At least I did it once before...

[rlw]

Well, the engine has to come out again. I just took it out at the beginning of the summer. I had the head redone at a machine shop but I replaced all the seals, changed the belts and water pump, changed the rod bearings, and replaced the clutch. I never did get to drive the car. I had run it about 10 times in the garage making sure good oil pressure, bleeding the coolant etc. I pulled the AFM off and noticed this substance coming out. It looked like someone had poured latex paint in the hose off the air box. I got a sicking feeling and drained the oil. Picture pretty much tells where I messed up. Good thing is I know it just happened and the engine did not idle more than 5 minutes like this.
At least I know how to pull the engine and put it back in! This is the first time I have ever worked on any of my cars. Amazing what you can do reading on the internet. Oh well, the project continues.
RW

[Born2bwild1191]

Ouch. Best of luck to you!

[Jrboulder]

At least you cought it before it did anyting too bad. People I know would turn it on, hop in, and go for a drive! Best of luck with pull no. 2

[Aufgeladen944]

Obviously it isn't good, but what exactly is that?

[matty89]

i think its prestone and some oil ? or what not

[rlw]

Brad Penn 20w-50+water+Redline WaterWetter = milkshake
RW

[Smoker324]

So,

Where, exactly, did it fail? Good luck -- you will be a pro when its done.

[89s2]

talk about a love hate thing. pulling 4 ya

[rlw]

I believe my error was using the white plastic spacer in the oil cooler when I resealed it. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but for a 1984 engine, you do not use the white plastic spacer inside the oil cooler. I cannot believe I blew the head gasket being that the engine was never even driven and only idled in the garage maybe a total of 20 minutes. Of interest, absolutely zero oil in the coolant. That stupid spacer is the only thing I can think of unless this engine I put in has a crack in the cooling jacket or something like that. I bought it as a running engine and saw it run in the car prior to purchase. It ran well and everything looked ok. Hopefully someone can confirm the spacer is my issue and it should be an easy fix.
RW

[krystar]

dang. my condolences.

[HondaDustR]

Correct. The early cooler housings have the equivalent to the plastic spacer cast into the housing. The housing could still be a late housing if someone previously had already swapped it. I have seen someone crack an oil cooler by using the plastic spacer with the early housing, but I don't know if that could necessarily leak coolant into the oil circuit. It would certainly have leaked oil into the coolant and possibly backflowed coolant into the oil once the engine was shut off if it was warmed up to temp, i.e. colling system was under pressure. If the coolant is pretty clean, it would have to be some kind of crack in the head or block, damaged/leaking gasket surface on the head or block (most likely near the oil drain ports for the head where there's no oil under pressure to leak into the cooling system first), or possibly a somehow incorrectly installed headgasket.

[rlw]

I was able to leave the engine in the car. Last night I removed the oil cooler. I removed the exhaust manifold which made things a lot easier. It is definitely the seal. I don't have a picture but one of the green seals was torn from not seating correctly. I have new seals on order so this Friday it will be time to try again. I am not going to change the rod bearings since I just changed them before I put the engine in, the engine never ran above idle, and I have already changed the oil 4 times to clean everything out. I am going to change the oil a couple of more times after I get it running again and warmed up but prior to driving the car.
RW

[HondaDustR]

Check your galleys where the oil cooler seal fits into on the block and housing. My rebuild immediately leaked oil into the coolant (luckily not the other way around) since the seal got torn on a sharp spot of corrosion or casting void in the block galley on assembly that I didn't see the first time (different rebuild core from original). I worked at it with super fine sandpaper until it did not scratch an o-ring and put a little bit of grey instant silastic RTV on the galley and o-ring and it's been good so far.

The reason they say all bearings need to be replaced when coolant and oil mix is that it makes acids that corrode the bearing coating. It may not matter how new the bearings are if any mix has been sitting in the bearings for any length of time.

[Rasta Monsta]

Originally Posted by HondaDustR

It may not matter how new the bearings are if any mix has been sitting in the bearings for any length of time.

+1, bearings done.

[bebbetufs]

Good luck. It will be sweet when you finally get it running.

[rlw]

I will check the galleys. That is a good idea. I almost did not post that I was not going to replace the bearings but I drained the oil the moment it happened, it never ran above idle, there is no coolant (its water and wetterwater), and I flushed it with 3 oil changes after I caught it. I am willing to take the chance. If I am wrong, I can always pull it again and change them out. Plus, I have another engine I am going to rebuilt that I can change it out for if need be.
RW

[J1NX3D]

"My milkshake brings all the mechanics to my car..."

[HondaDustR]

Originally Posted by rlw

If I am wrong, I can always pull it again and change them out. Plus, I have another engine I am going to rebuilt that I can change it out for if need be.
RW

Well, the problem with stuff like bearings is if they do go south due to corrosion, babbit disintegration, who whows what else... it's the kind of thing that doesn't go quietly. Sure you'll find out, but you won't like all the bits of metal in the bottom that tip you off and have already taken their toll on crank journals, oil pump, cylinder walls, and, of course, who knows what else... If it were me, I'd take Rasta's word for it, as he is quite experienced in this sort of thing and would save myself future grief, especially if the motor is coming out again anyway. It doesn't get any easier to just change them out at that point, or at the very least, have a good look at every one. It would suck to end up with a parts engine and another thread titled "Here we go for round three...and it doesn't look good". A new set of bearings-$300. A crank re-grind, new undersize bearings (only available from Porsche), oil pump, OPRV, oil cooler, and flushing the block out REALLY well...$ Just my 2c...