Frothy dipstick, white smoke on start up no other signs of blown head gasket
- Thread starter jogirob
- Start date
jogirob
Well-Known Member
OK so I finally got to making some spark plug hole tampons and manually cranked the engine for like 5 minutes. Motampons were totally dry. I ordered a leakdown tester. Figured it'd be a useful tool to have around the garage.
I found this awesome site that searches salvage yards for compatible parts http://www.car-part.com and it looks like I can get myself an entire LA360 with 75k-150k miles for about $350 with a small warranty. Used heads for about $80.
I found this awesome site that searches salvage yards for compatible parts http://www.car-part.com and it looks like I can get myself an entire LA360 with 75k-150k miles for about $350 with a small warranty. Used heads for about $80.
BB BELLA
Well-Known Member
get the external leak fixed and then monitor the coolant level. you need to run it at high operating temp for a couple hrs. with fresh oil in it.then keep checking the oil to see if it's clearing up or getting worse.if your crankcase isn't venting you'll never get the oil to clear up. when the moisture turns to steam it has to get out of the case or it just condensates back into the oil!
jogirob
Well-Known Member
*Update*
No more coolant leakage coming out of the freeze plug location.
Did my leakdown test on each cylinder at least 2 separate times. Engine was cold though.:
Cyl 1 = 29% (low leak)
Cyl 2 = 38% (low leak)
Cyl 3 = 34% (low leak)
Cyl 4 = 36% (low leak)
Cyl 5 = 30% (low leak)
Cyl 6 = 41% (moderate leak, deep hissing coming out of carb intake)
Cyl 7 = 25% (low leak)
Cyl 8 = 34% (low leak)
absolutely, positively, no bubbles or anything coming out of the radiator.
No hissing coming out of neighboring cylinderes.
Did my compression tests as well, with a warm engine. Though it has nothing to do with frothy oil here's the numbers so you guys can see what a 250k+ engine looks like:
Cyl 1 = 130psi
Cyl 2 = 130
Cyl 3 = 130
Cyl 4 = 116
Cyl 5 = 134
Cyl 6 = 126
Cyl 7 = 132
Cyl 8 = 124
Haynes manual says 100psi minimum or max variation greater than 40psi.
Going to run a motor medic flush followed by an oil change. Already cleaned crank case breathers.
Next step will be to get the exhaust leak detector if this froth comes back after the oil change. Otherwise it's time to slowly build up tools and knowledge for an engine swap (and possibly rebuild of replacement used LA360 engine)
No more coolant leakage coming out of the freeze plug location.
Did my leakdown test on each cylinder at least 2 separate times. Engine was cold though.:
Cyl 1 = 29% (low leak)
Cyl 2 = 38% (low leak)
Cyl 3 = 34% (low leak)
Cyl 4 = 36% (low leak)
Cyl 5 = 30% (low leak)
Cyl 6 = 41% (moderate leak, deep hissing coming out of carb intake)
Cyl 7 = 25% (low leak)
Cyl 8 = 34% (low leak)
absolutely, positively, no bubbles or anything coming out of the radiator.
No hissing coming out of neighboring cylinderes.Did my compression tests as well, with a warm engine. Though it has nothing to do with frothy oil here's the numbers so you guys can see what a 250k+ engine looks like:
Cyl 1 = 130psi
Cyl 2 = 130
Cyl 3 = 130
Cyl 4 = 116
Cyl 5 = 134
Cyl 6 = 126
Cyl 7 = 132
Cyl 8 = 124
Haynes manual says 100psi minimum or max variation greater than 40psi.
Going to run a motor medic flush followed by an oil change. Already cleaned crank case breathers.
Next step will be to get the exhaust leak detector if this froth comes back after the oil change. Otherwise it's time to slowly build up tools and knowledge for an engine swap (and possibly rebuild of replacement used LA360 engine)
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It's tired.
jogirob
Well-Known Member
Yea I was thinking even if it was a blown head gasket to do a complete engine swap to a lower mileage used engine. Sticking with the LA360 just because it'd be my first engine swap and want things to be as straight forward as possible.
matthon
Well-Known Member
I had the same milky issue, dipstick, breather, inside valve covers, pcv was hooked up but a new carb base gasket blocked the vacuum port. Eventually it started to push oil out the dipstick.
Swapped the gasket, problem solved.
Use the kiss principle and hook up a real pcv that works.
I was also thinking maybe that aftermarket freeze plug was cooling at a different rate than the block on those cold nights, making a path for the coolant to leak out. Replace with a factory plug.
Swapped the gasket, problem solved.
Use the kiss principle and hook up a real pcv that works.
I was also thinking maybe that aftermarket freeze plug was cooling at a different rate than the block on those cold nights, making a path for the coolant to leak out. Replace with a factory plug.
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jogirob
Well-Known Member
*Update*
Changed out the oil, installed a PCV system, and added a coolant additive that seals up leaks. That along with at least one 30 minute drive a week and I hardly get any traces of the froth anymore.
Downside to simply using an additive on such a tired engine is that I have to go easy on the hotrodding lest I bust off whatever seal this stuff creates!
Changed out the oil, installed a PCV system, and added a coolant additive that seals up leaks. That along with at least one 30 minute drive a week and I hardly get any traces of the froth anymore.
Downside to simply using an additive on such a tired engine is that I have to go easy on the hotrodding lest I bust off whatever seal this stuff creates!
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