Yesterday I went out to the boat to run a test on the engine. The test consisted of nothing more than pulling the exhaust header off a couple of inches so I could see inside the exhaust ports. The coolant has been disappearing all on its own overnight, and we had thought there was a good possibility that it was a faulty exhaust header due to a weld I had done previously. This would have cost $1,000 to replace, but at this point I’d gladly take any answer just so I could fix it and be done with it. Unfortunately this was not it. The exhaust ports were dry and remained dry overnight despite the coolant disappearing into the oil pan.
Tomorrow another mechanic is coming out to do some pressure testing and see if we can find something that way. More and more I think we’re all leaning towards a cracked head as the only solution that makes sense, despite the fact that it was checked already.
Also, I really need to mention this because it’s been guessed at as the engine problem by at least a hundred people—the oil cooler is raw-water cooled. It is not the problem here. It would have been nice, as that would be a simple fix, but it’s not the oil cooler.
The other day I was in the mechanic’s office talking to the secretary when she suddenly tilted her head and said I look just like so-and-so the torero. She then googled this famous bull fighter and proceeded to click on every single close-up to prove her point. I would love to go around town impersonating a bull fighter. I’m shopping for a cape now.
Tonight a waiter at a place we go to fairly regularly asked me if I played baseball. As in, “Do you play for the Venados?” Apparently the waiters had all been huddling together trying to figure out who I was and this is what they concluded must be the answer. It’s a great guess too—I walk around with a beautiful wife and a baseball cap on, what else could I be?
We have been in Mazatlan a long time.
Also, do the Mazatlan Venados have a lot of thirty-nine year-old gringos on the team? Is this why they are 14-16? Google search turns up this bit of awesomeness—Fernando Valenzuela is my teammate. In addition to the cape, I’m now shopping for a Mazatlan Venados jersey.
Ouest coming back down off the roof.
We had dinner with some new Bum friends tonight, and to Ouest’s great delight they brought along a five-year-old girl. It’s always nice meeting up with internet friends, but in the future I’d like to request that you all show up with a girl Ouest’s age.
17 Comments on “The Bull Fighter”
Great foto of the two together…another one to be framed.
My money says you have two problems. The milky stuff is caused by a leaky oil cooler and the white exhaust and coolant loss are caused by a leaky heat exchanger. Hot anti freeze blowing out with the raw water will give you white exhaust smoke.
Problem with that is that we had both of these cleaned and pressure tested. You’d have to assume that the shop was wrong on not one, but two things.
Great pics of the girls.
Hope all goes well with the engine today. Good luck!
Mark and Cindy
Put an old Volkswagen motor in that thing. No more coolant problems, and you already know how to work on them 🙂
I once heard of a bacteria in the diesel that was making everything like jelly. Not sure it´d be what you describes, though.
Interesting, if you are losing coolant into the crankcase just sitting overnight you must have a pretty big crack in the head/block somewhere. Assuming the expansion tank is higher than both, gravity is doing its job. There are fluorescent dyes that can be added to the coolant which may make finding the leak easier:
http://www.acdelco.com/parts/vehicle-maintenance/mechanical-repair/coolant-system-fluorescent-tracer-dye/
Paul T
Here’s some more armchair mechanic input, sorry if this annoys some of the commentors, but it’s really meant to help you get back on your way so I can read about more boating adventures. As you’ve probably figured out yourself, the problem can only be with the head, head gasket, block, or the manifold. These are the only items where a leak could let coolant enter the oil. You’ve eliminated the manifold, and the head was recently tested. That leaves you with a cracked block or a bad head gasket installation, which happens often. A lot of aftermarket head gaskets fail right away. Or require RTV (caulk) when the OEM gasket don’t and the mechanic doesn’t know this. Don’t try to start the engine to warm it up for a compression test. If there is coolant in one of the cylinders and the others fire up you could wreck the engine in a multitude of ways, when maybe all you need is another head gasket. Coolant is non-compressable, so somehting has got to give. It’s most likley the head gasket. This is consistent with it running okay right after the new one was installed and then getting worse over time. Considering that your manifold has been repaired you should really replace the manifold and exhaust elbow anyway. I know they are expensive but if they are both of the same vintage they will almost certainly fail soon. An interior leak in the manifold will let coolant into your cylinders, and an interior leak in the elbow will let a little sea water trickle onto your valves and drip into the cylinders through whichever exhaust valves are open every time you shut the engine off. I wouldn’t trust a sea water cooled elbow for more than 5 to 7 years. The manifold should last longer since it’s not exposed to seawater.
