239 flathead help

Hi all
I have a 239 flathead in a 53 Coe. All seems to be original. Started to put some speedway headers on it today and when I removed the p***enger side exhaust manifold it started to drip coolant out of the middle exhaust port. Any ideas or am I SOL? Any input would help

 

Sounds like crack in exhaust port or valve seat area.

 

Yea, bad news there. Antifreeze and combustion chambers don't mix.

 

This truck is new to the road after 30+ years of sitting. Truck runs strong. No water or very very little missing out of the radiator

 

Hope against hope there's a bad seal on the head gasket? There's a big coolant p***age just above and between the middle two cylinders...

 

I don't think it was leaking untill I removed the exhaust manifold. Could I have cracked the block by removing the bolt?

 

Would compression test help ?

 

I recall when I was building my flathead that some of the bolt holes weren't "blind" holes. In other words, they were open into the water jacket and if the manifold bolts were too long they could contact and crack the cylinder wall when tightened. Could be something to look at. Just sayin' --

Bob

 

When I was putting headers on mine the thread don,t seem to go deep and wanted to make sure they didn,t bottom out.Someone maybe of tapped in more in to water jack.When you get the manfold off look at hole and may just put some sealer and put back together.