Please tell me I don't need a new block

[Captain_Panic]

I was blowing out the head bolt holes in the block, and on the back passenger side hole, it is blowing air out of the coolant passages beside it. I am not happy. Please give me good news...

[Furly]

Wut?

[Captain_Panic]

If I blow compressed air until the head bolt hole, it blows out from the coolant passages next to it. None of the other holes do that. I am guessing that I am screwed, as this is the perfect way to cross contaminate coolant and oil.


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[blitz2190]

I was blowing out the head bolt holes in the block, and on the back passenger side hole, it is blowing air out of the coolant passages beside it. I am not happy. Please give me good news...

do you have a video or can you take one, and are you sure you weren't blowing air into another coolant passage by mistake?

[Captain_Panic]

Yeah I'll make one real quick.

[Captain_Panic]

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[blitz2190]

looks like who ever was in there last torqued a bolt down with liquid in the hole and it blew out the wall from pressure, hate to say it but I wouldn't run it, as under pressure coolant could push up past the threads, it would be very little but it could happen.

[Furly]

Thats odd but id guess the bolt makes enough of a seal that it doesnt leak when its assembled.

[redline380]

I'll try to describe this best I can and what I think is happening.

When you blow air down the bolt hole, it has nowhere to go but back up the hole. This moving air over the coolant passage is lower pressure than below it, lifting up what it easily can lift up, coolant. The turbulent air is making it look like coolant is blowing out of the hole. Hence, I think this is just an illusion and your block is fine.

Want to be extra sure? Grab a blow wand with a rubber tip so it seals out any air escaping. If there is a hole in the bottom of the bolt hole, you'll see bubbles. otherwise, the hole will just hold the pressure and nothing will happen if you are pressing down on the blow wand hard enough

Thats odd but id guess the bolt makes enough of a seal that it doesnt leak when its assembled.

There's also that ^

Your block is fine

[Furly]

I'll try to describe this best I can and what I think is happening.

When you blow air down the bolt hole, it has nowhere to go but back up the hole. This moving air over the coolant passage is lower pressure than below it, lifting up what it easily can lift up, coolant. The turbulent air is making it look like coolant is blowing out of the hole. Hence, I think this is just an illusion and your block is fine.

Want to be extra sure? Grab a blow wand with a rubber tip so it seals out any air escaping. If there is a hole in the bottom of the bolt hole, you'll see bubbles. otherwise, the hole will just hold the pressure and nothing will happen if you are pressing down on the blow wand hard enough

This makes sense. Def would try that.

[blitz2190]

I'll try to describe this best I can and what I think is happening.

When you blow air down the bolt hole, it has nowhere to go but back up the hole. This moving air over the coolant passage is lower pressure than below it, lifting up what it easily can lift up, coolant. The turbulent air is making it look like coolant is blowing out of the hole. Hence, I think this is just an illusion and your block is fine.

Want to be extra sure? Grab a blow wand with a rubber tip so it seals out any air escaping. If there is a hole in the bottom of the bolt hole, you'll see bubbles. otherwise, the hole will just hold the pressure and nothing will happen if you are pressing down on the blow wand hard enough

the man makes a good point I thought it sealed in your video but could very well be this, that being said I have seen cast iron blocks blown chunks out quite easily when someone forgets to clean oil or silicon from a hole then proceeds to tighten a bolt in said hole.

[redline380]

the man makes a good point I thought it sealed in your video but could very well be this, that being said I have seen cast iron blocks blown chunks out quite easily when someone forgets to clean oil or silicon from a hole then proceeds to tighten a bolt in said hole.

ALWAYS clean bolts holes.

OP can always completely drain the block of all fluid and fill up the bolt hole with oil or coolant. If theres a hole, it will seep out over night.

I'm really not that worried.

[Arnie91]

Looking at the angle the water is shooting from. It's definitely 100% coming from the hole your spraying air into.

[Captain_Panic]

I'll try to describe this best I can and what I think is happening.

When you blow air down the bolt hole, it has nowhere to go but back up the hole. This moving air over the coolant passage is lower pressure than below it, lifting up what it easily can lift up, coolant. The turbulent air is making it look like coolant is blowing out of the hole. Hence, I think this is just an illusion and your block is fine.

Want to be extra sure? Grab a blow wand with a rubber tip so it seals out any air escaping. If there is a hole in the bottom of the bolt hole, you'll see bubbles. otherwise, the hole will just hold the pressure and nothing will happen if you are pressing down on the blow wand hard enough





There's also that ^

Your block is fine

I did this. You NAILED it!! Thank you so much!!! PHYSICS!!!!!!!!

[EuroxS4]

Slap it back together and call it a day!!!

[redline380]

I did this. You NAILED it!! Thank you so much!!! PHYSICS!!!!!!!!

Glad I could help. We've all been in situations where the sky is falling. You usually just need an extra set of eyes to help out.

[Captain_Panic]

The sky fell months ago. The car died in the driveway a while back. I was too busy to look at it for a month, then decided to try the crank sensor. No luck. Fuel pressure testing confirmed the fuel pump died. Changed it, test drove it, and parked it back in the garage, and noticed some coolant on the ground in the front. Did the water pump, timing belt and tensioner, and test drove it again. Everything was fine until I got on the highway and it overheated within a minute. Kept bleeding the coolant system until I realized it shouldn't keep coming up with more air. Borescope showed coolant in cylinders 2 and 3. Compression test backed it up with cylinder 3 down to 70psi.

This has been a nonstop 'adventure' for the past four months. I miss this car.

While it has been down, I have upgraded a few things at least. The head got some new valves, all new brass guides, the exhaust side port matched to the gasket, decked .014". I upgraded to the 3.0 brakes with ss brake hoses, removed the resonator that mounts to the block on the exhaust side (can't remember the name right off hand), cleaned up and painted all the pipes in the engine bay, as well as the valve cover.

I couldn't think of anything else to keep me busy while I saved up to pay the machine shop. I can't wait to get this back on the road! At least until the clutch goes out anyway!


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[SJorge3442]

I'm just here to comment on the irony of your user name and this post. In all seriousness, glad you determined there wasn't an issue with block.

[Captain_Panic]

I'm just here to comment on the irony of your user name and this post. In all seriousness, glad you determined there wasn't an issue with block.

Haha yeah that's why I keep this username. I used to use it in fps games, and it carried over to automotive rather easily.


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[Captain_Panic]

Might as well update this. Everything is going well so far. Just need to bolt up the coolant flange, and grab a gasket for the turbo at the manifold.




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