Cam/Head Swap Disaster.......

xLURKxDOGx said
Well, I as far as I can see I took all the correct avenues while disassembling and reassembling the engine after I wiped a lobe on the previous cam.

I swapped in a used set of late 70’s 360 1.88/1.60 heads with new seals, springs and retainers and lapped the valves. Went to break it in 20 minutes ago and started spraying milky fluid out of the oil filter or should I say through the rubber o ring. I stopped it immediately and I’m now faced with a perplexing situation. What would cause water to leak into the engine before it’s even started? And what would cause so much pressure that it pushes by the oil filter seal??

I had filled the radiator up last night and it wasn’t until all this happened did I realize when I went to open the cap today that it was empty. I filled it up not thinking that it could have been an issue. The only things I replaced were the heads, cam and head gaskets. I used a set of NOS .024 head gasket lightly sprayed with copper seal. I’m bumming hard on this and really have no clue where to look. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jake

only on freshly machined surfaces can you get away with a good spray of copper coat on both sides.
Then again what was used to clean the surfaces that could also cause an issue when trying to use the steel shim and some copper coat. You would have had to use some RTV around each water port on both sides if you didn't machine anything and then cross your fingers.
If you used too little rtv on the intake water cross overs "aka 4 corners" or the manifold is creating an A shape gap....it will leak into the engine. Front cover leaking is rare... but if the block was corroded around the water passages and not enough or any rtv was used, sure it will leak. Always rtv the threads of the long water pump/front cover bolts or they can weap around the head. Honestly I've seen worse have the oil changed and live a long life. Roll of the dice, your throw ..