LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Coolant in the oil.. Fixable?

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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 04:09 PM
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Default Coolant in the oil.. Fixable?

I've been chasing down a missfire for a week on this motor, and I just checked the oil (earlier in the week it was good and black) now it's watery, and smells like coolant.

It also blows alot of blue smoke out the tail pipes.

Haven't checked to see if theres oil in the coolant yet, the motor is still a bit warm.

Is this a head gasket leak? Intake gasket leak? How do I tell?
What should I do, to see if it's saveable or not?
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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 04:39 PM
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There is no coolant in the intake, so that's not it. Sounds like a head gasket to me (or could be a cracked block). If it is a head gasket, it could certainly be fixed, but the first step is to take it apart and find out what's wrong.
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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 04:48 PM
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There is no coolant in the intake of an LT1 so that means it has to be either a head gasket or a crack in the block or head.

Do not run it atall coolant contaminated oil does severe damage to bearings fast.

Depending how bad it is you might just get away with fresh head gaskets(most likely and cheapest) and flush the oiling system. Ideally though it would be good if you could check the bearings, like I said damage happens fast and I have heard of a lot of cases of 1000miles later bearing let go.
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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 04:51 PM
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Sounds like a headgasket....hopefully it's not a cracked head or block
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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 06:33 PM
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NEVERMIND.
It's gas in the oil, I think, mixed with some really fine metal shavings.

Took off the valve covers, and here's what I found:


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Old Mar 9, 2008 | 10:03 PM
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Hopefully, that solves the problem. Please let us know
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Old Mar 10, 2008 | 09:44 AM
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Good luck, I have seen a chip from a loose rocker like that take out5 bearings. Gas dilution of oil is hell on bearings too.
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