The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil in the coolant on a 235

I was in the paint store today and the guy behind the counter asked me (as if I'd know?) about a lady's 62 truck w/ a 235. It was overhauled and not run much until recently. She starts driving it and some miles? later it overheats. They find oil in the coolant, pull the head, change the gasket which is treated w/ 3 coats of hi temp paint both sides for a tight seal (an old trick I'm told) and then put back on. 10 miles later same thing, oil in the coolant. The head comes off and checked; its O.K. I'm thinking a crack internally but where? The truck is running a 14psi cap which I think is too high and I don't know how much its been bored. Any ideas? Also,on my 62 261 which I am not driving but starting and running every 2 weeks for 20-30 minutes....there is oil weeping from between the head and block on the starter side. I have retorqued the head and changed the V.C. gasket but it continues. Any experience with this as well? Thanks

I suppose the crack could be in the block somewhere as it sounds like they swapped the head gasket out correctly. Then again, to really check the head you have to put a really straight edge on it to make sure its not warped. But I bet they did that.

As for the cap on the radiator, that would be more if coolant was found in the water - i.e. it built up enough pressure to back up water into the cooling system. You could look for foam on the dip stick and milky looking oil. That would be a definite problem.

On your head, I take it there is no chance of valve cover gasket leaking down and collecting where you might see it?

It its a cracked head, one usually gets water in the oil, not oil in the water. You should check the oil to see what color it is, if you know what I mean. If not that, then maybe the water pump is puting a little grease in the radiator. Thats all I can think of. Cecil..........

Take the rad cap off carefully ,look into the rad for air bubbles with the engine running.If bubbles, head gasket or cracked head.Do a compression check.This will give ya a good idea whats wrong.Could have the head magnafluxed for cracks.http://community.webshots.com/user/dan482

tan62,
The only place in the head area under pressure is the rocker arm center oiler. This oil comes from a tube connected to the cam brg oil supply. The tube runs externally through the push rod area to a connection on the bottom of the head. Another tube runs from a connection on top of the head to the center oiler. The passage through the head COULD leak into the water jacket through the head gasket, but I would doubt it. A incorrect head gasket could have been replaced with another incorrect head gasket, but I don't think so. As the engine is shut off and loses oil pressure, coolant pressure would remain. Any oil/coolant breach would be a two way street. I would tend to think that, after cleaning up the coolant, the problem might go away. Keep in mind I haven't even seen the inside of a 235 since I was in high school and retirement isn' too far off!

Stuart.