The ol' Tahoe is down for the count - coolant in cylinder(s)

After 376K faithful miles, the 6.5L in my Tahoe has finally had a major issue. Without any warning, she started blowing a lot of sweet-smelling steam out the tailpipe, and coolant is getting in the cylinder(s) causing it to hyrdolock after shutting it off.

Everything was perfectly normal this evening, and then I stopped for fuel. Upon filling up and attempting to restart the engine, the starter cranked her over for a second and then stopped cranking. I thought it was odd, but figured it was just the starter getting old. I cranked her again, and this time the engine started, but started knocking loudly for a few seconds. That was really odd. She started running normally, so I pulled away from the fuel pumps, looked in my mirror, and saw a huge cloud of smoke. I pulled over and got out, but by the time I got to the tailpipe, it had cleared up. I drove on home (about 4 miles), and then she was smoking again; actually, it was steam. I shut her down, checked a few items, didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and then cranked her up again. Once again, the starter stopped cranking after a second while making a weird noise. That's when I realized something was preventing the engine from turning over. I tried again, she started up, started shaking and missing, and blowing a LOT more steam!

Here's a video right after I got home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExXS6BNtEVM

After this video was taken, it started running horribly and smoking/steaming a lot more. In fact, by the time I drove it over to my shop a hundred yards away, I was wondering if it was going to stay running.

It takes less than a minute after shutting down the engine for the cylinder(s) to get enough coolant in there to hydrolock the engine.

My plan is to pull the glow plugs and then turn the engine over. That should pinpoint which cylinder(s) are getting coolant in them.

What do you think? Blown head gasket? Cracked head? Cracked block? At this moment, there is no coolant in the oil. I released the pressure on the coolant tank, but haven't been able to run the engine to see if there was any noticeable exhaust in the cooling system.

*sigh*

Casey

Down for the count? Don't give up so easy. Most likely just a head gasket. Spend a weekend getting a little more personal with it, and it'll be fine. I'd do whichever side is blown. If you have the time, do both. If it's more than that, cross that bridge when you come to it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DmaxMaverick

Down for the count? Don't give up so easy. Most likely just a head gasket. Spend a weekend getting a little more personal with it, and it'll be fine. I'd do whichever side is blown. If you have the time, do both. If it's more than that, cross that bridge when you come to it.

---

Thanks for the encouraging words, Greg! I'm not giving up, just a little sad since I don't have a lot of spare time right now. It will be a while before she's up and running.

Casey

Yeah, ID the cylinder(s) causing the problem. No coolant in the oil is a good sign.

Sorry to hear. I agree with the others - take a look and hope for the best!

If you can afford it, buy a beater for transportation that you can resell after for about the same money.
Then you will not feel rushed to do the job required to make your Tahoe your reliable transportation again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yukon6.2

If you can afford it, buy a beater for transportation that you can resell after for about the same money.
Then you will not feel rushed to do the job required to make your Tahoe your reliable transportation again.

---

That's actually a thought I had... the wife isn't too keen on the idea, though! :D

Casey

Even beaters are commanding top dollar these days.... I just had to replace one of our daily drivers and it's a tough market out there. Most of the ones I was really interested in were sold before I could get there to look at them.

Been through this game a few times.

Personally I would just get the engine out of the rig......It's not that bad of a job to yank it out.

Than you can get it apart fast and easy.
Head gaskets as mentioned are the likely suspects......

My bet would be one of the two front cylinders where the coolant lays right on the deck and over time causes the gaskets to corrode and finally fail.

Both of mine had eroded the block deck enough that we had to machine off .015" from the decks and use the thicker Felpro gaskets.

One thing....With the engine out you can wash the engine bay well and do a really spiffy job making it look all new again.......

Just an FYI
No doubt so antifreeze has gotten into the crankcase and the oil.....Glycol is tough on a lot of parts...
Unless you are planning on replacing a lot of things......Maybe drain the coolant completely, drain the pan and get a fresh oil and filter....then run the engine long enough to purge out the crud.

