How can I tell if a car has a cracked block? I'm looking at an 88 formula for a daily driver. Previous owner said the block was cracked. Don't have proof. I checked it out and this is what I found:

radiator's empty (far as I can see)
overflow is full of water (no AF)
oil is chocolate milk, kinda thick too

I'm wondering if it could also be a head gasket. It has the LB9 with 98K miles.

Ideas?

 

to really know you'd have to mag test it, or PT test it as well as presure testing. might be head gasket, might be a cracked block.

 

what are mag and pt testing?
is there any way i can test it without ripping it apart? it's sitting at a boneyard.

on a side note nothing was leaking when it was started.

 

Magneflux (magnatize the metal, sprinkle fine metal powder on it, powder will collect at the cracks).

Pressure test. Apply pressure, use bubble soap to look for leaks.

I've seen two different SBC's with cracks in the lifter valley. One I know had water in the oil (milky oil), the other I never had running. You could see both with the naked eye as soon as the intake manifold was removed.

Could also be a cracked/broken/corroded-through intake manifold. I doubt it's a head gasket, though.

The V6 that was originally in my car had a cracked block when I got it. Radiator level low, oil level high, rod knock. The water in the radiator was barely green, it had so little antifreeze in it. Small wonder it cracked (probably the most common cause of cracked blocks).

 

Snake-Squisher,

It's not going to freeze here in the next several days, so you should be able to fill it with water and check it in a day or two.

 

The lifter valley crack is the most common kind of freezing damage. Very, very common.

From your description, if the block wasn't already cracked, it would have had a good chance to crack in the last couple of days. Moron for an owner. It amazes me that people in colder climates think they're going to "save money" by not buying anti-freeze.

If the guy is such a fool that he allowed that to happen to his car, then who knows what other "cost saving" measures he might have applied to it.... don't pay very much for it, there's no telling how many other little cheeeeepness surprises you're likely to find.

 

Snake-Squisher :rockon:
Thanks for making me smile.
If I fill it with water is that going to tell me if there's a crack? If so then I would imagine I'd have to fill where the stat is since I sure as hell am not going to start it with that crap in the pan.

Found some 20-50 oil in the car. Not too thrilled with that. The wife ended up paying 1K for the car. The only thing it really has going for it is that it's in pretty decent shape.

If the engine's cashed I'll just end up building the 350 block that's in my basement and doing a transplant. Is the 305 crank the same as the 350 crank? My 350 block has no crank.

Finally have a new project :lala:

 

305 and 350 cranks have the same stroke. but somthing about the end of the crank makes it so they are not possible to swap. Im not sure if you can modify it to work back wards. but i remember reading somthing about it a while ago.

 

Tried filling the rad with water. It kept leaking out the bottom. Haven't looked yet to see if it's a hose, babcock, or cracked rad. I'm leaning away from a cracked block. That's what freeze plugs are for.
Later today I'll probably pull it in the garage to start looking around. It's a little cold and windy today to be working on the driveway.

 

I agree Viprklr - there are "freeze plugs", but they are really just core plugs from the factory, although if you're lucky they'll pop out if it starts freezing and expanding - but - I've seen quite a few blocks that cracked with the plugs still in and intact.

Good luck with it....

BTW..1K isn't too bad if the rest of the car's in decent shape. Hell, you could part it out and get most of that back if you had to.

 

Regarding the freeze plugs - I'll give you that.
The body has some rust along the lower portions. Understandable since the car's spent its whole life in Illinois. The interior is nearly immaculate. It even sounds good when it runs. I know it's worth the grand especially with only 98K miles. The nose clip is in perfect shape and according to the local boneyards is worth $450 alone.
I'd rather keep it. I like having 3 birds. Now I just need a 4th.

 

Same thing. The only difference is you need the ballancer and timing tab/cover for the engine the crank came out of.

 

To check if it's cracked in the bore somewhere just fill up the cooling system, take the plugs out and crank it over. It'll shoot a pretty good splash of water out the plug hole of the cracked cylinder. Of course, this could also mean that the head gasket in that cylinder has breeched into the water jacket for whatever reason.

Cracks in the lifter valley are pretty easy to see with the naked eye if you yank the intake.

Unless the previous owner yanked the intake/heads he can't say for sure the block is cracked. He's just guessing (unless he knows he froze the motor- then it's still guessing, but a good guess).

 

Started ripping into it last night. I'd forgotten how much crap is under the hood. I'm so used to having all that removed.
I'll keep you guys updated. Thanks for the help so far.

 

So, what have we learned?

If you though it was cold the other day, wait until the weekend....

Are you inside or out?

 

Inside now. Had to put the 00 TA out in the weather. Of course the GTA had to stay in the garage.

Until I get the intake off I'm not going to know much. Got a new radiator since I found one of the end tanks was cracked and leaking. I'm assuming this is how the engine broke.

I imagine I'll have all AIR, Smog, and the intake off by sometime tomorrow. Figure while I'm at it I'll beautify some things.

 

Can't believe how much crap I'm finding in this car. When I drained the oil it came oozing out of the pan. The filter....it was practically mud. Good idea to get an oil pump?
I also found the outbound coolant nipple on the throttle body was snapped. I also found that the water neck was broken. All aluminum parts. Wonder what's gonna happen when I actually pull the manifold. Is it gonna come off in one or more pieces.

Sheesh.

 

Bad news. The block is cracked. Looks like I'll be researching 305's and 350's with tpi or carb. Do I build the 350 in my basement or buy a rebuilt/new longblock. Dunno.