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Blown head or block 454

4198 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  dgcantrellsr
I searched but could not find a specific topic on this. I was diving my rv with a 454 4-bolt main and Turbo 400, crossed RR tracks and going up hill (5mph) and the engine made a loud racket.To sum it up, bent push exhaust push rod, all 4 cylinders on pass side had water in them and get this, if you got the oil plug removed from the pan, the water you pour in the radiator comes out the plug hole as fast as you pour it in! (yes Im pouring it in the radiator) I suspect a cracked block, but others think it may be a head gasket. Wouldn't the rings slow the water down alittle? What ya'll think? Thanks
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Sounds more like it broke a rod and it popped a hole in a cylinder wall...? :pain:

Sorry dude been there done that... :(
Could be a lot of things. The head gasket if blown in the right place could dump water directly into the oil. Pull the head on the bad side and examine the gasket and cylinders.
Could also be the intake gasket dumping water into the engine.
I think I'd have to go with Bumpstick. I doubt that a blown head gasket would dump water into the crankcase as rapidly as you indicate. It usually requires the sytem to be under pressure for water to start leaking into the oil. I'm afraid you have what they call a "catastrophic failure". I would probaby focus on the cylinder that had the bent pushrod. I'm not sure about the area under the engine, but I would pull the pan first. It could save you a bunch of unneccesary work. If a rod broke or something else that holed the block, it is unlikely to be retrieveable without an expense that would be more than another engine. At that point I would start looking for another engine and let the rest of it be. After you swap it, you might want to open it up and see if a head or something is saveable for a spare or resale.
I would like your advice here. I can buy a "over the counter" engine for @ $2200 +600 core, or I could have "Joe mechanic" build me one(no price yet)Are there any rebuild bussness' out there worth a Darn? What would a ball park $ be to have one rebuilt? (completely stock)Being a 32'RV, this is not something I want to do again.Thanks for your advice.
Squirt
leak down test

leakdown that engine to find where the leak is
Head gasket would not leak that fast.......You got a hole in the block somewhere.
I was thinking that a hole in a cylinder wall would not dump into all 4 cyliners on one side. The broken pushrod is a clue that it may be an upper cylinder issue. If the headgasket faied and the cylinder filled with enough water to prevent the valve from being able to open, it could reak a push rod easily.
It is all speculation until you pull the intake and a head to see what the problem is. It may not be bad enough to replace the engine. Spend a few hours and open it up. Just pulling the intake may tell the story.
squirt said:
I searched but could not find a specific topic on this. I was diving my rv with a 454 4-bolt main and Turbo 400, crossed RR tracks and going up hill (5mph) and the engine made a loud racket.To sum it up, bent push exhaust push rod, all 4 cylinders on pass side had water in them and get this, if you got the oil plug removed from the pan, the water you pour in the radiator comes out the plug hole as fast as you pour it in! (yes Im pouring it in the radiator) I suspect a cracked block, but others think it may be a head gasket. Wouldn't the rings slow the water down alittle? What ya'll think? Thanks
Its very unlikely that a blown head gasket would bend a pushrod,more like valve dropped and busted piston whick in turn cracked cylinder or rod came loose and hit valve and cracked cylinder, may have just busted head, anyway it looks like it will have to come out, and it is easier to work on the motor once it is removed.
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