When I did mine I tossed the lifters in the trash....and with the rebuild it got new bearings anyway...

Good luck....

Waiting to see pics of job as it progresses

I've been working sun up to sun down this week, so haven't had much time to diagnose anything, but a quick check of the oil level last night showed the oil level had doubled, and the coolant level had dropped. That's not good. Would a blown head gasket or cracked head allow that much coolant to get into the oil pan just from sitting overnight? I'm hoping it's not a cracked block.

I will have time this weekend to tear into things and really find out.

Casey

My Suburban blew the gasket on the front of number 2 cylinder (Where I was talking about) and it filled the engine chuck full of Glycol)

The close proximity of coolant that just lays on the deck and eventually soaks into the gasket causes erosion of the fire ring area and over time the block deck etches out and leaves an actual little divit in the deck...

Once this happens the gasket fails.

With the amount of coolant we are talking....this is my best guess...

When our Burb did it I hit the starter and the engine hydro locked and the starter fell off.

Bolts broke...block was fine...lucky shot...

Get it out and then you can do the post mortem easily..

Myself I like to yank the turbo and manifolds off the engine as this makes getting the engine out easier.

Get the RH front tire off and the rubber inner flap off....This gives gobs of room to get in and remove the exhaust manifolds, the turbo drain pipe, the starter electrical connections and the front starter support ....all this stuff with far less fight and busted knuckles.......

Get the fuel manager off the rear of the engine to gain access to electrical plugs and the bell housing bolts.

GET A 9/16" FLEX HEAD GEAR WRENCH.....TO DO THE UPPER TRANNY BOLTS.

Your rig should have SAE bolts....96 and later used metric in this location.....

A totally factory install has stud top bolts with lock nuts to secure the fuel feed and return pipe bracket to the top two bolts on the tranny.... (If the bolt comes loose while removing the nuts holding the fuel pipe brackets it can require grinding down an open end wrench to hold the bolt head at the block)

This lash up with the fuel pipes is a POS and can be a PITA

The other tranny bolts are easily accessed from under the rig while getting the bottom bell housing cover off....and the starter....


Just an FYI
My rig was down for some time while I did the rebuild....The Glycol had caused the turbo to stick.

To stop this issue ....Flush the turbo oil passage out with solvent or gasoline...both the oil feed passage and the exhaust passage through the hot side.....Dry and then add oil to the oil feed line and store the turbo until you need it...

Remember....the engine oil cooler is likely contaminated too......Remove the radiator (Usual thing when getting the engine out) flush the radiator and the oil cooler.

I used GUNK foam engine cleaner in the oil cooler...then water to wash it out.

Then solvent or gasoline to finish it off..
Blow out the lines and let dry.

I like to leave the AC system intact.....just tie off to the inner fender with bungy strap or ????

Stick a piece of plywood or??? in the protect the condenser core.

All the wiring is pretty much ...such the the plugs are not interchangeable.. Mark them if you wish....

The oil cooler lines at the engine are a "Snap in lock type fitting" You can wrench the block fittings off and fight the lock rings later.

Unless the oil lines are recently new....Replace these with either a new factory type or a set of braided type lines with JIC fittings.....

These are not pleasant to replace with the engine in the truck.

I usually unhook the oil lines at the radiator and leave them on the engine.....Install new on the engine and then it's easy to reconnect later.

Fighting things is something I avoid at all cost....Because if it's a PITA to get to or work on....it just might leak or ????? later.

The inner fender access point on the RH side will allow you very easy access to the glow plug tubes and wires and manifold bolts.

Installing the manifolds after the engine is set makes life easy.

Remove the lower RH motor mount from the frame pad before you lift.

Easy to do and this allows the engine to be shifted slightly to the RH side and then barely off the frame and its out.

Otherwise some rigs have settled enough (Body mount sag) the the rear of the engine will hit the firewall before the motor mounts clear the frame brackets.....and life gets ugly.

