I think that what Bill just said was exacltly my thinking for few reasons:
amount of water
water that I found in at least 1 cyl. on the even side (from intake
manifold?)
standing clear water in the lifter valley beside some slugde (below the
intake)
clean water in the oil filter (not mixed) that indicates that water was
getting there almost straight (with a block crack you would rather
expect it in the oil pan in the form of sludge, right?)
good compression test

Possibilities:
crack of the intake and leaking water ports between the intake and cyl.
heads

Again pressure test with a dye would be the best (like Magnaflux stuff
Zyglo, Spotcheck etc.). Cheapest and conclusive.


"Billgran" wrote in message
news

Terry Haywood wrote in message
...
On Sat, 08 May 2004 19:19:59 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:


Yes, I removed those drain plugs from both sides of the block and left
them out. Also drained the exhaust things and pulled off the cooling
water hoses from the water pump.

It's the same thing I have done for the past few years, don't know
what is different. Agree it sounds like a cracked block.




Just above the circulation pump, on the front of the intake manifold,
there
is a pipe plug that has to be removed to drain trapped water on late model
4.3L engines. Was this done? Many mechanics are not aware of this drain if
they have not attended a training seminar or a factory school concerning
this engine.

The bottom of the intake manifold cracks from the freezing water and when
you fire it up the following spring, cooling water flows thru the crack
and
right into the lifter valley, and down to the oil pan. Your best bet is to
pull the manifold and that way you can check for cracks in it and also
inspect the lifter valley walls for freeze cracks.

Bill Grannis
service manager