Sometimes this hobby just blows!

[James_Douglas]

James;

It might be worth pulling the oil pressure relief valve and inspecting the bore there for a crack.

Another test you could try would be to drain the oil......leave the plug out..... and put a pressure test on the cooling system. I don't know if your cooling system is up to this test but I had 12# on mine for well over an hour. Something like this could force a leak to show up in the crankcase.

 

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

 

I did check the relief valve...nothing.  I hate the thought of blowing a hole in a very good condition original honeycomb radiator or I would. I think draining the water and pressurizing the oil system would be a better test.

 

I did some reading about pressure testing equipment for leaks.  The rule is to always pressure test in the direction of the leak and not the other way around for various reasons.

 

As long a every few days I clean the system out with TSP to get the oil out of the cooling system, I can take it for a drive.  I just cannot let the oil build up in the water.  It like to pool in the head with the result of a cracked head do to hot spots that do not show up on the temp gauge.

 

James

[Jeff Balazs]

James;

Just ideas. In my previous career I spent quite a bit of time hunting down leaks and defects in underground oil and gas pipelines.

In the case of this engine it may only leak when it is completely warmed up. Kinda depends on the nature of the defect. Cracks can behave very oddly. And may only leak under very specific conditions. If it is leaking due to corrosion it should be easier to find and could be made flow in both directions. that is why I suggested pressuring up the cooling side. You could bypass the radiator and rig up a test manifold that allowed for this.

 

One area that seems a likely location would be the oil galley along the left hand side of the block. It runs right next to the cooling jackets at the welch plugs. If this were a leak caused by corrosion that is the first place I would investigate.

 

Unfortunately even if you find it you may not be able to do a repair. I am sure you have already considered this. It would however be interesting to know where it is actually located.

 

best wishes, Jeff