Coolant leak -hydro locked engine

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dwire67

dwire67

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Went to run in the Gamblers Race last Wednesday night, after I rolled the car out of the trailer I hit the starter button and nothing , then I see water coming out the drives side header.
I am taking the heads to local machine shop to have them pressure tested, I cannot see any crack. These are W-2 early design heads.
Anybody have a idea ? Are these heads prone to cracking? Hottest the engine ever got was 200 degrees The head gasket is intact.
 

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Looks like you should get the block pressure tested as well.
 
I thought it was crack also, but it just a path where the water leaked into the cylinder.
I am going to start with the heads, then the block.
 
Right side of engine
 

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Did you inspect both sides of the gasket for any signs of tracking, like where coolant may have passed over/under it?
 
That mark in the cylinder is not the path where the water got in. That's the water mark of how full the cylinder was. It's where the water was actually sitting.

That motor would be coming completely down and everything would get checked if it was mine. A hydrolock situation can bend a connecting rod very quickly and easily.
 
RustyRatRod said:
That mark in the cylinder is not the path where the water got in. That's the water mark of how full the cylinder was. It's where the water was actually sitting.
Click to expand...

Sure looks like it don't it?
 

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It could be where the water was sitting, The whole engine is coming apart 100% I am just trying to figure out where the water came from. This just happened. I raced the car on 7th went 3 rounds and had no problems, put in the trailer. Pulled it last week checked the oil and it was fine. When I went to crank it over that is when it was locked up.
 
dwire67 said:
Went to run in the Gamblers Race last Wednesday night, after I rolled the car out of the trailer I hit the starter button and nothing , then I see water coming out the drives side header.
I am taking the heads to local machine shop to have them pressure tested, I cannot see any crack. These are W-2 early design heads.
Anybody have a idea ? Are these heads prone to cracking? Hottest the engine ever got was 200 degrees The head gasket is intact.
Click to expand...

Yes I have heard the earlier W2's, especially ported heads were prone to cracking. Lots of core shift when they were cast.
 
dwire67 said:
It could be where the water was sitting, The whole engine is coming apart 100% I am just trying to figure out where the water came from. This just happened. I raced the car on 7th went 3 rounds and had no problems, put in the trailer. Pulled it last week checked the oil and it was fine. When I went to crank it over that is when it was locked up.
Click to expand...

Rest assured, it is where the water was sitting......and now is in the oil pan. Sure am sorry about this.....it looks like a very nice engine too.

About the only way you are going to find where it was coming from......unless you luck up, is going to be having all the big parts pressure tested.

Block, heads, intake.......I think that will do it. Not having gotten much sleep the past several days my mind is fuzzy.......er than usual.
 
^^^^ Experience counts for a lot in thing like this. (You must've seen a ton in your machine shop work.)
 
nm9stheham said:
^^^^ Experience counts for a lot in thing like this. (You must've seen a ton in your machine shop work.)
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I was literally just a kid at that shop, so I was the grunt. But I loved it. $4.25 was minimum wage back then and I wouldda worked there forever for that. I did the tear downs, hot tanked all the parts and was the cylinder head guy.

By the time I learned the crank grinder and boring bar, the business was steadily being snorted up the new owner's nose. The story of that old machine shop is a sad one indeed.
 
Then you're lookin at somethin else.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Then you're lookin at somethin else.
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I think he is looking at the very thin line 'above' the water line, on the cylinder wall, in the 4th photo of the #1 post. I cannot tell what it is, but it does not really look like a water flow path or water line. It is too cooked IMO to be a simple water line, and has a distinct angle in the middle, which would be abnormal for a water line.
 
It does look suspect. If you look at the very top where it starts, it appears to be just a mark though. Really hard to tell "not being there".
 
nm9stheham said:
I think he is looking at the very thin line 'above' the water line, on the cylinder wall, in the 4th photo of the #1 post. I cannot tell what it is, but it does not really look like a water flow path or water line. It is too cooked IMO to be a simple water line, and has a distinct angle in the middle, which would be abnormal for a water line.
Click to expand...

Thats it....Thank you.....
 
You might hit this area with a fine scotchbrite pad. If it cleans up or the line reflects light after I'd think it's not a crack. If it don't cleanup and still shows dark it's evidence there is some depth to it. Mag or pressure test to know.
That rod will need to be pulled for sure. Bearing may have a flat spot also. Don't forget to check the crank journal.
 

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