Just reverse the procedure going back.

Remove the six nuts on the converter to flex plate and shove the converter back into the tranny a bit....Good to go.

Ply wood chunk across a floor jack under the tranny pan before you lift the engine..

A couple long 3/8 bolts into a couple tranny bolt holes and stick a piece of 2 x 2 wood (Twig) across the fame and set the tranny down on them.

All snug as a bug in a rug until its time to replace the engine.

Now this is me (Very anal) I grab a box of Sandwich bags and "Tag and bag" all groups of bolts as I go and label them.

This makes the return far easier and the right bolts go back where they came from.

It is nice to be able grab a bag of bolts/nuts and have what you need for the area you are working on..

Really a pain when you toss everything into a bucket and then try to sort it out weeks or months later.

I put all my bags of bolts and such in a box in sort of the order I will need them going back.

Bags and a sharpie pen.... yessssssssssss....

I have done several of these rigs and done it with the tag and bag program ....never ended up short or long on parts.

And things look like Ma General had it .

TAG'EM AND BAGE'M ..

Good luck......

Thank you Robyn! I'm glad to hear it could still possibly be just a head gasket. Did you have the block decked to get rid of the erosion issue?

I ditched the factory fuel manager several years ago in favor of a Racor fuel filter, and I replaced all the fuel hoses with aftermarket hoses. I cut the factory lines at the back of the block, so all that's left back there is a couple of short pieces bolted to the block, so I won't have to fight with all that. I also have steel-braided oil cooler lines installed already.

Casey

Yes...I stripped the block down and sent it to the machine shop and we cut the decks.. .010" as recommended did not clean so we went to .015" and got clean metal.

We did both sides the same to keep the compression ratio balanced

Sadly the engine needs to come all the way down to bare bones, cam bearings and all oil passage plugs out....then hot tanked and then machined then rewashed ...

Best plan IMHO is to yank the sucker out and then open it up and see wassssup. My bet is either cyls 1 or 2

JUST A LITTLE HINT.

I have no idea what you have been into...so..

When removing the injector lines
Mark the pairs as to 1-3...5-7 LH and 2-4...6-8 RH and keep them in pairs..connected with the factory clamps.

Make a map of the DS4 rotor head connection as to where the lines all fit.

There are two lines that can be swapped....They run like crap this way....Ask me how I know this....then ya have to rip it apart again. A crow foot and a 3/8 breaker bar work sweet to get at the pump lines.

Take a real good look at the electrical harness that lays in the valley to connect to all the engine connections.

These do get ragged after many years and miles.....Replacement with new may still be possible....IIRC the after market has these harnesses available.

A pain to replace with the intake on......

The best way to do it is certainly to pull the engine and strip it down. However, if time and resources are limited, I suggest not doing that, just yet. Identify which side is the trouble, strip the top/front of the engine down (remove accessories, turbo (if passenger side issue), intake, pumps, etc.), and remove that head. See what you have to deal with. Whatever you find on one side, will likely be similar on the other, so keep that in mind. If you need to pull the block, it's much easier with the heads out of the way. If the block deck is good (a coin toss), deal with the head (repair/replace/clean up) and reassemble with new gaskets/bolts. The engine is a high-miler, so pulling it should mean a full overhaul. If you aren't interested in that unless necessary at the moment, minimize the efforts and time. Definitely fully flush the fluid systems ASAP to eliminate the cross-contamination, and preserve them for duty when that time comes. Time is very important, as the glycol, water, and additives can damage bearings, lubricated friction surfaces and such in a short time. Make it a priority.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robyn

I have no idea what you have been into...so..

---

It's been about 15 years since I've done major engine work. Back then it was when I yanked my 6.2L out of my '81 C20 project to replace a bad lifter; the "Might as Wells" resulted in a fully customized 6.2L that was bored .040 over with custom, ceramic-coated lower-compression pistons, all new fuel delivery system, stud girdle, timing gears, etc, etc. But it's been a few days since I've done anything like that, so I sure do appreciate the tips!

