The motor:
Just finished putting together a VVT head/'94 block engine for my '99. Engine has never seen coolant or oil in it before this. Motor was very clean in and out. Head had a valve job and resurface. Block was bored .020 over. VVT internals with Manley rods and a Boundary Engineering oil pump. All new gaskets and seals everywhere.

The problem:
I put oil in the engine, but not coolant. We cranked the engine for 20-30 seconds total. Checked for leaks externally and nothing found. I puilled the lower radiator hose of and fresh new oil came pouring out . Is it possible to screw up assymbly enough to redirect oil to the coolant passage?

-'99-00 head gasket used is new and as far as I know put in with thte head feed oil galley open and correct

-the water lines to the oil cooler/warmer on the filter is dry inside the lines

-coolant reroute and heater hoses dry inside

-only the mixing manifold on the water pump has oil in it





Oil in radiator. More is coming out as it sits.





Lower rad hose





about 1/4qt maybe more was pumped into the mixing manifold

 

This would probably only be possible if something from the high pressure side of your oil pump got jiggy with with your water pump passages.

Is the oil pump outlet o-ring in place? At least that's in the proximity...

Also you could pull the water pump and make sure the water jacket isn't full of oil... That should show the leakage path one way or another (from the pump {external} or water jacket {internal :( })

 

Dafuq. Pull the water pump and see if there's oil in the coolant passage around cyl#1.

 

Is there oil in the pan? Did someone maybe have a late night alcohol-induced hole mix-up?

Happens to us all

 

wow. I'm kinda speechless

 

Looking radiator cap initially thinking maybe I hadn't had enough coffee yet this morning. Other than what is in the bottom of the rad it is dry. I filled the engine and checked its level so pretty sure it was the right hole. For once.

Looking at a spare block, spare VVT head, and gasket pictures if the gasket was on wrong the little brass rivets in the head would be in the wrong space. One is front passenger and the other is rear driver. There is no gasket protrusions on the wrong sides of the head in the wrong places, so pretty sure I didn't alcohol induced smush the wrong bits together.

 

iirc flipping the gasket only blocks some ports, but I don't think you'd share oil/coolant ports either way

 

We for odd reasons closed off all the water ports and blew in it. Full open air from valve cover to water pump. Huh right?

Little bit of deduction from the spare head I have.

Well there's yer problem





Water plugs were not in it HAHAHA, I'm an idiot. Apparently the machinist removed these and I didn't notice they weren't there. So here is an dumb mistake I hope others look for. Flame suit on.

 

Wow best case scenario ending! How odd that it ended in your mixing manifold?

 

why the hell were the plugs removed. strange. but luckily its a simple fix

 

Yeah. Not sure who to blame and so much has happened in the last couple months screw it. Might have been me for all I know. I don't remember doing it. Just glad I found it before we started filling it with water ha-ha. Feel like a complete idiot. Just happy that it isn't the end of the world/engine and maybe this post will show up in a Google wtf search for someone else.

 

woooow who knew. good save

 

That could have gotten expensive really quickly. Good save.

 

I'm glad you found that! I'm also glad to find out that I'm not the only one working on my stuff after I've been drinking too much and or sleeping too little.

 

lesson learned, and hopefully nothing is damaged. I too wonder why in the world the plugs were pulled, it's not really common

 

Damn that's lucky. What made you randomly look in the coolant dry system? Once I got oil pressure I would have dumped coolant in and proceeded to grenade the whole thing.

 

To be honest the hood latch bolt broke and since the coolant system was still dry I figured I pop the radiator out and dry to get the bolt out from the back instead of dropping the bumper. Popped the lower hose of and got a shoulder full of oil. I'd like to believe I';d notice it otherwise, but not sure. Just soooo happy I found it. Little pissed I didn't notice it putting the studs in. I feel it's like getting crabs from Margot Robbie. Could have been worse.

 

 

System is flushed the best I could. Almost a gallon of simple green and hoses and lots of water. Disposed of properly.





Water in back out mixing manifold. Flush repeat. . . a lot.





Water pump simulator and agitator.