Hi Pat,
A few years ago I had a GMC 1/2 ton truck with a 4.3 litter V6 engine. It was diagnosed with a blown head gasket, but after the shop installing 2 new head gaskets on the same cylinder head, a hairline crack was discovered in the bore of the cylinder block. It may not be a cracked head but a cracked block, specially if the head was crack tested. Getting the head re crack tested by a competent shop should eliminate it, if it is indeed not cracked.
The crack was extremely hard to see, and could be felt by running a finger nail over it. I hope it is something less serious, but this should be considered as this is very frustrating for you.
Good luck. I really enjoy reading your blog.
Don.
There are a few other maybe’s to consider. for instance, IF the block has been resurfaced or the head bolt holes have been pulled/distorted/improperly countersunk, they could contribute to a poor mating surface. Over torqueing can cause a minor surface imperfection, dimpling the block so to speak. Often a new set of eyes and fingers solves the problem.
Good Luck !
PS I am unfamiliar with a silicone adhered head gasket technique…
Yep, believe or not some of the aftermarket head gasket makers specify using a thin film of high temp copper RTV to seal the gasket.
Pat,
The pressure test is the way to go, if that comes up negative though then I would suspect that the head is warped and needs to be machined. I seem to recall that when you first got the boat or around that time that you had to replace a bolt on the block and had to possibly drill it out. Am I remembering this correctly? Depending on where that bolt is if it were drilled out incorrectly the water leak could be there, but that should show up in the pressure test.
Good luck!
Will Museler
I have some more two cents to be added. Since the coolant flows into the oil pan over night and the engine does run ok, no hydro lock yet, why is everyone calling for a compression test? If the crack, if it is a crack, was in the area of compression, wouldn’t the coolant flow into the cylinder(s) and lead to hydro locking? I predict the compression test will be normal. Engine runs fine. Can the crack be internal of the head/block, between the coolant jacket and oil pathways and since its internal it would be non-detectable visually.
Not a compression test but a pressure test of the coolant system. This will show if there is a crack in the block or head. Or if the head is warped and not making a complete seal.
As a regular eade of your site, and in light of the above comments . . . I regret to inform you that you have (officially) entered Engine Repair HELL. Been there, done that. The only uplifting thing I can say at this point, is that you WILL eventually solve the problem. This then entitles you to pontificate to other such nfortunate souls for the rest of your lives. At least you can take comfort in that.
BTW your kids have got to be the best thing that has ever happened between Mexico and the U.S. Out there each and every day playing the good little Diplomats. Carry on!
I would wear the hat sideways and get some gold chains and jewelry and wear them on the outside of your shirt. Doesn’t hurt a thing to stand out as being rich in Mexico while you are out and about.
As for the engine I hope it’s fixed soon because Ali has really been shortchanged in the picture department lately and I do love the technical and boat stuff.
Also just noticed that the zazzle store has a black friday 20% off deal today only in the Bum Tees store.
Hi Pat and Ali (and kids),
I’ve contacted you all before. My daughter is also 3 and had a hemangioma on her face as well and got the same treatment that your daughter did.
Well, we are in La Paz and heading to Mazatlan right after Thanksgiving. Give or take. Weather has been screwy. Wondering if you guys were going to be around and want to meet? We have three kids with us, Sam is 3, Ben is 8, and Max is 16.
Best
Marcus