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Jim Kelly
 
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Default Ford 351 OMC Taking on Water (Water in oil)

You are mistaken about the water pump. Unlike small block Chevys, small block
Fords use a water pump design that has a common gasket with water and oil for
timing chain lubrication passing through. If this gasket fails, you will get
water in the oil.

Lawrence James wrote:

Do any of the piston tops look particularly clean? If water is getting in
through the combustion chamber or exhaust manifolds the water will often
scour the top of some of the pistons real clean. It is unusual for the head
gaskets to just leak between the water and oil passages. Usually they blow
out from the combustion chamber. I'm guessing it's pretty old since it's a
351. Is it possible it froze last winter? Did it over heat badly at any
time? You can check the heads and block surface with a good steel straight
edge. I use one of those steel drafting rulers.

Water pump can not get water in the oil. The block, heads, head gasket, and
intake gasket are the only places that water and oil passages are in
proximity to each other. Water can also leak into the exhaust manifolds or
risers, then run down into the cylinders. There it will leak past the ring
gaps to the oil pan. Usually there are signs of water inside the exhaust or
in the cylinders. Cracks in the block will be on the insides of the
cylinder banks if the water is getting in the oil. That is the only place
there is water in the block. They are usually not too hard to spot on a
disassembled engine.

"DMU" wrote in message
...
I have a 93 model OMC (Cobra) IO. 5.8 Liter (351) Ford...
I have an issue with water emulsion. I have taken the heads off, exhaust,
intake and
even though there is water all over, there is no direct indication that

the
head gaskets
are blown or any of the top engine components being damaged. Except for

the
possibility of a cracked block, does anyone else have a idea how the water
could
be getting in? Is the water pump a suspect?

Any help at all would be appreciated.

Dave