Water in oil found in buddies new rebuid- need some help

**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 09:05 AM

My buddy just had his 5.7 engine rebuilt and also installed a head and cam combo. After internals are all in, machine shop calls and says he has two left heads. After a week or so of contacting company about heads we are in same place with no resolution. They won't return calls or emails to owner. Machine shop rethreads one head to fit on right side since they look identical. He goes to change oil for first time and notices it is very milky. Can anyone chime in and help find this problem. Build was done with all new parts and he added BBK Shorty headers. We are wondering if machine shop was wrong thinking the heads were identical except for connecting area they rethreaded. Any help Is appreciated.

**Gdragich** · 05-04-2012, 11:48 AM

I can tell you the 5.7 has different specific head gaskets for left and right. If you accidently swapped sides on head gaskets (been there done that) you will have coolant pour out the heads due to coolant passages different. So I am betting that passage is lining with an oil passage and need to quit driving and get right head now before the bearings are toast

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**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 01:16 PM

Thanks for chiming in Gdragich. He hasn't really driven at all just noticed that at his initial drain after build. He just told me that they pulled the spark plugs and there's no water in cylinders, they also all have good compression.

**Hemi31** · 05-04-2012, 01:29 PM

Theres an oil return on the head bolted to the pass side that needs to be plugged.

**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Hemi31

Theres an oil return on the head bolted to the pass side that needs to be plugged.

Thanks Erik!!!

**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Hemi31

Theres an oil return on the head bolted to the pass side that needs to be plugged.

So will this still work with it being a left head that was retreated to fit on right side?

**jlaw1976** · 05-04-2012, 06:10 PM

Hey TE TOQUE, i pulled the valve cover off and found exactly what he is talking about. There is a hole next to one of the head bolt towards the front of the head that is filled with coolant. Thanks to Hemi31. Im going to try and find out what size plug to use and i will let you know. Thanks brother.

**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by jlaw1976

Hey TE TOQUE, i pulled the valve cover off and found exactly what he is talking about. There is a hole next to one of the head bolt towards the front of the head that is filled with coolant. Thanks to Hemi31. Im going to try and find out what size plug to use and i will let you know. Thanks brother.

Glad to hear that good news bro, I'll call you in a little bit. Thanks again Erik

**TE TOQUE** · 05-04-2012, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by jlaw1976

Hey TE TOQUE, i pulled the valve cover off and found exactly what he is talking about. There is a hole next to one of the head bolt towards the front of the head that is filled with coolant. Thanks to Hemi31. Im going to try and find out what size plug to use and i will let you know. Thanks brother.

Glad to hear that good news bro, I'll call you in a little bit. Thanks again Erik

**Hemi31** · 05-04-2012, 10:42 PM

you are going to have to pull the head and have it welded and re machined.

**jlaw1976** · 05-05-2012, 08:00 AM

Will there have to be a oil return drilled or anything like that? Or am just filling the hole completely?

**Hemi31** · 05-05-2012, 08:23 AM

Filled completely. It doesn't exist on a pass side casting.

**jlaw1976** · 05-05-2012, 08:46 AM

I looked at the old heads and it looked like there is a oil passage towards the back side of the head. Thats the one that is towards the front of the engine now. If i fill it (because in the wrong location now) i didnt know if another one needed to be made?

**Hemi31** · 05-05-2012, 09:08 AM

not that I know of. I guess if you were to open the rear return it would be better but you better make sure it's in exactly the right spot and you aren't drilling into anything else.

**jlaw1976** · 05-05-2012, 01:20 PM

I look at it again and it looks like that hole thats now up front would be in the rear if it was correct. If i just fill the one hole that the coolant is coming out of, it looks like there is still three more hole for the oil to drain. Is that good enough? Do the holes offer any other function than to drain the oil from the head? Have you had to do this before? Thank you for all the answers to what might seem to be dumb questions.