Ok, this is a first time for me...wrist deep in an engine that is. I'm not new to camaros/firebirds, had 5, been thru them all. They were v6's, and this is my first v8. Not entirely different i know, but i haven't been this far yet, so be gentle if this is just completely asinine(sp).

I have to do an intake swap due to a broken bolt of the thermostat housing, typical i hear, anyways, about 3 hours later after carefully documenting and measuring bolts and labeling brackets and making my own diagram if need be for re-assembly. Anyways, got the intake off, had to tilt to the side because i'm lazy and didn't want to remove the alternator to move the fuel lines that carry underneath the alternator. Anyways i'm sure i would have spilt a little anti-freeze in anyways, but i see the anti freeze in the oil, so you don't need to tell me to do an oil change, i see that's needed.

My question leads to the side walls of the block right below the heads. I see trails of nasty gritty crap going down into the well and i'm not sure if i should be worried. When i took the bolts out...the outer eight...four by the firewall and the four up front were fine...but the four in the middle were drenched in oil...should i be worried?! I did some research but per pictures it is a bit case sentitive and i couldn't find anything really pertaining to this.

Anyone that has done this type of engine work, what do you suggest...can i clean it really well and put some RTV silicone in there?? Should i even bother? With the oil change, is there a flush that i can do at this point? I know i only spilled a couple of ounces of anti-freeze as i pulled the intake out, most of it came out the front into the pan i had, but i a little did escape and i assume thats what's seen the the following pictures. I'll be sure once i do the oil change. Any suggestions and insite into this would be great. I really don't want to do a head job...and the car drove fine before, ran rich which i believe was due to a potentially bad CTS, and the fan didn't kick in so i'm in the process of trying to replace the Radiator Fan Switch, other than that, she idle'd okwardly i'm assuming due to the CTS, but normal for the most part, just dipped low once in a while, and the okwardly long start ups, but other than that, she ran strong, had a lot of pull and was fine before, so as far as the heads leaking (if they are, like i said i don't know much thats why i'm asking) it did have great compression for whats looking to be an original motor/parts going on 150K. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Jon

 

one more, also noticed what looks like the paint on the rods are also coming off. just another observation. I know i obvioulsy have to get the foreign matter out of there also. Again thanks for the time and any suggestions!

 

I don't see anything unusual or worrisome there. Looks kind of typical for an old motor that hasn't seen sufficient regular maintenance, but not too tragic.

That's not paint on the push rods, it's just yerbasic engine sludge.

After you get it back together, run a quart of ATF in the oil for the next few oil changes. It'll eat all that right off of there. In fact, it'll eat so much so fast, you'll probably have to change the oil within a thousand miles, from it getting so thick and full of that schmutz. Monitor it closely and change it before it gets so much of it dissolved that it clogs up the filter. Keep a quart of ATF in the oil until the oil lasts a full oil change without getting all black and chunky from that stuff getting cleaned out.

Take off the alternator. It's 2 bolts, 1 wire, and 1 plug. 15 seconds or something. Leaving it on is NOT a good idea. You're doing three times as much work trying to get out of doing that tiny bit of work, as the work you think you're "saving". After you put it back on that way and you can't get it right (which is what will happen) and it leaks and you have to do the whole job AGAIN, that'll change to doing about 15 times as much work as what you think you're "saving". Might seem like a good idea, but isn't.

 

I've seen much worse without needing head/block work.

 

ok thanks guys, i saw the sludge and grit, and i wasn't worried, but seeing it line down like that and the center four bolts being drenched in oil i didn't know what to make of it. Thanks!!