[silvrbitcoin101]

Also, What is the size of the nut that holds the metal bumper reinforcement on ? I'm not losing my TC atf this time around ! lol

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Here is my latest findings on the coolant in the oil...

I put in 3 hours tonight and tore the engine down to nearly ready to be removed from the van. It's a mess, the mixture is nasty pasty mess. Good thing I hadn't done any serious driving with the van leading up to this.

So far, the coolant oil/mixture appears to be mostly concentrated in the compressor inlet housing, intake manifold, front timing cover, head and sump of the engine. It looks like the PCV breather tube has been spewing it out into the turbo charger inlet quite heavily.

I am going to remove the engine tomorrow and I guess take off the head and see what could be the problem. Its not like it's losing a little coolant in the oil. It dumped the whole thing into it and like I said prior after putting pressure into the coolant line from the reservoir. There is no pressure holding and it all noticeably flows out of the valve cover oil filler opening. There doesn't appear to be any cracks or serious problems with the head from what I can tell so far.

Interesting there isn't any oil/coolant mixture in the water pump or thermostat nor the upper and lower radiator hoses. That makes me wonder if perhaps the head gasket has blown and the coolant is entering into an oil jacket.

I'll know more after tomorrow. Anyways Looks like I am tearing this baby back down to clean it out. Any thoughts on what could have caused this? Could it possible be related to PCV? Perhaps, to much pressure. and not venting properly? But why is the turbo intake side clogged with it. Any thoughts on turbo condition? Can I clean it and go. It's a brand new reman!

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Is it possible the new oil cooler is failed ? I think I'm going to investigate that before I remove the head.

 

[SprinterSS]

I would really look at that front timing cover. When you install it there is several areas that need RTV on the inside to seperate the coolant from oil. Its not just the outer face of the cover. Have a look at that before pulling the head.

Hang in there Amigo...

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

I would really look at that front timing cover. When you install it there is several areas that need RTV on the inside to seperate the coolant from oil. Its not just the outer face of the cover. Have a look at that before pulling the head.

Hang in there Amigo...

Here's my latest update for my engine...

@SprinterSS I am not seeing anywhere that I would have missed rtv on the front cover. Nothing appears to be a coolant passage or opening that needed to be sealed. There is only the oil cooler openings, chain tensioner and large opening to crankcase in the center. Above the large opening is the front cover center bolt that requires a small amount of RTV to seal it. I sealed it up the same as the prior rtv was applied. Please let me know if any places I have missed on the picture of the cover below.

Also, I tested the new oil cooler with about 15lb psi and it seemed to hold just fine. Is it possible the oil cooler could have a crack and when it gets hot it opens up and lets coolant in? I think I'd noticed even a small leak with air pressure if that was the case. any thought?

Needless to say, this engine is a mess of oil and coolant mixture... The engine was so clean prior. I am not sure what has failed and still stumped.

I have not pulled the head as you can see. There seems to be a large amount of cooloil on the inside of the bellhousing, all over the starter and everywhere the oil pump could possibly circulate it.

I have not seen the cooloil in the thermostat housing, cylinder coolant jackets, water pump or elsewhere related to the coolant system.

I did notice that the cylinder 1 and 4 exhaust ports are wet around the gasket with a black liquid. Doesnt smell like oil but could very well be.

Anyways, I'm stumped, have a mess on my hands and way behind on business. I need to get this engine cleaned up, get to the root of the problem and get her going again. She was running so strong. It boggles my mind because this engine has so much potential.

a

I look forward to hearing all your input!

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Here's my 2nd update...

Pulled my plugs and noticed lots of oil on plug 1 and 4, more on cylinder #1. Also cylinder #4 exhaust port has what appears to be burnt oil and coolant in it. Where as cylinder #1 exhaust port appears to be just oil.

I decided to pull the head. It has to be the culprit. The fact that oil is on the plugs tells me the vavle stem seals must be failed. I feel like such a moron for over looking this as my focus was on the block and fixing the piston.

So the question is, what exactly is the problem with the head? The cylinders seem abnormally wet to me as well. The gasket didn't appear to have any issues and there doesn't appear to be any obvious cracks on the surface.

