Re: Water in oil/engine
 

Those head gaskets with the red line are rubbish if you follow the enclosed instructions. They don't seem so bad if you use a sealer like Hylomar or high temp copper gasket sealer. I use the "BEST" branded graphite ones with sealer.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

Yup, just like Synchro said, use the BEST brand gasket with the 5.5 head. They come in copper or graphite, 509C or G. Either should work very well.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

A couple things I didn't see mentioned. The 1st one could be related to the lose head nuts that were mentioned but if the distributer was removed & the head nut that holds the clamp for the dist, cable left off for any length of time water can run into the oil. Don't ask me how I know this!! 2nd thing is I no longer use the so called "modern gaskets". These gaskets have a steel reinforcement ring around the cyl. & can rust. On one of my cars with a B motor which has steam vent holes that an A motor doesn't have one of these gasket rusted from a steam vent hole to the cyl. allowing water into the oil. I tapped those steam vent holes with a metric allen screw & installed a copper gasket & never had a problem since.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

To answer asapguy question. The cooling system was completely drained as well as the oil before any disassembly took place. No water could have come from any loose nuts. We found the three nuts that surround the distributor not as tight/torqued as they should have been.
These are photos of the inside of the valve cover assembly, and for some strange reason a great deal of rust spray under the drivers side of the engine pan and side of the oil pan.
That area was clean and black when it left the shop several years back.

Re: Water in oil/engine-Anti freeze use is good
 

MY SEWAG on this!!

Looking at photo one.

1. I would look for freeze damage and cracks in the roof of valve chamber.

2. Also ALL of the water needs to be removed from main bearing feed tubes and camshaft bearing feed holes in floor of valve chamber!

Water in the oil feed tubes will prevent oil getting to bearings and will damage them.


3. Post 19 photo #2:

Reason number 657 for not using water and for using antifreeze. Looks like maybe the water leaked around the several studs and collected near the nuts at top of studs.

This water rusts the threads on top of studs.

Then when re torque is done the nut jams on the rusted stud and clamping force value is way short of what it should be. Result is leaking gasket.

If anti freeze had been used then if there are leaks it does not rust everything.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

Delete double posting

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

I’m with Benson. If it was mine I would tear it down and clean and lube it.
Also people in my club do not use silicone head gaskets.
John

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

This is what the oil pan looked like inside when we pulled out out today.
All passages and rods have been cleaned. Pan and inner pan cleaned .
Pan back on the engine

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

damn you guys are tough,doing it inframe..I'm lazy,I like standing up,working on the engine stand.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

The customer that owns this truck does not want to spend any money. That is why it is in the shape it is. I would have preferred to remove the engine. But we've done this before. Well see how it comes out.

Re: Water in oil/engine
 

Sent the guy who sold me a burnt chassis a picture of the completed car about 3 years later.He writes back and congratulates me,says he want to see it when he's in town.I extended the invitation,to which he replies his brakes and steering needs work but he's getting too old to do it.I responded i still have the service truck,and would gladly work for cash and or barter for parts...his response? crickets..gotta love model a types,I call them CAMO's...cheap ass model a owners..of which I am one btw..