Casey

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DmaxMaverick

Identify which side is the trouble, strip the top/front of the engine down (remove accessories, turbo (if passenger side issue), intake, pumps, etc.), and remove that head. See what you have to deal with.

---

That is exactly my plan. I want to discover what the issue is, and THEN step back and form a game plan.

Casey

Also....very important.....BE VERY SURE TO CHECK THE POSITION OF THE PISTONS WHEN AT TDC
The pistons should be at DECK HEIGHT TO .005 PROTRUSION ABOVE THE DECK

Most engines will be at deck height.

If you end up cutting the decks you do not want to find out that they have already been cut before.

BEEN THERE DONE THAT....UGLY...

[QUOTE=Robyn;332102]Also....very important.....BE VERY SURE TO CHECK THE POSITION OF THE PISTONS WHEN AT TDC
The pistons should be at DECK HEIGHT TO .005 PROTRUSION ABOVE THE DECK

Most engines will be at deck height.
When i pulled the heads on my first GM Diesel a 6.2 i found a piston that sat lower that the rest.
The rod got bent at some point years befor i got it.The piston sat a bit lower than the rest.I changed the rod and cut the ridge from the cylinder.
It ran for years with one hole that would smoke a bit at start.I always assumed it was the one that had the bent rod.

If you end up cutting the decks you do not want to find out that they have already been cut before.

When ya get this old stuff apart you can uncover all sorts of mischief ......yeah buddy

Update: Pulled all the glow plugs. On the passenger side, the first three cylinders were dry. The number 8 plug was wet, and when I removed the plug, coolant dribbled out of the hole. I then proceeded to the driver side, and the first two plugs were dry, number 5 was damp, and number 7 was really wet. In fact, when I pulled that plug, a lot of coolant came out, and continued to drip coolant for some time (even after draining and removing the radiator).


Cylinder 8 glow plug removed:


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d776920b_c.jpg



Cylinder 7 glow plug removed:


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f41048b0_h.jpg







This is the amount of coolant that drained out of cylinder 7 after removing the glow plug:


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a2a6a4eb_h.jpg






I was confused to find coolant in both rear cylinders; I would have expected to find it one side of the engine, but not both; I started wondering if there was a block issue?



I went ahead and proceeded with removing the driver's side head since cylinder 7 seemed to be in the worst shape:


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0d0f563d_h.jpg


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6facaeae_h.jpg


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8628703b_h.jpg





The head gasket on cylinder 7 was obviously blown out into the water jacket on the rear of the head:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0cb46f48_h.jpg



I can't hardly get my head into cylinder 7, but so far I don't see any cracks or catastrophic damage. In fact, I was shocked to see how clean the cylinders and pistons were! There's not even a ridge at the top of any of the cylinders.

I have decided to go ahead and pull the engine the rest of the way out; at this point, the only thing left holding it into the vehicle are the motor mounts and the transmission. I might as well get it out on the stand where I can do a proper head gasket job. Also, the passenger side exhaust manifold bolts are in such poor shape, I'm not sure I can get the manifold out without a lot of cussing. It will be easier to pull the engine and work on the exhaust manifold then.

At this point, assuming I don't find major block issues on the passenger side after pulling that head, my plan is to pull the oil pan, check a few bearings, and if all looks good in the bottom end, I will then throw in a new oil pump, rear main seal, and install new head gaskets. I might as well replace the injectors while it's easy to do, and perhaps upgrade the turbo to an HX35. I will also take the opportunity to replace the torque converter, since lately I've noticed it slipping when towing my camper. That is really as far as I want to go; I don't want to do a full rebuild if not needed.


Casey

That's a dirty engine (typical, really), but I like what you've found. It is definitive, which is what you want. No mysteries. Be optimistic about the rest.

Add a set of bearings to the list, since you're going in. They're relatively cheap, and the miles justify it.

I agree with Maverick on the bearings.

