Never been so frustrated

[Bitch'nBronco]

I've never been to the point where I'm thinking about letting the bronco sit broken for a while. I swapped 85 mustang heads from a running driving bronco onto my 302 after I had enough issues with my old 71 torino heads and not a lot of money to throw at it. I installed them what I believed to be correctly (super clean surfaces, gaskets facing the correct direction, torqued using the torque sequence in my Chiltons manual ) and during the first drive I got overheating issues, radiator half drained with milkshake. The Bronco never had overheating issues before I swapped heads.


After inspecting the intake gasket, it looked like my old style water passage on my intake wasn't sealing correctly and I assumed it was what was letting all of the coolant into the oil... so I ordered another intake, thermostat and gasket set.


I installed them this weekend and took it for a drive today, it held temp great after I bled the system again (185-195ish) and then I checked the radiator and oil after it cooled down... milkshake again and the radiator was half drained. When I was bleeding the system before I drove it I had filled the system with a no spill funnel, modulating the throttle and got most of the bubbles out but they never really stopped.


My guess is that I did something wrong when installing the head gaskets. I don't think its the heads fault, I think I may have had some dirt or foreign debris contaminate the mating surfaces between my heads, block and new felpro head gaskets. I know I need to do a leak down to find out which head its from (maybe both, I don't know). But I'm so mad I'm just going to let it sit. Wasted another oil change, coolant, gaskets, time, money... I'm tired. Not really asking for help, just needed to vent.

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[RODRIG3911]

Keep your head up Airborne, that type of crap happens to me and my Bronco at least one a year since I've owned it, and I bet it's the same for damn near everyone with an old Bronco unfortunately. It extremely frustrating!!! but you'll get it once you cool off and find out what's causing it

I had a small hole in my 9" housing last year. I trying welding it, and make the f'ing old bigger and gear oil was leaking out big time!.. It turned into a shit show. I ended up having to replace my housing after screwing with it for days and jacked up my newly epoxy garage floors with POR15. Good luck Brotha

 

[tk1218]

I had the milk shack issue also

I had installed 1 of the head gaskets wrong with the open passage on the back/front of the engine. Can’t remember which is correct

 

[Rangerbj]

Last night I watch a car show that had the same problem with an engine. It turned out it was the baffle in the intake manifold that was preventing a good seal. They did a leak down test too. Their oil looked like chocolate milk.

Stepping back and taking a break was a very smart thing to do. I do that often too with my Bronco repairs. Goes with the territory.

 

[76YETI]

And....I thought I was the only shit magnet!

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

Lol I appreciate the replies. Its super frustrating, a bunch of late nights and a punch to the wallet in the process. I guess after reading what you all have said I should be grateful since I haven't really had anything sideline the bronco like this before. Its always been something small that I can fix in an afternoon. Trying to decide now if I try to fix it myself or save up and pay somebody. Really don't want to pay somebody but at this point my confidence has taken a hit and don't want to do this all a second time only to wind up with another milkshake machine.

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[blubuckaroo]

When you pull the heads next time, crank the engine so you can examine the cylinder walls.
These are thin castings. You could have a crack.

 

[jamesroney]

Hey, I can't find your number in my phone. We are back from vacation. Give me a call, and we will get you back on the road!

james.

 

[Rustytruck]

You did change the oil filter? I got a pinto once with water in the oil and changed head gaskets the guy put in new oil but didn't change the filter. contaminated new oil and he gave up.

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

Hey, I can't find your number in my phone. We are back from vacation. Give me a call, and we will get you back on the road!



james.

Will do James, thanks

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[Bitch'nBronco]

You did change the oil filter? I got a pinto once with water in the oil and changed head gaskets the guy put in new oil but didn't change the filter. contaminated new oil and he gave up.

Yes I've changed the filter twice. The low coolant correlates to the now overfilled oil pan.

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[Bitch'nBronco]

When you pull the heads next time, crank the engine so you can examine the cylinder walls.

These are thin castings. You could have a crack.

I will check, just to be clear I didn't have any overheating problems before I swapped heads. I've got maybe 10 miles on the rig since the head swap and the new intake (changed the oil after the head swap, found milkshake, changed the oil and replaced the intake... milkshake again).

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[spap]

No help on this side that hasn’t been said already.
At least you live in one of the most beautiful places

Good luck, I have found it helpful to walk a way for a little. Just don’t wait too long

 

[pcf_mark]

I would pressurize the cooling system (15 psi) and see what you can observe without the engine running. Do you hear it hissing or bubbling in the valve covers or any cylinders (plugs out)? Lots of places for water to leak when you take the heads and intake off.

 

[jmhend]

I will check, just to be clear I didn't have any overheating problems before I swapped heads. I've got maybe 10 miles on the rig since the head swap and the new intake (changed the oil after the head swap, found milkshake, changed the oil and replaced the intake... milkshake again).

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Oh man.... this sucks. I had a lot of ideas which is easy to do when its not your money and mental health that is suffering along the way.

I will throw out the obvious and no harm in saying checked all of that or oh hmmm....

Thermostat?
Cracked head?


The milkshake twice is throwing me off.

Still melting brain cells.......yeah I got nothin. I do like the suggestion of pressure testing but not sure the issue will be obvious if / when you lose pressure. You know the water is getting into the oil but how / why.... right?

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[Bitch'nBronco]

New thermostat and thermostat housing. No leaks from there and the thermostat is functioning as it should.

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[anoblefox]

The engine was built in 92 and 8 years ago the fel pro 1250 intake gaskets failed.
About 10 days ago I noticed a dripping coolant leak. The coolant reservoir was down just a bit so I topped off. The next day we were on a dirt road and the temp got to 220; I put it in low range and kept the rpm at 2k and it cooled right down and we headed home. There was no coolant in reservoir and I tried unsuccessfully to determine leak source. I ordered a new water pump but thought I would do a flush then refill with plain water to get flush stuff out so that on dis-assembly I would be dealing with plain water. After installing the new water pump I drove a short bit to get all the air out. The leak was still there, so I rented a pressure tester and the leak appeared to come from behind the water pump. I pulled the oil dipstick and sure enough it was a bit high with water in the oil. I have worked on SB Fords for over 50 years but have not ever personally had a timing case leak like this on one that I assembled, until now. The flush must have wiped out what was a small external leak of coolant and sent it into the crankcase as well. Lessons learned for this old man.

 

[Rustytruck]

Another place to check for commonality with water and oil is the timing chain cover, an internal leak there can find oil. cant check it without taking it off. its worse than head and intake. I would check that first before blowing a hundred dollars worth of head gaskets again.