Hot Rods What are the symptoms of a cracked block?

Hi guys,
I have a 24 stud 59A and here's what it's doing..
when it get hot (didn't used to do this until recently) it starts misfiring (could be caused by a bad dizzy, working on it..) and also lacks in power. It tends to get hot quicker than it used to, (again maybe the dizzy..) now here's the kicker... I get a lot of foam/bubbles when I run the engine at higher speed/rpm. Then the foam gets out through the overflow tube. (I'm running an original pressurless 1940 rad) so the more bubbles forms in there the more come out the overflow tube.
Now I know a lot of people will say if it foams your block is cracked. But wouldn't I have coolant in my oil or my plugs would get wet or my engine wouldn't run good even when cold..??? I mean a crack is a crack and warm or cold it'll still leak..? Bad head gasket/s ?
Inputs please
Thanks!




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If its blowing white out the tail pipe its steam.A radiator shop can check your cooling system for signs of exhaust gases. IF it has one of these you will have to pull a head to see if its a gasket blown,or a crack.

 

Foam in the coolant usually means exhaust gases are getting into the water jacket, either thru a crack or faulty head gasket. The exhaust gases are at a much higher pressure than the coolant, that's why you are seeing water in the oil.

 

Forgot to mention.. No water in the oil


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I'm not a flathead guru, but it depends on where the crack (or blown gasket) is located to determine which substance is transferred, i.e. oil, coolant, or compression. If your getting bubbles, my bet is that you're putting compression into your water jacket. Which is causing it to run like crap and add more heat to the equation. Easiest thing would be to pull your heads and have a look in my opinion. But I'm a bodyman

 

You can buy the detection kit at NAPA for about $44.00. You would probably spend that, or more, having it tested. Then you will have the kit.

 

You can run it and get it up to temp then with the radiator cap on and tight take the over flow tube and put in into a bottle of water keep the hose in the water and see if you are getting bobbles. If you are speed the R P M's up and see if the bobbles get worse. If so time to look and head gasket or head. Good luck

 

That's a great idea ! Thanks, I'll try that !!!


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Put a cheap latex or whatever you have over the radiator neck and start it. If the glove swells up immediately, you have a combustion leak into the coolant. I had an OT car like that and put in a tube of Block Saver powder and got 5k more miles out of it, yours may be beyond that point.

 

Take off the water pump belt cold, take off the radiator cap and start it up. Should be no bubbles.

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I did the hose on the overflow tube in the water trick and had 0 bubbles. But when I open the rad cap. There is some bubbles but I think it's from the water coming out from the heads and splashing in the radiator tank. At lower idle it's a nice even flow without bubbles. I don't have thermostats. Maybe I should put some on to reduce the flow?


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Did you try re-torquing the heads? Might be worth looking into. A compression and leakage tester are good for this kinda thing. It sucks tearing shit down, not seeing anything and having to put it back together to test stuff.


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A cracked block or head wont necessarily end up with foamy chocolate colored oil if it's cracked in the right spot, and the crack is small. It can lose water, run hot, and even have some steamy white smoke out the tailpipe. Might have some white corrosion looking crystals on the spark plug for the affected cylinder too.
Once it gets bad enough, you might see the foamy oil. Check your coolant level in the radiator, and the spark plugs. Low on coolant, with no leaks means it's burning it out the tailpipe.

 

I think it's mostly coming out the overflow tube. (Keep in mind I'm running an original split rad atmospheric pressure). I've checked the plugs and they're all light brown rusty coloured pretty much all the same across de board.
Compression test turned out good as well.
No white sweet smelling smoke that would indicate a failed head gasket or cracked exhaust valve seat/cylinder.



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Anyone here know where the thermostats go on a 59A ?? Do they sit right in the head coolant hose neck???


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Clogged radiator, maybe? Making the water pumps cavitate?

Trying to think of something that's NOT a cracked block or head gasket.

dv

 

Maybe it can be magnafluxed?

 

They sit right in the neck on the head. No housing like an 8BA.


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Hey Birdman ,
That can probably be saved,,,,,they say that new Flex Seal stuff is awesome !

Tommy

 

Grab a Lisle 75500 test kit and find out for sure. With all the head gaskets fails with aluminum heads it is a must have tool

 

yes I looked in the rad and noticed a lot of stuff on top of the tubes. I'll take it out this weekend and flush it backwards.

 

So I took the rad out last night and there was nothing but the thermostat top ring left on both sides. now for the rad... looking down into the filler neck and both inlet tubes, a lot of the tubes have rust chips and crap stuck in them.. some of it was metal as I was able to pick some of them out with a magnet. I flushed the rad a couple times and pushed some water through it with the blow gun and it seem to get a lot of that crap out. I'll call the local radiator shop today to see if they can do to get rid of the rest of that stuff … but at this point it seems like I got quite a bit out. I might be ok with two new thermostat and it cleaned...

 

That's why kjvma131's post suggested removing the drive belt and testing with the engine cold.

 

When you put the thermostats on top of the necks, they might want to get crooked and cocked in the hoses above. I made a short bit of tube that is tight inside the hose, and sits above the thermostat. One extra hose clamp keeps the tube in place.

 

Yeah I was wondering what kept the thermostat in place.

 

I placed a hose on the overflow tube and ran the car with the rad cap on and placed the tube in a pot of water. there was no bubbles. there is no pressure being built in the radiator. that's why I pulled the rad out last night. I noticed a lot of stuff on top of the tubes... I think DAVIDVILLAJR got it right.

 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A CRACKED BLOCK?

Depression, anger, frustration, loss of funding, alcohol abuse, fits of rage, lost tools or parts from fits of rage due to throwing shit, unwanted words of support like "...it'll be ok...", unavailable replacement parts...

 

LOL!!!

 

And that's the bright side.

 

***UPDATE***
Put the rad back on after flushing it, most of the stuff came out (laid it flat on the ground and filled with water then pushed air through with the compressor and blasted everything out) installed two new 180° Thermostats and went for a drive this morning. No bubbles or foam in my rad after the ride, stayed full and stayed normal operating temperature.
Problem solved !!
Thanks everyone


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