The Ford Barn

Sparky · 05-25-2011, 09:29 AM

I took my manifolds off for painting, and was inspecting the valves when I noticed that the #3 exhaust port was damp with coolant.

I have never noticed any white smoke so it seems like a small seepage. Could it just be a bad head gasket, or is it a cracked block?

Rowdy · 05-25-2011, 09:31 AM

No way to tell without pulling the head. Rod

Special Coupe Frank · 05-25-2011, 09:48 AM

You might check the torque on the head nuts, also look for bubbles in the top of the radiator with engine running warm & fan-belt disconnected ( water pump disabled). Goose the throttle a couple of times.... if you see bubbles coming up into the top tank of the radiator, that suggests a combustion leak into the coolant system.

My '28 has a crack from # 2 cylinder bore into # 2 exhaust port. A dose of K-Seal seems to be keeping it sealed for the last 8 months / 2,000 miles.

Sparky · 05-25-2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowdy

No way to tell without pulling the head. Rod

So it could be the gasket?

Glenn C. · 05-25-2011, 10:33 AM

Could be either. After performing the test reommended by Frank, and the temporary fix with a sealant, you still might have to remove the head for a closer inspection.

Hope that it is just the gasket, but expect the worst.

Special Coupe Frank · 05-25-2011, 03:44 PM

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Be sure the head nut that secures the distributor cable clamp is not bottomed-out on the threads ( like if the clamp is missing or wrong thickness for the stud used ).

If the nut is bottomed on the threads, there might not be enough clamping force in that area... although this usually results in head-gasket failure between #3 and #4 cylinders...

Hope for a minor problem that can be fixed easily and inexpensively... but A's do have a reputation for cracks in the deck...

frank55a · 05-25-2011, 03:57 PM

It seems this is not uncommon to find a crack in the block at the #3 exhaust seat mostly in the late 30 and 31 blocks. Most of these can be repaired by a good engine rebuilder by drilling and pinning. While at it, if you do not have hardened seats and modern valves this is the time to do it.

James Rogers · 05-25-2011, 09:45 PM

Are you sure it is water? Might be gas.

Sparky · 05-25-2011, 10:02 PM

Definitely not gas, I gave it a good sniff.

James Rogers · 05-26-2011, 05:22 AM

Just thought I would ask. I know, any time I have test run a motor, when I remove the manifolds, there would be gas or condensation in the ports. None were leakers. You state that there were no indications of leakage before removing the manifolds so, I suspect one of these.

J and M Machine · 05-26-2011, 08:02 AM

We see these cracks all the time more commonly caused by overheating since they are exhaust seats and in the center of the block the focus of the heat. If you don't want to take the engine apart I would recommend a liquid block sealer and try your luck with that.

These are cracks we can fix easily but if you are going to do that may as well replace the seats since the crack goes through the seat.
For which we can stitch the block with pins.

http://www.jandm-machine.com/metalStitching.html

Sparky · 05-26-2011, 11:29 AM

I'm off to find some K-Seal then!

Mitch//pa · 05-26-2011, 01:22 PM

yee olde fix it in a can trick

Special Coupe Frank · 05-28-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

yee olde fix it in a can trick

It is a band-aid, but one that has kept my Flivver going while I sock money away for a rebuild.

K-Seal seems to work better than any other stop-leak I've used over the last 35 + years...

05-25-2011, 09:29 AM	#1
Sparky Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 649	Uh oh - water in the exhaust port I took my manifolds off for painting, and was inspecting the valves when I noticed that the #3 exhaust port was damp with coolant. I have never noticed any white smoke so it seems like a small seepage. Could it just be a bad head gasket, or is it a cracked block?

05-25-2011, 09:31 AM	#2
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port No way to tell without pulling the head. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

05-25-2011, 10:33 AM	#5
Glenn C. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Didsbury Alberta Posts: 838	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port Could be either. After performing the test reommended by Frank, and the temporary fix with a sealant, you still might have to remove the head for a closer inspection. Hope that it is just the gasket, but expect the worst.

05-25-2011, 03:44 PM	#6
Special Coupe Frank Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northeast Penna Posts: 2,108	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Be sure the head nut that secures the distributor cable clamp is not bottomed-out on the threads ( like if the clamp is missing or wrong thickness for the stud used ). If the nut is bottomed on the threads, there might not be enough clamping force in that area... although this usually results in head-gasket failure between #3 and #4 cylinders... Hope for a minor problem that can be fixed easily and inexpensively... but A's do have a reputation for cracks in the deck...

05-25-2011, 03:57 PM	#7
frank55a Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 934	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port It seems this is not uncommon to find a crack in the block at the #3 exhaust seat mostly in the late 30 and 31 blocks. Most of these can be repaired by a good engine rebuilder by drilling and pinning. While at it, if you do not have hardened seats and modern valves this is the time to do it.

05-25-2011, 09:48 AM	#3
Special Coupe Frank Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northeast Penna Posts: 2,108	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port You might check the torque on the head nuts, also look for bubbles in the top of the radiator with engine running warm & fan-belt disconnected ( water pump disabled). Goose the throttle a couple of times.... if you see bubbles coming up into the top tank of the radiator, that suggests a combustion leak into the coolant system. My '28 has a crack from # 2 cylinder bore into # 2 exhaust port. A dose of K-Seal seems to be keeping it sealed for the last 8 months / 2,000 miles.

05-25-2011, 09:45 PM	#8
James Rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Asheville,NC Posts: 3,104	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port Are you sure it is water? Might be gas.

05-25-2011, 10:02 PM	#9
Sparky Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 649	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port Definitely not gas, I gave it a good sniff.

05-26-2011, 05:22 AM	#10
James Rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Asheville,NC Posts: 3,104	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port Just thought I would ask. I know, any time I have test run a motor, when I remove the manifolds, there would be gas or condensation in the ports. None were leakers. You state that there were no indications of leakage before removing the manifolds so, I suspect one of these.

05-26-2011, 11:29 AM	#12
Sparky Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 649	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port I'm off to find some K-Seal then!

05-26-2011, 01:22 PM	#13
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Uh oh - water in the exhaust port yee olde fix it in a can trick Last edited by Mitch//pa; 05-26-2011 at 02:02 PM.