Blown Head Gasket

[Rgpmalibu]

So the engine has never ran since you got it? Maybe the PO shut it down as soon as he saw the trouble- or ran it until it quit. This a a gamble but worth it I think. Oil drained? Good. Add old waste oil, remove distributor, use a priming tool to turn the oil pump with a 1/2" drill. [old cut down distributor makes the best tool but a big-azz screwdriver shaft chucked in a drill works too] See what kind of oil pressure you have. That will also flush the bad stuff out of the oil galleries, lifters, and bearings. Drain that and refill with more old oil. As for the combustion chambers when I was doing that 400 everyone here had suggestions for the best solvent. I decided on ATF/#2 oil cut with acetone. The acetone gets the mix into all the crevices, leaves the ATF/#2 behind, and that is the best solvent going. #2 heating oil [diesel] works really great by itself too. I soak entire heads in the #2 oil for a couple of weeks and they come out spotless.

By the way, that was the second stuck 400 I saved. I had a 1977 Trans Am that was totaled and I got it for parts. I realized the front end took all the damage and decided to fix it all. While I had the engine out, on a dolly, wrapped all up in plastic, a hurricane hit and blew water up under the plastic and filled the engine right up to the top of the intake manifold. I did not know this until I went to put the engine back in the sub-frame and heard sloshing. It had sat for months like that. STUCK!!! I did the same procedure- filled with waste oil, WD-40 in plug holes, and every day after work I tried to turn the crank with a breaker bar. It took weeks, but it came un-stuck. That 400 ran great for many many years.

Here is the old thread about the 400. Wow, look at all the missing persons. https://gbodyforum.com/threads/doing-the-unstuck.69747/

This will give me something to read while I'm waiting for the solvent to do its job! Thanks for the tip on the ATF/Diesel acetone mix.

 

[spongbob]

How you doing with engine ? have you got around to get it running first and then remove heads dew to gaskets ?...

I'm going to mention exhaust valves as no older chevy should be reassembled "without checking the exhaust valves.. To do that you turn the removed', heads to were the exhaust ports are turned up towards the top like a cup ...are you following me ? Then pour about a 1/4 a cup of say charcoal light fluid or kerosene into the open ports the kerosene or charcoal lighter fluid should stay in the ports not run out around the valves if it leakes out fast you likly have burned exhaust valves ...a perfect sealing valve ( clean of debrise) will hold kerosene like a cup for a long time hours to days if the valves are rusty this test will tell you ..

 

[Rgpmalibu]

I put the Marvel Mystery Oil in - I didn't feel like going all over town for stuff I didn't have. A quart at O'Reilly's was $9, so I got two and put in one. I wish I knew what was in that stuff - it's a mystery!

I tried to give it another turn with a breaker bar this time. Last night I was only using a ratchet handle. The bar was moving, but it was just tightening the bolt. So I thought, what if the bolt breaks? What is the chance that that will happen?

I'm just going to go out every evening and give it a turn and see if it moves. If it doesn't turn over I'm not sure what my next move is, but I don't want to pay $4000 for a long block from summit or something silly like that. Did I mention this is my wife's car?

 

[Bonnewagon]

Obviously- DON'T break that bolt! Most good mechanics have calibrated arms. They can tell when something is about to break. Just take it easy and give it time.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

the best solvent. I decided on ATF/#2 oil cut with acetone. The acetone gets the mix into all the crevices, leaves the ATF/#2 behind, and that is the best solvent going. #2 heating oil [diesel] works really great by itself too.

My friend, I couldn't possibly agree more!

I've not seen anything that'll "creep" like acetone, and the thin trans fluid spreads easily. One of the most useful things my grandfather taught me.

My friends and I used to fill Rubbermaid tubs with diesel to wash parts but I don't think we tried it as a penetrating oil.

"I put the Marvel Mystery Oil in - I wish I knew what was in that stuff - it's a mystery!"

Marvel is mostly just mineral oil + mineral sprits. It has a tiny bit of Benzene and also a plasticizer that acts to prevent galling. Personally, I don't see what all the hype is about but if it works, it works.

 

[Bonnewagon]

My friends and I used to fill Rubbermaid tubs with diesel to wash parts

I can't remember the first time I used the #2 oil for parts cleaning, but I do remember watching the boiler servicemen using it to clean the gun. It just dissolved all the carbon and gunk. My daughter had a 1993 Formula that blew a head gasket. Her idiot boyfriend took the head off and just left it. I told him that since he took it off, he better put it back on. There was a broken head bolt that I had to remove first. While doing that I soaked the entire head in the #2 oil for a couple of weeks. When it came out it looked like it had been hot tanked.

 

[Rgpmalibu]

I got it to turn! Screwdriver between the starter and flywheel. I have a new crank bolt coming, and I'm on the way for some oil and a filter. No metal in the old filter either. So far so good.

 

[Bonnewagon]

That was fast. I guess it is in better shape than you figured. Do you have a good oil pressure gauge? That will be critical to know what is the actual condition.

 

[Rgpmalibu]

That was fast. I guess it is in better shape than you figured. Do you have a good oil pressure gauge? That will be critical to know what is the actual condition.

There's a gauge in the car, but I don't know what condition it's in. I figured I'd remove the distributor and prime it that way. I'll have the wife check the gauge while I'm doing that. What pressure is acceptable?

The oil in the filter was super thick, but it's only 30 degrees here today. What's the trick to getting all of that gunk out of the engine? I'm sure all of the oil passages a filled with that stuff.

I gotta say that I'm super excited!

 

[Bonnewagon]

What's the trick to getting all of that gunk out of the engine?

That is why I suggested using old dirty oil. It is going to get contaminated anyway, so no big loss. I save my used oil in 5 gallon jugs then I take it to get recycled. Surely you must know someone with used oil that would be glad to get rid of it. Yes, remove distributor to prime the oil pump, so the bearings don't have to move. Even old used oil should show whatever pressure the oil pump is rated for producing. What engine is it? A 1978 should be a 305? Maybe a 350? Since someone put some money into this car, I would guess if they changed the oil pump it would be a 60lb Melling. But a dead stock 305 should show maybe 30 or 40lbs cold? If it is less than 30 I would worry.