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Water in oil (condensation) in my 251 engine


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When our '51 Plymouth and our '50 Dodge engines had that, it was a bad head gasket.  Dipstick looked like it had been stuck in an off-white milk shake.  Is the radiator losing water? 

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That much water in your oil is not likely to have been caused by condensation. Before you did the oil change was the dip stick milky white? Usually when you see that amount of water in the oil it is an indicator that the head gasket has failed. Have you checked the water level in the radiator? Have you had to top it up?

 

Hope this helps, Jeff

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2 hours ago, Jeff Balazs said:

That much water in your oil is not likely to have been caused by condensation. Before you did the oil change was the dip stick milky white?YES. Usually when you see that amount of water in the oil it is an indicator that the head gasket has failed. Have you checked the water level in the radiator?YES,IT IS ALWAYS OK.Have you had to top it up?NOT ALWAYS.Thanks.

Exist a test to know if the head gasket is failed.I will put a discussion about condensation(blow by?) that I saw in jeep site.

Hope this helps, Jeff

 

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23 minutes ago, jeffsunzeri said:

Exist a test to know if the head gasket is failed?

 

Yes. A compression test will show most head gasket failures.

Additionally, air bubbles in the radiator is a good indicator of a failed head gasket.(that was I knew)

My compression test:(march,23rd 2018).If I remember,fill the radiator until the neck,warm up and if bubbles is head gasket failed.

DSCN6029.JPG

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It's true that blowby from worn rings will put more burned gases into the crankcase, and that includes water vapor.  But if the PCV is working ( or draft tube) and you're actually driving the car most of that is extracted or evaporated by engine heat.  It entered the crankcase as a vapor, so is readily expelled by those methods.

Edited by kencombs
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If that is only water in the oil and not coolant, then that is an inexpensive problem to fix.  I knew a guy who washed his flathead once to make it pretty to look at, and that was a disaster...the starter needed to be removed, disassembled and cleaned of all of the grime that infiltrated the unsealed electric motor, and the engine oil had to be changed as water had gotten into the oil fill tube that was not sealed to the block.

 

Another issue could be local climate, as temperatures above just freezing in humid areas can cause considerable condensation to form in enclosed but unsealed compartments.  At a previous engineering job, I had to check new designs for manufacturing issues, and closed compartment elements (usually at triangular reinforcements on structural tubing) always required weepholes, especially on equipment in coastal environments...without a weephole, condensation would accumulate inside the closed compartment, causing welds to rust and bleed, leading to blistering under painted finishes, and in a few instances, causing weld failure...so condensation can be an issue here if a variety of conditions are present :cool:

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11 hours ago, kencombs said:

It's true that blowby from worn rings will put more burned gases into the crankcase, and that includes water vapor.  But if the PCV is working ( or draft tube) and you're actually driving the car most of that is extracted or evaporated by engine heat.  It entered the crankcase as a vapor, so is readily expelled by those methods.

I believe to much in this way.But now after Bobacuda,Reg and Jeff I believe in head gasket failed too.

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9 hours ago, JBNeal said:

If that is only water in the oil and not coolant, then that is an inexpensive problem to fix.  I knew a guy who washed his flathead once to make it pretty to look at, and that was a disaster...the starter needed to be removed, disassembled and cleaned of all of the grime that infiltrated the unsealed electric motor, and the engine oil had to be changed as water had gotten into the oil fill tube that was not sealed to the block.

 

Another issue could be local climate, as temperatures above just freezing in humid areas can cause considerable condensation to form in enclosed but unsealed compartments.  At a previous engineering job, I had to check new designs for manufacturing issues, and closed compartment elements (usually at triangular reinforcements on structural tubing) always required weepholes, especially on equipment in coastal environments...without a weephole, condensation would accumulate inside the closed compartment, causing welds to rust and bleed, leading to blistering under painted finishes, and in a few instances, causing weld failure...so condensation can be an issue here if a variety of conditions are present :cool:

I always suspect that block drain cock throw water during the water change inside filler oil tube.I always use a piece of tire tube to avoid.About the starter I did not know.My PU always live outside in the serene and our region is very humid,but I believe now in head gasket failed too.I already believed in blow by the rings.I will check its PCV.Thanks very much.

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Positive Crankcase Ventilation is a system that use engine vacuum and a PCV metering valve to remove hydrocarbon gases in the crankcase and mix them with charged air into the combustion chamber.  The original flathead setup you have uses a draft tube, where hydrocarbon gases are drawn out of the crankcase using vacuum formed at the tip of the draft tube when the vehicle is traveling forward at medium to high speeds.  The crankcase filter should be of similar construction as the filter in the oil fill tube, and they are both indicated to be cleaned in kerosene at each oil change :cool:

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18 hours ago, JBNeal said:

Positive Crankcase Ventilation is a system that use engine vacuum and a PCV metering valve to remove hydrocarbon gases in the crankcase and mix them with charged air into the combustion chamber.  The original flathead setup you have uses a draft tube, where hydrocarbon gases are drawn out of the crankcase using vacuum formed at the tip of the draft tube when the vehicle is traveling forward at medium to high speeds.  The crankcase filter should be of similar construction as the filter in the oil fill tube, and they are both indicated to be cleaned in kerosene at each oil change :cool:

Thanks.

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These engines of the drawing are not "L" head type.Looking to the NOT POSITIVE ventilation drawing and reasoning with our "L" head six I ask:Where does the AIR enter to the crankcase?

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If you have an oil fill cap that does not allow air flow into the crankcase, then the draft tube will not work as it should...this will lead to a buildup of condensation in the crankcase, especially if you have even a small amount of piston blowby :cool:

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8 hours ago, JBNeal said:

If you have an oil fill cap that does not allow air flow into the crankcase, then the draft tube will not work as it should...this will lead to a buildup of condensation in the crankcase, especially if you have even a small amount of piston blowby :cool:

I will check?

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