Block water leak

[Clem Clement]

I have been foolin with my water system. I flushed it last fall with vinegar and have been chasing some leaks. Some Bar's stopped the radiator leak but I still have a small drip right over the starter. So exactly over the starter that the water drips down both sides of the starter after I park. This is a drip leak, not a stream. Right above the starter is the exhaust manifold. The edge of the head/block line feels dry to the touch. I have not touched the head nuts in years. Do I pull the starter and get a good look; try tightening the head nuts of forgt it?

[G.M.]

I don't know if trhe "freeze" plugs on the pan rail woild dip on the starter? Try another bottle of Barrs it won't stop anything up. I have some with 4 or 4 bottles in which stopped the leak. G.M.

[junk yard kid]

try a mirror and flashlight.

[B-O-B]

You might give water glass a try. Think wally world carries it, Sodium silicate.

[Jack E/NJ]

Clem>>>Do I pull the starter and get a good look;>>>

I vote YES! Easy off, easy on kinda job.

Jack E/NJ

[richard crow]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

you did not say what year the car is. remove starter get one of those rad pressure pumps pump about 4 lbs & see what you got. if it,s an early eng block off the over flow pipe if it,s a 40 or later the pressure kit has the adpt. you need, heres a tip if your buying a flathead eng .you take a small hammer & tap about 1/2 3/4 above the pan rail this is where the flathead is very thin when it left the factory after 50 years they can rot through you would be suprized how maney blocks crumble there . i hope that is not your proulbem . but i have seen plenty of them leaking there after a cooling system cleaning.

[ken ct]

I would retighten the head nuts,even a little 1/2 turn on the nut might stop it.Dont cost nothing to do it. ken ct. Do it on a cold engine.

[dewickt]

Exhaust manifold bolts go into the water jacket, a loose bolt can leak. When I went to pull my manifolds I took the head off of one on each side, was able to pull them then took a torch to the remainders of the bolts, was able to screw the remains out with a pair of vice grips after heating. The remains of the bolts were well rusted from the water immersion.

[flatjack9]

I've never had an exhaust manifold bolt that went in to the water.

[Mike51Merc]

Please ID the engine for better advice. Personally, I'd try to find and cure the leak before pouring goop into it. Sounds like it might be the head gasket or a head stud/bolt leak. A dye test might help you trace it.

[ford1]

Clem, Ken ct is right, i would do all the easy stuff first to stop the leak before i started taking things apart, and water glass works a lot better than Bars Leak, just be sure to follow the directions

[41 Fords ohio]

My brother had the same problem some years ago. Couldn't find the leak until we took the starter off. And found a split in the engine block about 5 inches long. We used some type of silicone on it. Can't remember what it was. It ran for years with no problem

[jkeesey]

Block seal will close up the leaks in a non pressurized system. We had a chevy 6 banger at our shop with a 6 inch crack down the side. Poured the block seal and ran the engine and watched the leak stop. Just make sure its not a head gasket or other mentioned above. Also is it iron or alluminum heads?

[Clem Clement]

Thanks. This the engine in my 39 Peeekup. 85 horse when they are all awake.

Some time back I did have to tighten some of the exhaust manifold nuts. Whats the head nut torque: 55fp?

[Karl Wolf]

Clem... do you have the bulges on the side of the block, indicating the surface the pan sits on holds freeze plugs? The ones I've seen are rotted to nothing....First place I'ld look...
Karl

[Clem Clement]

I don't see any bulges.
Status report:

I found two of the exhaust manifold nuts were loose. Front ones one each side. Gasket seems OK. Can I tighten them without breaking the manifold?

By using a mirror I can see the leak. It is in the block below the head/block line. Below the next to last head bolt. It looks like nail is sticking out of the block about an inch. It is stained and wet. There is buildup around it which I think is Stop Leak trying to do its job. The driver's side does not have this phenom. I did not try and touch it. I'm afraid if I fool with it, I get a bigger leak

[jkeesey]

You never answered are the heads alluminum or iron? I had the same problem with alluminum heads but they ate away at the top side.

[ford1]

Clem, you said you can see a piece sticking out between bolck and head, if so you may have pushed out a piece of head gasket

[G.M.]

Clem, Your going to have to fix this at some time. It sounds like it could be a sand hole. I wonder if you could drill a #7 hole and tap it for 1/4-20 screw or for a 1/4-28 fine thread. I would drill a smaller hole first to see what the metal looks like. Even if you have to go to a 5/16" bolt this would be a good perminate fix with lock tite on the threads. G.M.

[Lawson Cox]

Originally Posted by G.M.

Clem, Your going to have to fix this at some time. It sounds like it could be a sand hole. I wonder if you could drill a #7 hole and tap it for 1/4-20 screw or for a 1/4-28 fine thread. I would drill a smaller hole first to see what the metal looks like. Even if you have to go to a 5/16" bolt this would be a good perminate fix with lock tite on the threads. G.M.

That's what I had to do to fix a leak on Apatchy.