Keep in mind....The 6.5 uses "Select fit" bearing shells......Generally these are not available in the after market....Std, -.010", -.020" and -.030 for grinding the crank

Don't be shocked to find upper and lower shells with different size markings...
The bearings will be marked as to what they are....

I have used the Stds in places where select fit came out. A good shot is .0025" clearance.....


Just an FYI
Great deals can be had on top name brand bearings and other parts on ebay...I saved big $$$$$$$$$$$$$ when I did the Dahooooley back a few years ago...

Get things apart and then get your parts coming......By the time you need the stuff you will have it in hand.

I am still puzzled at how coolant got on both sides of the engine........????????????????????

A set of engine tech Rod bearings....$30
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274546090212?hash=item3fec38e0e4:g:GxEAAOSwvdJfoKL N



I have used this brand several times......About like what we used to call "White box" rebuilder parts.
I used this stuff on Dahooley and the Burb rebuilds.

I have a set of this brand sitting in the wings for my 406 cat engine.

Careful shopping can yield great cash savings and get good parts too..


https://www.ebay.com/itm/23252098611...YAAOSwlndZC1dk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robyn

I am still puzzled at how coolant got on both sides of the engine........????????????????????

---

Open intake valves? If all three cylinders have open intake valves and coolant under pressure is being forced into #7... Is the intake manifold wet?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JohnC

Open intake valves? If all three cylinders have open intake valves and coolant under pressure is being forced into #7... Is the intake manifold wet?

---

Certainly possible. A perfect storm. Cylinders 8 and 7 are adjacent in the firing order and on the same journal, allowing both intake valves open at the same time. It may explain a condition if the other bank doesn't appear to be compromised.

I have not heard anyone mention the rings. If you are going this far down I would replace those due to experience. I replaced heads on a small block Chevy after a valve job and the oil consumption caused clouds of blue smoke. Since the valves sealed properly the weak rings allowed much blowby through the PCV and burned with the fuel. Not much additional $$ for piece of mind.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Old6.2

I have not heard anyone mention the rings. If you are going this far down I would replace those due to experience. I replaced heads on a small block Chevy after a valve job and the oil consumption caused clouds of blue smoke. Since the valves sealed properly the weak rings allowed much blowby through the PCV and burned with the fuel. Not much additional $$ for piece of mind.

---

SOP for gassers, for sure. 376K miles on a Diesel with no cylinder ridge (very typical of most 6.2/6.5)? I wouldn't touch them unless there is some other indicator. I've never replaced the rings on a Diesel engine I didn't bore unless there was some other reason.

I hate to toss cold water on the camp fire....but I will cast a dissenting vote.

I have yanked 6.2/6.5 down and found the rings pretty well stuck up...

I would vote to yank the slugs out...Clean them up well.
Use a bottle brush hone on the bores lightly and toss in a fresh set of moly rings.

This will give the best the little beast is going to do.

If the pan is off and the bearings are going to be out....An extra days work at most and the job will be a better one..

With the pan off....Timing set, seal and fresh gaskets would be smart too...

The talk was to replace the rear main seal.....

If it were me I would buff the head surfaces with the big 9" wire wheel to get the crud off..

Then pop out the valves and have a peek see.....EGR engines are notorious for clogging up valve pockets with carbon....

This junk falls off and can cause issues.

Look at the valves and seats....maybe lap them lightly with compound and call it a day.

Fresh valve seals would be a good idea....

It is hard to yank an engine out and not tend to some basics......

This was me at 11:00 pm last night:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...96bb497f_c.jpg

I am tired and sore. And the bummer is that I won't have much time to work on it in the next two weeks! :(

Casey

LOOKS VERY VERY GOOD to see the beast hanging on the lift.....

Looking forward to seeing what else presents itself in that critter...

Ahhhhh

Take the time to make a sharp scribe line across the injection pump flange and the front cover at the top before you remove the IP ....

Align the marks when you put the IP back on and it will go right to work and no other fooling will be needed.