What could possible cause the coolant to be mixed with the oil in the head and remember when I took the coolant reservoir hose off and pressurized it all the pressure escaped through the head and out the oil cap.

Silly me, I should of had a head job done... Please share all your thoughts!

Thank you!

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

3rd and final thought for the night...

Seems to me the low idle could of been explained by bad valve stem seals. That explains the excess oil in the cylinders and on the plugs correct?

Also, when I removed the head I only needed one 90 degree turn on each bolt before they were loose enough to zip out... I torqued them to the instructions and specs and followed the 90 degree tightening sequence to the T with a digital torque wrench . I feel like they shouldn't of come loose that easy. Perhahps the cylinder head was not as tight as it could have been and loosened after running. I don't know how else to explain the coolant getting into the oil and there being a free air flowing from pressurizing the coolant reservoir hose.

It's challenging tightening head bolts on the engine stand because the stand wants to move around when doing the final torqueing of the 90 degree turns. My stand would shift around slightly and I would have to readjust. But I was pretty sure the head bolts got the proper tightening sequence but I guess it is a possibility that I was getting false reading with the moving around of the stand.

also, I didn't oil the head bolts when installing. Now looking back I'm thinking my head installation is the likely the culprit for the coolant leak. And must be all the pressure from the coolant and oil volume in the engine blew out the rear main seal causing all the cooloil in the bell housing.

Lastly, any help on balance shaft housing bolts (p/n) would be greatly appreciated. I did not replace those on build first time around. Can I get away with using the old bolts? The instructions say very clearly to replace them. Can't find p/n anywhere

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Happy Monday!!

Here is some photos of my head gasket. It looks like the coolant was blowing by the coolant jackets and going into the oil as well as into the cylinders. Check out the little striations on the gasket sealing material between the coolant jacket and oil passage...

My conclusions are

1.) failed valve stem seals causing oil to fowl plugs in cylinders 1 and 2.
2.) inadequately installed cylinder head caused coolant to blow by into to the oil passages and into the cylinders. I'll need to find a way to anchor my stand so I can get consistent controlled torqueing of the head bolts without the stand moving. I also didn't put any oil on the head bolts.
3.)Excess pressure in crankcase from coolant caused rear main seal to fail.

Better engine assembly practices most likely would have prevented this

Curious as to what all your thoughts are about this. if

Here's the gasket photos

 

[focus805]

I agree you're most likely dealing with an assembly procedure issue, based on the sheer volume of coolant in the oil or vice-versa.

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

I agree you're most likely dealing with an assembly procedure issue, based on the sheer volume of coolant in the oil or vice-versa.

I'm gonna cement anchor my engine stand to my garage floor for cylinder head installation... It's interesting there is absolutely no oil coolant in the coolant jackets around the cylinders. There is no oil coolant in the thermostat housing or coolant system at all. My hypothesis is the compression must of been pushing the coolant into the oil jackets through the head gasket. Probably the same was happening on the intake with the vacuum pressure from the cylinders drawing coolant in. Anyways not good in anycase, I have it all torn down and read for a second final cleaning.

 

[focus805]

I'm gonna cement anchor my engine stand to my garage floor for cylinder head installation... It's interesting there is absolutely no oil coolant in the coolant jackets around the cylinders. There is no oil coolant in the thermostat housing or coolant system at all. My hypothesis is the compression must of been pushing the coolant into the oil jackets through the head gasket. Probably the same was happening on the intake with the vacuum pressure from the cylinders drawing coolant in. Anyways not good in anycase, I have it all torn down and read for a second final cleaning.

Sounds like you really have to find the source or point(s) of cross-contamination before re-assembly, or at least I would rather than risking any hypothesis.

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Sounds like you really have to find the source or point(s) of cross-contamination before re-assembly, or at least I would rather than risking any hypothesis.

How do I go about doing that if I can not pressurize anything to find out? The evidence points to the weakest link in the chain, the head gasket. Also, I'm pulling the valves next week and will take a lot closer look at the head. When I pulled the head there was visibly moisture in in the cylinders and on the areas of the block and head gasket that should of separated from the oil and coolant jackets. I tested the oil cooler and it holds pressure. 15lbs for ten minutes not a drop.

