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Is My Engine Junk Now?

MoparViking70

MoparViking70

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Location
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Hi,
I have a 383 that has mostly sat for years only having been started here and there. More recently I noticed it has been smoking a lot out the tail pipes. I checked the oil level and found it was too high (not where I left it last oil change). After looking into it I determined coolant was getting into the oil and drained it, finding runny, chocolate milk looking oil. Today I pulled the intake and valley pan to inspect it and maybe get started on head gaskets. There is a lot of sludge and the cam looks scored to me. This is the engine that came in it when I bought it and I haven't really had it apart until now. I used it as a daily driver in college years ago but it's been driven less than 20 miles since then. I don't know exactly how long they have been mixing. Should I continue with a compression test or do you guys think this engine is done for? I appreciate any help, thanks.
Engine.JPG
 
I have seen milky oil just from condensation. I would test it out to see what's the happening before rebuilding it. Unless you want to.
But that being said. If you are doing head gaskets and are in the position to rebuild her. Do yourself a favor and rebuild that mill. If you don't want to rebuild it. I would do head gaskets and wash it through with some spirits dry it out good. Pull the lifter from the worse looking lobe and take a feel. If you feel good about it. Put it back together , then Send an oil sample out after 250 miles or so and see what they say.

Years ago I freshened up so many motors. Timing set cam set oil pump gaskets cam bearings (maybe)and paint. We didn't even do main and rod bearings and all we did to the heads was replace exhaust valves (maybe) and a valve job with the old Thor valve grinder and black and decker seat grinder. The old timers will know what them are. Lol. But for the amount of work all of that took. And money for just another Say 1000 ( in today's prices. Back then maybe 300) I could have done them right bored, new Pistons, new bearings, cut the crank, freeze plugs etc.


If that were my car. I would be making a post about what parts to buy lol
 
If you've got the time and cash...I'd rebuild/replace. Water is never good in the oil-section of an engine. Antifreeze is really bad.
 
Superb Bee said:
I have seen milky oil just from condensation. I would test it out to see what's the happening before rebuilding it. Unless you want to.
But that being said. If you are doing head gaskets and are in the position to rebuild her. Do yourself a favor and rebuild that mill. If you don't want to rebuild it. I would do head gaskets and wash it through with some spirits dry it out good. Pull the lifter from the worse looking lobe and take a feel. If you feel good about it. Put it back together , then Send an oil sample out after 250 miles or so and see what they say.

Years ago I freshened up so many motors. Timing set cam set oil pump gaskets cam bearings (maybe)and paint. We didn't even do main and rod bearings and all we did to the heads was replace exhaust valves (maybe) and a valve job with the old Thor valve grinder and black and decker seat grinder. The old timers will know what them are. Lol. But for the amount of work all of that took. And money for just another Say 1000 ( in today's prices. Back then maybe 300) I could have done them right bored, new Pistons, new bearings, cut the crank, freeze plugs etc.


If that were my car. I would be making a post about what parts to buy lol
Click to expand...
I thought you got banned
 
The problem with coolant being in the crankcase for any length of time, is that it is damaging to bearings, cylinders, oil pump and valve components. If you want you can do a though cleaning like Superb Bee stated, and see how it does. Ideally, a couple of bearing caps should be removed for inspection and if effected a rebuild would be needed.
 
Coolant and bearings do not play well together. Judging from the looks of the cam, I'd be very concerned about the bearings.
 
I had a 400 shortblock I left in an outside storage building. Over years, condensation formed and rolled down into the pan, displacing the oil in the pan... It had no timing cover, and I noticed the issue when it was puking oil out the front of the pan.
So it might not be antifreeze - sitting for years can lead to water in the oil pan, and the first time you turn it over, it pulls the water in first.
Water or coolant attacks the bearings. I would say if this is a driver, you can try doing an oil change, then run it, then do it again and see how things go. If this is a core engine don't worry about it.
 
I would say your engine is toast. The tell is where you said the oil level was higher than where you left it. A little water in the coolant from condensation won't raise the level of oil in the pan, but a LOT of water (and it looks like water and not coolant) in the pan will raise the oil level, and that usually means a cracked block. Did it recently freeze out were you are? Even a short one? I lost a 340 here in FL that way. Just had water in the radiator, and it dropped below freezing for just a few hours and that was enough to crack the block.

If you pull the drain plug on the oil pan and water comes flowing out, you'll know for sure.
 
It really doesn't look like coolant to me either. It looks like a lot of condensation. If the car wasn't driven like that, it needs to be flushed away and it might not have any damage. Starting an engine and not letting it get to operating temp over and over will also keep condensate in the oil.
 
moper said:
It really doesn't look like coolant to me either. It looks like a lot of condensation. If the car wasn't driven like that, it needs to be flushed away and it might not have any damage. Starting an engine and not letting it get to operating temp over and over will also keep condensate in the oil.
Click to expand...
When I mentioned it doesn't look like coolant, I meant to point out that he may have been using water instead of coolant, which will freeze... as I learned the hard way.

The fact that his oil pan has over-filled is pretty good evidence this is not condensation.
 
Condensation all depends on how long it sat, and where. I'm in CT and it's very common if something's outside especially if it's parked for years. He's in San Diego - normally I'd say it's not possible but CA has had some weird weather.
 
Bruzilla said:
Did it recently freeze out were you are? Even a short one? I lost a 340 here in FL that way. Just had water in the radiator, and it dropped below freezing for just a few hours and that was enough to crack the block.
Click to expand...
WOW! I'm shocked to hear that. Never thought a few hours would have been enough time to do that.
 
Ranger16 said:
WOW! I'm shocked to hear that. Never thought a few hours would have been enough time to do that.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah! Another time, we had a boat here in FL, and in the rush to get on the road to Maryland I forgot to lower the outdrive and drain the engine. We started north and started hitting freezing weather about 2/3rds of the way through North Carolina. When we got home I put a heat light in the engine compartment just to be safe, but the boat had been below freezing for about 3.5-4 hours.

Started the engine the next morning, and oil and water came spewing out of everywhere! Cracked block.
 
With all that sludge in the motor, should be well preserved. Yeah, if water got to parts for much length of time, could be looking at some rust. But, from your photo, don't see any.
Cam doesn't even look all that bad, considering the sludge, that's from long over due oil changes, or crap oil, or both.
But, you'll never know, until you bust it ALL the way down. Something that motor needs real bad. That thing needs a complete overhaul! Have you pulled the heads, and gaskets? Have seen just a head gasket go bad, at the right place, that would let water get into a cylinder, or the valley.
Pull the heads, examine the head gaskets, and look in each cylinder. If one cylinder wall, piston is rusted, could (or couldn't, because of the gasket) be a cracked cylinder wall.

Like I said...you'll never know...
 
Thanks a lot for the replies guys. Yeah I'm in San Diego so nothing got cold enough to freeze. I noticed the engine smoking for the last few months but it was only started once and a while on a weekend. I'm planning on pulling the heads this weekend or the next to get more of a look at the cylinder walls. Otherwise I may soon be investing in a 522 crate engine from CME. Again, I appreciate the advice.
 
I take it white (coolant) smoke as opposed to blue (oil) or black (fuel)?
While the heads and valve train are still on maybe do a cold compression test.
 
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