The computer will remember where it last found things and it will be happy...

Working on things when you would rather be doing something else
That was me the Christmas of 2019,the wife at the time and my Daughter decided to have Christmas without me on the other side of the country
So instead of sitting in a house alone i pulled the 7 speed tranny out of my 2004 7500 Topkick

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robyn

Take the time to make a sharp scribe line across the injection pump flange and the front cover at the top before you remove the IP ....

Align the marks when you put the IP back on and it will go right to work and no other fooling will be needed.

The computer will remember where it last found things and it will be happy...

---

I'm hoping to leave the pump alone. I replaced the timing chain, water pump, and balancer 3 years ago as preventative maintenance.

Casey

Copy that.....

But if you end up removing it.....just a great way to eliminate problems.....

Casey,
You've identified the cause as being head gasket failure... Most likely, a result of just end of life... sorta like the head gaskets on my '01 GMC. As long as you can't identify any other damage, I'd inspect the heads (for fire-ring wear groove, flatness, cracks, etc), and if good just clean them up, and re-install with new Fel-Pro head gaskets and Fel-Pro TTY head bolts. Remember that Fel-Pro produces +.010 over head gaskets for heads/blocks that have been decked. If you need it, send me your current mailing address, and I'll send you the current Troubleshooting & Repair Guide, which will walk you through the process of how I did our 6.5TD Power Project engine assembly - including head gaskets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by More Power

Casey,
You've identified the cause as being head gasket failure... Most likely, a result of just end of life... sorta like the head gaskets on my '01 GMC. As long as you can't identify any other damage, I'd inspect the heads (for fire-ring wear groove, flatness, cracks, etc), and if good just clean them up, and re-install with new Fel-Pro head gaskets and Fel-Pro TTY head bolts. Remember that Fel-Pro produces +.010 over head gaskets for heads/blocks that have been decked. If you need it, send me your current mailing address, and I'll send you the current Troubleshooting & Repair Guide, which will walk you through the process of how I did our 6.5TD Power Project engine assembly - including head gaskets.

---

That is my plan! She was running great with no issues, no abnormal smoking, no blow-by, etc. No symptoms to make me think it needs a head job or ring job.

I need to look and see if I have that guide, I don't recall. I've got several of the DP books. I will let you know. Thank you!

Casey

I haven't had much time to work on the ol' Tahoe lately, but this afternoon I finished my tear down to inspect the bottom end. The bearings didn't look too bad for 375K miles, and I'd be tempted to run it as is, but I did find something that gave me pause for concern - there's a typical crack in the block originating from the outer main bearing hole on main cap # 4, on the cylinder 7 side. It's about an inch long:



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2805b181_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2c0ecbc5_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...599f1377_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...255b26cb_h.jpg


So the question is now what should I do? I assume it would not be wise to continue running this engine with the crack, correct?

This is a 1995 929 block with 376K miles. I also have in my possession a 1997 506 block with around 100K miles; however, there is some issue with that engine - when I pulled it, it was running, but had no compression on cylinder 1. I never tore into it to see what the problem was. I am guessing it would be prudent at this point to go ahead and tear into the 1997 block and see what it looks like to see if it's a good candidate for a rebuild....

Casey

You can install one of the LOCK AND STITCH inserts in the cracked hole....

At 375K
Myself, I might be quite willing to clean things up, install fresh head gaskets and run it until it gives up again.

Unless that crack gets into a cylinder wall or worse it's not going to hurt much...
Knowing when it got there is not possible....
50K miles...100K miles, 200K miles....Maybe sooner or later....

I have torn into six and a half's with under 100K miles that were a cracked mess....

Don't lay awake nights trying to figure it out...

NOTE...NOTE....NOTE
IF you go with the 97 block....THE BELL HOUSING BOLT THREADS ON THE 96 AND LATER ARE METRIC.
The 95 was the last year that used SAE threads ON THE 6 BOLTS BACK THERE

The 3/8 bolts will thread into the metric hole....but will not hold.....

