346 water in the oil and cylinders??

[Janousek]

I don't think it's mileage.  Our 42' has  42,000 miles on it.  Not 142k either.  I have two other blocks I thought were good.  Once I knew the one in the car was cracked I found the cracks in the others.   When you see a pattern of like we are seeing now then it's a design, casting flaw, or circulation problem.  I had our block acid dipped to remove the internal rust.  Everyone of these I had apart have had a lot of rust in them.  Maybe that rust caused overheating near the valve area. 

I wouldn't worry about it.  Our car ran fine, didn't have antifreeze in the oil, or oil in the antifreeze.  Pull the head and it will cost you a set of gaskets if your curious.  But.. what if yours is cracked, are you going to want to rebuild the engine.  I'd just keep an eye on the oil and antifreeze.  The foam/oil rises to the top of the radiator. 

I feel these engines run pretty hot or have circulation hot spots.  Running Evans waterless coolant will help this.  I run it in all our cars and feel it does a better job of cooling than anti-freeze. 

[Steve Passmore]

I've been watching this post since it started. Is the problem caused from age, mileage, or does it just happen?  I have a '41 with 58,000 miles. Runs fine and the engine has never been opened. Beyond routine maintenance - is there anything one should do to prevent or forestall such a problem. Or us it just the luck of the draw?
Jim Miller

I think it's more of a case of neglect and standing Jim when these cars were worth nothing. They do suffer from rust build up at the rear of the blocks which would have been ignored, then the overheating starts.   The biggest problem is when they are re-started after many years dormant. The crud has solidified by that time.

[Jim Miller]

Brad and Steve - thanks for the feedback. While curious, I'm not going to touch the engine. I've learned from the forum - if it ain't broke .............Brad, you seem to be pleased with the Evans Waterless. I've done a lot of reading on it but haven't made the change. I did read that the engines can run a bit hotter but the heat is better dispersed. You would recommend making the change based on your experience?
Jim Miller

[gary griffin]

I had  a long chat with Eddie Jones who is quite experienced in regards to the 346 engine.  He is betting it is a crack near the number 3 exhaust valve.  I think I will try put the right head back on (Left is still on)  and pressure test teach cylinder individually, in addition to testing cooling side through the radiator.

My theory is use to about 100 PSI or so air injected through the spark plug hole. With no spark plugs in the other cylinders the pressure should move that piston to the bottom, of the stroke where the valves should be closed. After that I should know where the problem is??

If it is that I will probably need to pull the engine and replace it or have it bored and sleeved.

Hate to consider changing engines at this point.  Other option would be to find a good engine and have it bored .030 " and go from there?

Does anybody know how much pressure there is in the combustion chamber when the engine is running??

[Bobby B]

I've been watching this post since it started. Is the problem caused from age, mileage, or does it just happen?  I have a '41 with 58,000 miles. Runs fine and the engine has never been opened. Beyond routine maintenance - is there anything one should do to prevent or forestall such a problem. Or us it just the luck of the draw?
Jim Miller

Answer: Runs fine and the engine has never been opened.
                                                           Bobby

[Steve Passmore]

[quote author=gary griffin link=topic=147840.msg379709#msg379709 .

My theory is use to about 100 PSI or so air injected through the spark plug hole. With no spark plugs in the other cylinders the pressure should move that piston to the bottom, of the stroke where the valves should be closed. After that I should know where the problem is??

Does anybody know how much pressure there is in the combustion chamber when the engine is running??
[/quote]

I have never studied that theory Gary,  I've never tried to see if one cylinder could turn all the others on just 100lbs. I bet the exhaust valve starts to open before the bottom of the stroke anyway so you would lose the pressure.
I have always got the TDC on the firing stroke then applied air and listened for where it was escaping. 

[Janousek]

Jim,

I've had it in our 31' Buick about 8 years.  That car never showed hotter on the gauge.  Antifreeze would start to peg the needle if it sat to long idling.  The evans stopped that.  Now it will peak about 200 and hold it even if it's 90 degrees. 

I rebuilt/changed our 35' Auburn to it 2 years ago.  I never noticed an increase in that either.  Similar end result though.  Seems to take idling/parades without problem. 

Both cars have capulary tube gauges and maybe they aren't that precise to measure 5 degrees hotter.  All I know is the cars never get hotter where before as soon as they stopped moving the guage would start rising.  Now they rise to a reasonalbe temp and stop. 

It's going in our 42' when I get it back together. 

Gary,  did you use any copper spray on your head gaskets?  Regular gasket probably won't fill those pits.  High temp epoxy with a razor blade would fill those and help.  Still can't believe he didn't deck that block.