A little over a month ago, my friend was driving my car, and shortly after he went WOT, it started stumbling and pouring white smoke (and dripping water) out of the tailpipes. We pulled the heads and found out that cylinder #3 had coolant in it and was cleaned from the coolant in there. I took the heads to a machine shop, and they found out that the driver's side head was warped. They milled the heads and pressure tested them. When we looked at the head gasket, we could not find where it blew. After looking for awhile at the gaskets, the guy at the machine shop said it definitely was cylinder #3.

We recently got the heads back on and torqued down properly. After waiting 2 1/2 weeks for an order from GM Parts Direct yesterday, I finally start getting everything back together. We filled the block up with water last night, and I had all the spark plugs in. Today, I remembered that I forgot to check the gap on the plugs, so I started pulling them. When I pulled the spark plug for #3, water poured out of the spark plug hole. None of the other plugs even showed any sign of water on them. I left the spark plugs out and poured more water into the block, and water just gushed out of the spark plug hole for #3.

Before the head gasket blew, a small amount of coolant was being used up, and I had to top off the radiator every couple of weeks. Last summer, I had an accident, and the radiator cracked, so I lost all of my coolant. Of course, I didn't realize this until after I got the car off the road, and the temperature started jumping. That is the only time the car has even come close to overheating. I don't think the temperature gauge even got into the red that time, though.

So, what are the possibilities? It seems that if the head was not torqued down properly, there would probably be water coming out of various places. The only thing that we can come up with is that the block is probably cracked. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Why didn't you look at the cylinder bore of that one while you had the heads off? My block cracked, but the crack was so tiny that it would only puff white smoke intermittently. If you have water gushing out of the spark plug hole then it seems like you'd have a gaping opening in the block! Not only that, it would have to be uncovered in the bore, meaning the piston would have to be below where the crack was and it would be very visible. A problem that big would be hard to overlook.

I'm not really sure what to tell you. If the head checked out fine then it's ok, but you'd have to notice a hole that big in your block. When I cracked mine I could not find a blown spot in my gasket like you. That's when I got concerned. Pull the head and inspect some more.

 

Sorry to hear about all your problems I would be willing to guess that The block might be cracked, but if you get a pressure test that will tell you if the head gasket is gone again or if there is another broken part between water jackets maybe? There sure never be that much water "pouring" out of a spark plug hole. Plus i am assuming you enevr ran the motor during the time you were putting it back together, there for all this water must have seepted through somewhere. All in all, I'd start shopping for a new block

 

Before I pulled it I would pull the head back off and get the valves removed on that cyl. Have it crack checked in the valve bowl's and seat area or better yet have the head pressure checked.
That will tell ya if it has to come out amd weather the block is cracked.They generally crack at the top and around the bore but some if bored to much will crack top to bottom.It will take a good light and ya probably will see a rust or dark line,darker than the bore metal. Don't wipe it before looking use air to get the water out and don't turn it over.

 

When we pulled the head, I believe the #3 piston was up most of the way. We looked in the cylinders, but we didn't really look too hard, and we never bothered rotating the engine. When we got the heads back on, we rotated the engine to adjust the preload on the lifters, so maybe the piston is further down now.

Yeah, I got both of the heads pressure tested, and the machine shop said that they were great, though one was warped (and subsequently fixed).

 

Well that pretty much tells the story then.

 

So, tell me that the story is that the block is just fine, and my engine will not mind running with a cylinder filled with water.

 

Silly question, but do you have sealant on the head bolts? If you dont and the head gasket blew again in the right spot it would suck the water right past the threads.

With that much water I agree the crack would be noticable with the eye.

 

Yep, there is thread sealer and assembly lube on the head bolts. The car hasn't even been started in this past month.

 

Man, I wish I could.

 

i dont know what the problem is, but ill come help work on it if you want another pair of hands around. i think ive seen you around, does the car have an SS hood? i hadnt seen you in a while if so? i thought that car had a blower on it from the way it whined? its a pretty car.

 

Yep, it has an SS hood, along with the RS body kit/spoiler and Torq Thrust IIs. I used to drive it around a lot, before the engine blew a month ago. I'm sure I could use some help when I get another engine later this year...it has to sit for a couple of months now. Oh yeah, no blower, unfortunately.

 

check your pm's

 

To update, it turns out that the block is not cracked. It appears that the head is actually cracked, even though I paid a machine shop to pressure test the heads and do a bit of work to them. Looks like they'll be getting a visit from me tomorrow...

When I thought that the block was cracked, I had all the rockers and pushrods in, so the cylinder #3 intake valve was open at that time. Today, I poured water into the thermostat housing, and water started filling up the intake runner on #3. Now that I have the rockers off, the valve is closed, so it's keeping the water from going into the cylinder. So, somewhere inside the head, there's a crack that's dumping coolant into the intake runner for #3.

I guess it's time to look for a new pair of heads, since these were ported, polished and have nice valves in them.

 

Good that ya found it.Thats where those heads crack,where ya can't see it and why it takes air and being submerged in water to find sometimes.
Most shops don't have the tools to pressure check heads.