torque??

 

 

[A guy named Rick]

I don't believe I had water in the engine at that time, until I recently when I tried getting it started again and filled the radiator up.

 

Engine was top dead center before removing head. Cam was not turned. I blocked the timing chain with a wedge of wood as I have seen you tell others here on the forum to do. I also bolted head back down in sequence of 20 ft/lbs at a time, up to 60 ft/lbs, working from middle out to the next set. Then back to the other set from middle, then to the front, then the back. So sequence was right, however I loosened everything recently when getting everything ready to try getting it running and retorqued it.

 

I'm thinking I messed the gasket up by un-torquing all the bolts and retorquing them down, didn't I? Regardless of it not ever running after I torqued them down? I did that because I didn't trust if I had done it correct the first time.

[datzenmike]

If the block was filled with coolant and you loosened all the bolts at the same time it probably could. This is why when retorquing, only one bolt at a time.

 

If you torqued the engine again properly it should be on fine.

 

 

Take all the plugs out and spin the engine with the starter. This will throw most of the water out.

[A guy named Rick]

Lol. Before filling the radiator with coolant, I had retorqued the bolts. I haven't touched them since, and had the engine running. Went to start it the next day and that's when I discovered it was hydrolocked. Also noticed right away i had white looking steam exhaust, but wasn't sure since engine been sitting awhile.

 

So I went trying to pressurize the cooling system seeing if it would shove more water in the cylinders, to which it did.

 

I noticed when I took the intake off last night I saw the bottom bolts of the intake manifold were wet 🤔🤔

[datzenmike]

Replace the intake gasket. Clean the head and intake surfaces spotless and make sure nothing in the way to get pinched. Then be sure it's on properly and the bolts properly torqued. Pressure test again. If water gets in then the head gasket is bad.

[A guy named Rick]

Got ya. Then I am on the right track. Thanks.

 

BTW, how in tf do you free an EGR tube. Man that is a pita. I ended up loosening the exhaust manifold and seaparting it that way because a crescent wrench kept wanting to round the bolts and I don't have an open end wrench big enough (har har, insert tool size jokes here). 

[datzenmike]

On the EGR valve, heat the nut (but not the tube) with a torch to expand it. Spray the tube with water in a Windex bottle to keep it cooler.  On the exhaust manifold warm with the engine first then try heating the manifold around the nut with a propane torch. Don't apply to the nut, just around it. This will expand the hole. Cool the nut with Windex spray. If neither works on the first try cool with Windex spray and re-heat several times to 'thermally shock' it loose.

 

If you get it loose put anti seize on the threads for 'next time'.

[A guy named Rick]

Alright, well I ordered the intake gasket from napa and will pick it up tomorrow. Hope this was it, but I have that feeling it's the head gasket. Does the intake gasket go on bare or with sealant? 

[datzenmike]

Good clean surfaces and a gasket is all you need. The purpose of a gasket is to seal the joint between two parts. Using sealant is redundant and says you don't trust your own work.

 

 

If this does not solve the problem, consider lifting the head off with the intake attached?  

[A guy named Rick]

Honestly if replacing the intake gasket doesn't work, then I'm tearing the motor down and just fully rebuilding it, if I'm going to have to pull the head. More than likely needs it anyways, tbh. There's a different dash in it, so god only knows how many miles are on it anyways.

 

I'm staying hopeful, but I can't see how the coolant passage would leak upward into the intake, and that much too. Makes more sense it's the head gasket. We'll see. 

[A guy named Rick]

New gasket going on. Question, I have 2 bolts that are longer than the others for the intake. Where do they go? Like which holes 

[A guy named Rick]

Also I think only 5 or six have a washer, I believe those are for the top side. Right? 

[datzenmike]

5 washers. Aren't they for the five studs along the bottom?

[A guy named Rick]

5? Interesting. I have one stud in the middle bottom. So, this engine has definitely been worked on before. 

[A guy named Rick]

Still curious about why I have 2 bolts longer than the rest

[datzenmike]

Yes one stud on the bottom center intake. That leaves 10 bolts to tighten the intake down. While the intake is off poke the holes and find the two deepest ones. Washers? I don't know...

[A guy named Rick]

Lmao ok 👌 

[A guy named Rick]

She's all back together and had her running, but with no fan and it being 10:00 @ night, I'll check it out tomorrow. The short time I had it going it sounded good, aside from having no choke, and I saw no bubbling in the radiator (idk if it has to be up to temp for that though), and seemed to be no water in the exhaust, much less no steaming exhaust.

 

Umm, will the fan from an L28 fit the truck? They look very similar. Mine sat outside 7 years and deteriorated. I can grab the one off the L28 in my 240z that's at my parent's if it will fit.

[A guy named Rick]

Wish I could upload a pic here from my phone.

 

Well, there was a good amount of gasket material on the intake manifold. Scraped it for what seemed like forever with a gasket scraper, lightly sanded and made sure it was all smooth (checked with a straight edge too). I think it solved the problem!

 

Next I took the carb off and fixed the choke, kinda soldered a patch wire for the choke too that was broken, and this truck runs better than ever. I can't believe how quiet it is too, like zero ticking. I rebuilt the carb at the same time I did the head gasket. 

 

Can't wait to get the fan I ordered and get it back on the road!

[datzenmike]

L28 fan? You'll probably have to change the water pump to do so as pump and clutch fan are integral. It should work.