The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop antifreeze in my oil

I have rebuilt a 216 from a 52 chevy p u that I am getting back togeather. I filled with oil and a couple weeks later I installed and filled the radiator. I cranked it over a couple of times for the first time (in a few years) and found the antifreeze level had dropped to nothing.....flowed in with the oil. I didn't notice that the radiator was almost empty until then, apparently draining into the oil overnite! The engine had been professionally rebuilt by a shop with a good reputation. What could be wrong? expansion plug loose or missing? gasket really bad? the block has no apparent cracks..has been stored without fluids in a dry workshop since rebuild.??

Most common fail is the head gasket. Drain the radiator and the oil. It will be a lot. So get a big container. After it is drained call the shop that did the rebuild and see what they will do. Most likely you will have to pull the engine and return it if the shop is a good one. They should have found any crack in the head, or warp age that would have caused this to happen. Let us know what you find.

I think there is that oil line to the rocker arms that goes through the block that could be the issue too.

wouldn't the head gasket (that appeared ok when I installed it) hold water out since the water leaked into the oil before the engine even turned over? Is there a way to test it?

what should I look for? Is there a way to test this? Maybe with air pressure?

If it is all drained out of the oil pan and radiator. You could put air pressure in one cylinder at a time with the valves closed. You might locate a leak that way. You could hear air in the cooling system. The real issue is the engine was sitting still at the time. Has to be a good size leak to gravity feed water to the pan. The oil line that was posted above is through a water jacket. And is often overlooked so it might pay to pull the side cover off and look. Water in the lifter gallery would be a dead giveaway.

thanks ....I'll try looking in the lifter gallery and check that line

I removed the lifter gallery cover and checked the pipe that feeds oil to the rocker shaft. It appeared to be good. I then pressurized the water jacket at the upper radiator hose, plugging the lower hose. I got air through the oil line feeding the rocker shaft. Do you know if this is accessable once it goes into the water jacket, maybe at the oil distributor valve? I also got air at a connection on the opposite side of the block that connects to the oil pump cover. This suggests that maybe something is not connected or broken in the water jacket??

It is a simple copper line which passes through the block from the lifter cover side to the oil distributor side. You need the repair kit which comes with the copper line and all of the fittings.
Carl

Gotta bring this back up since I noticed I have the same issue of coolant in my oil. I did trace the problem to that fitting under the pushrod cover.
I just wanted to ask those that may have used the kit from Chevies of the Forties if that kit has ALL of the fittings needed. I see in their picture the line and the 2 fittings that go to the block, I am curious if it also includes the fitting at the oil distributor connection and the one at the rocker arm end.
Thanks in advance.

Jeff and Carl;

That was it! The line through the block was split. I replaced it and solved the problem. If I can only now get it to start!

Thanks
Bob

Great news Phil and Bob!! Especially taking into consideration the other nasty potential causes of antifreeze-in-the-oil scenarios.
Carl