michaellubitz,

Here is my untrained opinion. The leak is obviously in the block or in the heads. If you test somehow (?) and find it in the block, what would you do..pull the block and leave the heads? Chevy 350's have tough blocks and leaks here are very rare!. The head gasket would be the prime suspect...a compression check will usually find the bad cylinder/cylinders. It would also be possible for the intake manifold to leak into the engine through the valley.

As you pull the plugs for the compression test, look at them closely, you might find a rusty one indicating water in that cylinder. You run a pressure test on the system through the radiator. You have to have the proper equipment to do this test, or a radiator shop can do it for you.

It appears the system already leaks as there is oil in the pan..the leakdown test won't tell you "where" it is leaking, only that it won't hold pressure. This project hasn't been sitting outside uncovered for six years has it? The emulsified oil/water would indicate it was "mixed" while the engine was running, but mother nature could have had a hand in it too! Does it rain in Texas...ask RITA


Stuart.