Technical MY WATER BROKE

So I am rapidly approaching the greatly anticipated start up of my flathead and making final preparations; oil, fuel, wiring, water. It is regard to the latter that my morning was ruined, or at least rained on. I had almost 3 gallons of H2O in the radiator when I heard the sound of water hitting the garage floor, flowed by water running down my leg as I pissed myself. My knowledge of flatheads is in it's infancy so I turn to my trusted on the HAMB.

The water leak (calling it a leak is inaccurate, it comes out as fast as you pour it in), seems to be coming from under the front right cylinder head. I did not assemble the motor and trust me, he who did shall be visited early Monday morning by a hot headed flathead owner. The motor is an 8BA, Navarro blower heads. Is there a water jacket hole at the front of that motor under the head near the front? Wrong gasket? What the hell is going on here? It literally is like turning on a hose, that much water careening over the headers. No water in the oil, no water around the thermostat housing, no water on the intake, no water leak at the right water pump, I think is a gusher from under the head.

 

I believe you will find a small 1/8" or 1/4" NPT tapped hole at each lower front corner (side) of the block. They usually have pipe plugs in them, but are a good place to put petcocks too. You won't overlook them next time

Ray

 

Billy
You are pretty close to Earl Floyd aren't you.

 

Ray, I got her all plugged up. I tried it again to see where the water comes from, this time I watched while the Mrs. poured. It is running out from under the head by the distributer. I would jerk the head off (that sounded weird) and see whats going on but I paid to have it built so the machine shop can fix their error.

Doug, I don't know him. I know the name, Slo Pok, NHRA Hall of Famer, but I don't recall having met him.

 

That's me but I'm no Hall of Famer am I?

 

He's in Battle Ground.

 

8ba block with 59a heads and 59 pumps...( Note two plugs)

 

Billy I hope your water problem is a small one and you can be cruizin soon. Keep us updated. Bruce.

 

Last time I head MY WATER BROKE was April 12,1977 at about 5:30 AM and my wife was standing in the hall in a pool of water.

Later on that evening she gave birth to twin girls. HRP

 

>>>calling it a leak is inaccurate, it comes out as fast as you pour it in>>>

May be obvious but just in case, there should not be just one, but two big bottom radiator hoses too!

Jack E/NJ

 

That jewelry engine is headed back to the machine shop?

 

If you look at my picture above and you have 8ba heads.. It is possible you have a 59 gasket in there and it is coming out that hole I have plugged in mine which would be right by the distributor

 

Jack, you are bustin my balls. I literally laughed out loud, wife thinks I've been drinking. I have but that is besides the point. Yes, I figured out the 2 bottom hose configuration.

Thirtytwo, headed out to take a closer look for that plug.

SloPok, you're a HAMB hall of famer in my book.

Back in a few.

 

What I meant was if your running 8 BA heads but have the 59 a gasket that steam hole will not be sealed but the head will be covering wher it's leaking see this stocker ?... That little joggle in the head by the distributor is the spot wher my plug is.. Sorry for the poor pics and explanation ..

 

I cant see any plugs on either side. Hard to get in there but this is the right head, distributor on the right for coordinates.

Sorry about the dust, been a busy car builder. I need to get the engine started and then tear it apart for paint if I get to drive it this summer.
Got a plug in the water pumps on both sides that are secure.

Drivers side gots no plugs either

another shot of the left side

If its got plugs they are under the heads and out of view. I'm thinking if he forgot the right side plug then the left side is missing as well. This aint right.

 

Is the head itself tightened down properly?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

Ray>>>I believe you will find a small 1/8" or 1/4" NPT tapped hole at each lower front corner (side) of the block. They usually have pipe plugs in them, but are a good place to put petcocks too. You won't overlook them next time >>>

OK, if not a missing hose, then look directly behind the water pump for a missing 1/4" mpt plug in the block. Near the pan rail.

Jack E/NJ

 

The 8 BA heads cover up that area.. It is a water jacket ... Mine is visible because it is a 59 head which is smaller , I used that pic to illustrate the fact if you have a 59 gasket on a 8ba that hole will not be sealed ... If you run 59 heads on a late block that hole needs to be plugged because the head is smaller

If you are loosing water from that exact area where my plug is... My guess is wrong head gaskets

 

Is the water leaking between the head and block right by the dist.?

 

Unfortunately, that makes perfect sense. You guys are amazing with the information. I will share this with the machine shop on Monday. I can not thank you all enough.

 

Thanks for the great info.

 

thirtytwo>>>Is the water leaking between the head and block right by the dist.? >>>

What's the OP's answer to this question? Is it between the head and block? Or someplace else?

Jack E/NJ

 

Looks like he has an 8BA with the early style heads. I read the ins and outs of how to do that a while back in a thread on here I think but couldn't say what

 

Jack, that is correct, the water is leaking between the block and the head near the distributor. Even though I didn't assemble I may disassemble it as the curiosity is killing me. Gotta go take mama to brunch, may do some investigative wrenching when I get home.

 

If you do that, it may void the warranty.

 

Sad but true.
So what's a fella to do?

Haul the entire car back to the machine shop?

Yank the engine and haul it back to the shop?

Drag the machinist over to the car?

Fix it yourself ?

Anyone of those options is going to cost time, effort, and money. You'd think that if the shop built the entire engine that they would have ran it before delivery.

Hauling the car so they can see water go in radiator and come out of block seems childish. However pulling the engine will probably leave them in a position where they can't get water and pressure in the block to see or test - now that's an assumption based on them not already doing so.

 

Lol-
Maybe that approach needs some refinement

 

Find out what the shop will or will not do for you, BEFORE you get into it yourself.

 

AND find out quick they plan to look into - it may sit in a corner for a couple months and if that's the case then get on here and blast the guy's name all over the place.