Unless there is some major failing in the casting of the head I am out of ideas for points of cross contamination. Why did I only have to to give the head bolts a 90 degree turn before they were loose enough to zip out. For one, I did not oil the head bolts on installation and two the fact the engine stand was shifting around and I had to readjust each time I turned a bolt has me convinced those head bolts where not properly torqued from the get go. Given the shear volume of air this engine is displacing being turbo charged I'm keeping on the path of sub par cylinder head torqueing.

On the bright side I got the timing perfect! LOL

Also, have a new rear main seal coming. I have confirmed the old one definitely blew out. I was able to reseat the seal but I'm not taking any chances.

Connecting rod journals and crankshaft journals are still looking brand new. Engine has been sitting in my heated garage and most of the nasty coolant has dripped out.

A WISE MAN ONCE TOLD ME: A man is not great because he hasn't failed. A man is great because failure hasn't stopped him.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Forgive me if I’m stating something obvious, but are the head bolts stretch bolts and did they get replaced?

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

Forgive me if I’m stating something obvious, but are the head bolts stretch bolts and did they get replaced?

Correct, the head bolts are "TTY" Torque to Yield. They were replaced with the first round of repairs.

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

What are you thoughts on the difference in color of pistons 2 and 3 and pistons 1 and 4? Looks a lot different then cylinders 1 and 4. Look at the head exhaust ports of 2 and 3. It looks like a flat black powder coat but it's a thin layer of carbon from combustion. Cylinders 1 and 2 are wet with a residue. Sort of an oil mixture. I'm guessing gas and oil. My guess, if the coolant issue hadn't arisen then 1 and 2 plugs would of eventually completely fouled as they are coated in burnt oil residue.

Upon further inspection it's obvious to me now that oil from the valve stem seals is leaking into the cylinders and being burnt.

I'll let you know what I find when I pull the valves. New parts come next Monday. Next week is finish diagnose, clean and re assembly week for the engine!

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

New Findings...

I laid my framing square over the blocks finish cylinder surfaces from front to back direction. I can stick .0025 feeler gauge under the framing square edge on the front and the back of the engine with the framing square over the casting between the oil and coolant jackets on the left and right side of the block. With the framing square in the middle of the block lengthwise from front to back I can get a .0015" feeler gauge between the edge of the framing square and the front and back of the block.

So it seems the block has a very slight crown across the machine surfaces the cylinder head and gasket sit on.

Further inspection of the head gasket by separating the 4 ply's found that the back of the top layer and the 2nd layer down from the top have coolant visibly travelling from the coolant jacket into the oil. On the 3 and 4 layers it is barely noticeable if any.

Not sure if the block is out of spec for flatness so any information on that would be super helpful. Other than that, I think I'm narrowing down to the point of failure.

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

So decided to bring my block to the machinist and have them resurface the block too. I took off the old gasket material and smoothed with a 3m paint stripping wheel very carefully and I'm sure I didn't gouge it however, even the engine specialist said best thing to do would be to resurface the block and give myself a pristine flat surface to work with.

What's the consensus in the MB world on using copper spray a gasket high temperature gasket sealer with the head gasket? I used this product on my Audi v6 engine and never had any head gasket issues.

 

[SprinterSS]

The OEM headgasket is the best you can get. Use one of those and a light coat of the copper head seal wont hurt. Definately use new head bolts and torque just like manual sez.

If you have the head decked and the block decked you will for sure be in good shape.

 

[silvrbitcoin101]

The OEM headgasket is the best you can get. Use one of those and a light coat of the copper head seal wont hurt. Definately use new head bolts and torque just like manual sez.

If you have the head decked and the block decked you will for sure be in good shape.

Sorry for confusion. My head has been resurfaced already. The block is going to get resurfaced tomorrow. These two mating surfaces have to be perfect...

New head bolts and gasket will be here monday. I will follow the manual to the T and make sure to also lightly oil the head bolts on installation. I believe the factory torque specs also are based on the bolts being lubricated. I remember when tightening the head bolts prior I wasn't getting smooth throws of the torque wrench because of course the headbolts where dry. Never even dawned on me till later.

I'm literally concrete anchoring my engine stand to the garage floor as well. It should technically be the utmost controlled conditions!