Doing the LOCK N STITCH inserts is not hard....and they do pull the area together.

Are the outer holes the large or small bolts ????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robyn

You can install one of the LOCK AND STITCH inserts in the cracked hole....

At 375K
Myself, I might be quite willing to clean things up, install fresh head gaskets and run it until it gives up again.

Unless that crack gets into a cylinder wall or worse it's not going to hurt much...
Knowing when it got there is not possible....
50K miles...100K miles, 200K miles....Maybe sooner or later....

Are the outer holes the large or small bolts ????

---

I was wondering about that... no telling how long the crack has been there. It could go a long, long time as is. The outer bolts are large - same diameter as the inner bolts.

Casey

If everything else is good....I would say that installing the insert would be a good idea if you were going to spend time and $$$ to do a serious refresh on the engine.

If you are still thinking about just patching it up and then back together.....Run it as is.....

Doing the insert means stripping the block down all the way so you can get tools on it to drill out the hole and install the insert.

The chips and such from the job require careful cleaning afterwards to make sure none of the junk gets into the inner workings.

I did a couple blocks a few years back.....I machined up a steel plate that has openings for each of the outer main bolt holes and the plate fastens to the pan rail holes.

I used a magnetic drill press to drill the holes.

Simply use a steel rod that will just slip into the threads (I grabbed a hardened transfer punch that just slid past the threads) Stick the rod in the drill chuck and align the drill to the hole. .....Use the drill provided in the kit.... drill the hole out and down to the prescribed depth...Tap the hole deep enough that the insert will thread in tight and so the top of the insert is Flush to .002" below the main web mating surface....

Clean the hole with Brakleen and blow dry...Do one last final check fit.....Clean the hole and insert and dry....add loctite RED and tighten that bad boy up......

After this two small holes are drill along side the insert and hardened pins are driven in to permanently secure the insert so it can't unscrew.

Very simple procedure to do.....

The other choice is to find a shop that can do it that has a milling machine large enough to sit the block on the table...

If the block is otherwise good....A great save.

Or....Check out the 97 block and see wassssup there.

The 97 block is likely a squirt block and will have smaller outer bolt holes.

SQUIRT BLOCKS USE A HIGH OUTPUT OIL PUMP.....YOU MUST USE THE PROPER PUMP OR THE OIL PRESSURE WILL BE NEAR ZIP AT IDLE


I happened to have a large mag drill so the choices I made were based on that....

This can't be done free hand.....a good mag drill will do it.
The steel plate was simply a means to attach the mag drill to the block.

Most drill press tables are not large enough to handle the block.


If you get hot on the 97 block.....Clean it good and make sure it is not cracked.

Besides the main cap bolt holes.....carefully check the oil squirt holes in the main webs for cracks too.

Some early squirt blocks (506 blocks ) had larger oil squirt nozzles in them and the holes would crack into the main webs and into the cylinder wall at the bottom.

Be sure to remove all 8 squirt nozzles and replace them after cleaning just before you drop the crank in..

If one falls out...you have a huge oil leak.
The squirt nozzles are a small aluminum piece with a tiny hole in the end facing towards the cylinder. Small end of the nozzle goes toward the cylinder.

Usually the nozzles can be removed with a small hard wood dowel and a plastic hammer and tap them back towards the main saddle.

Keep us in the loop.....

Lots of options..

I definitely don't have the skills or tools to do the insert repair myself. I was bummed when I found the crack since I knew that meant stripping it down to a bare block and then hoping to find a local machine shop able to make the repair. More down time that I wasn't planning on.

I think my next move is to tear into the 97 engine and see what she looks like inside. If that doesn't pan out, I'm leaning towards slapping some head gaskets in the 95 engine and moving forward as is. Then start looking for a replacement engine to a complete, thorough rebuild on as time allows. I need my vehicle back on the road more than anything; I can't afford much more down time (and now is not a good time to be looking for a used truck!).

Thanks!

Casey