Might be screwed- water inside my chevy 350

jsaltlick · 09-07-08, 02:23 PM

I think I screwed myself. I bought a parts truck with a new crate checy 350 motor in it. I'm doing the motor swap with my mechanic this coming weds.

Yesterday I sprayed it down with degreaser and hosed it off. I covered the distributor and the carb with plastic. No water got in that way.

My valve covers were rusty on top so I bought some new ones to clean up every thing before the install. painted the block, trans, X-fer etc today.

Popped off the old valve covers and the passenger side had water in it. Gasket must've failed. Not sure how much went inside the engine but the low part where oil usually sits was all water rather than all oil. Worst part is the water was white-ish which means it was part degreaser as well.

How screwed am I? I didn't dowse the engine but I didn't use a hand sprayer either. Is there something I can do to make sure the engine will run fine? An additive? or is it rebuild time on a newly rebuilt engine.

Extremely frustrated as I thought I was being extra careful with the water and covering the other parts with plastic.

HELP!

cruiserdoc · 09-07-08, 03:55 PM

Personally, I would go the cheep route, yet still do enough to allow me to sleep at night. i woule drain the oil and see if there is any signs of water in there. If there is than I would probably be cheap and pull the oil pan. In a nice clean environment with both valve covers removed, I would push compressed air (with a painting filter attached) through each push rod hole until I felt comfortable, rotating the crank 90 degrees 8 times during the process.
with clean rags I would wipe down the crank in all positions cleaning all mositure I could get my hands on. Than when it is all back together, I would change the oil after 50 or so miles and then again in 500 miles

That is just me, and in all honesty, I tend to over-react (I completely rebuilt a perfectly running 350 with a bunch of high zoot parts simpilly because I wasn't comfortable with the oil pressure despite many miles of trouble free run time)

If it does require a rebuild in the future that is cash you would have spent now if you chose to rebuild so I say roll the dice and see if the above suggestion will alow the engine to hold out for you

fieldsken1 · 09-07-08, 04:03 PM

the water i dont think will hurt anything just get as much out as you can and then change oil and filter pretty often for a while the crankcase builds condenstation normally so there is always moisture in the motor thats one of the things the breather does is let it escape good luck when you blow a head gasket you dont rebuild the motor and water gets inside then right

BinaryDude · 09-07-08, 04:53 PM

You could try and find someone that does an engine powerflush. I have not found anyone locally that can do it, but you might have better luck.

Automotive Power Flush - Engine Flush Systems; Transmission Flush Systems

I called them at one point about a year ago to find someone that uses there equipment, but they didn't have a list then.

TLCHopII · 09-07-08, 04:55 PM

Seams to me that a little clean up and investigating the oil pan contents should prove enough. Just for giggles, pull the plugs & verify no water in the cylinders. Shoots if a valve cover gasket leaked then check the others.

All in all doesn't seem to be a big deal if the engine will be run/broke in in a week or so.

Joe Egolf · 09-07-08, 04:56 PM

Does the engine turn over? I would pull plugs ,shoot some oil in each plug hole, and turn her over,after getting all moisture I could get out..Then I would change oil and filter etc etc. Might pre lube rockers and push rods if rocker covers are off. I think you will be Ok.

bsmith123 · 09-08-08, 02:13 AM

doesn't sound like a big deal, wipe it up, check the oil in the pan and or change it--good to go. Not a disaster by any means.

if you ran it oil will turn milky if mixed with water if some degreaser got in no big deal either I'd do the same and just check the oil after the change for any signs of contamination

I'd put in 4qts run it and then put the rest in to save from wasting oil

BigRedFJ40 · 09-08-08, 04:21 AM

as others have said, I would atleast pull the drain plug on the oilpan. If water made it's way in it will be there. From there, you can pour some oil or Marvel Mystery Oil in the heads and turn the motor over manually. That way, it will coat the rings and lubricate the valvetrain.

jsaltlick · 09-08-08, 10:36 AM

Got the Marvel at the ready. Gonna pull plugs tonight and turn it. My mechanic said this morning that he wasn't too worried since there were breathers on and the gasket was in place. He said likely most of the water stayed in the area just under the covers. Gonna do the precautionary stuff just to be safe but I'm much more relieved today than I was yesterday.

First Brady, then my engine......all too much at once!

BigRedFJ40 · 09-09-08, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsaltlick

Got the Marvel at the ready. Gonna pull plugs tonight and turn it. My mechanic said this morning that he wasn't too worried since there were breathers on and the gasket was in place. He said likely most of the water stayed in the area just under the covers. Gonna do the precautionary stuff just to be safe but I'm much more relieved today than I was yesterday.

First Brady, then my engine......all too much at once!

It's gonna be a long season without Brady......

jsaltlick · 09-09-08, 06:02 AM

Faaaawwwwwkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!! Feel bad for Cassel as everyone has written the season off already. Pat's tix are half price on the scalping sites.

Engine is off to the mechanic's today for the motor swap tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

rabid · 09-09-08, 06:54 AM

Back in the days before we had friends with shops and garages, a friend of mine and I did a head gasket in my F155 fj40 years ago under a leaking tarp in a 3 day rainstorm. We literally sopped up water with t-shirts and rags from the cylinders berfore assembly.

Motor smoked like hell at start up, but ran for years of abuse after. We were both surprised.

You should be fine.

jsaltlick · 09-09-08, 05:36 PM

Cool. Feel much better.

Motor swap has been postponed till next friday

cruiserbrett · 09-11-08, 03:48 PM

dont worry about it. drain what you can, spin on a new filter, prime the oil pump and crank without spark plugs.

I have dried out a boat motor(350 chevy in Mercruiser form) that sank in a boat at the dock(saltwater too), dried it out, changed the oil, drained fuel, etc, and the engine is still FINE today, hundreds of hours later. At least 4 gallons of salt water was in the engine. It did need a new starter after a few months, but that was the only expense other than oil and carb cleaner.

carb cleaner, compressed air, new oil and a filter are all you need.