1970 Subaru FF-1 Project car

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:34 pm

Well, the worst possible thing just happened...

I got my radiator fans all installed, put the radiator back on the car with everything all buttoned up nicely and started to fill the radiator...

Coolant started pouring out of the #1 exhaust pipe

I checked all 4 cylinders, 2-3-4 are all fine, but #1 was TOTALLY full of coolant.

I drained the radiator and sucked out as much coolant as I could from the plug hole, but I'm totally screwed

Datsunrides · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:45 pm

Actually, not to make light of the issue, but the worst thing would have been to try and crank the engine full of coolant. Connecting rods and coolant do not care for each other. Hopefully it is something simple like a piece of junk on the head gasket and not something cracked. May even want to double check the intake gasket and manifold for flat before you take the head off.

Mark

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:53 pm

I'm suspecting the intake manifold the more I think about it, cause there isn't any oil or anything mixed in with the coolant.

Toyohead · **Posted:** Thu Sep 08, 2011 2:39 pm

Some prefer to fill the radiator with destilled water instead of coolant because of the surfactant agents in it. But you did'nt power the engine up so this is not the problem now. Good luck

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:25 pm

Well, its not the intake manifold gasket... I took off the manifold and filled the head with water, it still fills up the cylinder.

The worst part is I don't think I can get the head off without removing the entire drivetrain

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:49 pm

Its worse than expected. I drained the coolant from the motor, but after unbolting the head (I couldn't remove it, just slid it) the crankcase did indeed have coolant in it so I had to drain the oil too...

I can't find anything wrong with the headgasket. I even re-bolted it back up and tested it again, and the same problem. I can't see any visual spot where its coming from. I'm concerned now it might becoming from behind the piston if thats even possible...

In an case, this is worse case scenario, I have to remove the motor completely

Datsunrides · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:35 pm

If you can pull the head back from the deck far enough to maybe duct tape the head gasket face and fill the head with water by the intake port, and it comes out the exhaust port, you now know where the issue is. Little consolation, but at least it would rule out the block, hopefully.

Mark

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:40 pm

I might have to try that. The gasket is pretty much ruined anyway. But I do know its not coming from the valves that I can see.

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:44 pm

I just figured out the problem, its far far worse than I could have imagined...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/ ... erhole.jpg

Right now I'm just totally furious. I should have noticed this before, but I think this motor was scraped at some point and the dealer drilled holes in it to scrap it.

The good news is that I DIDN'T INSTALL ANYTHING WRONG!

But now, I don't have the money to fix this, if it even can be fixed...

Camshaft · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:28 pm

This is heartbreaking.

Don't give up hope, man...builds like this are filled with hiccups. You'll figure something out, and if you don't, there's a huge commnity of followers that are here to help.

Datsunrides · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:23 pm

The good news is it can be fixed. The bore can be fixed with a sleeve and you probably can drill the outside of the block to take a small freeze plug. While the sleeving is not exactly cheap, it is cheaper than rebuilding another engine. Couldn't hurt to get a quote from a machine shop. I have an unknow condition EA62 here that turns freely you can try out if you want to mess with it. It is missing some flywheel bolts though :lol:

. If it ends up being a runner, you can use it until you figure out what to do with the other engine and return it whenever. If it's bad, you would only be out some gaskets and fluids. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Heck, I may even be able to bring it up there if I can find time to help with your wiring.

Mark

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:13 pm

Datsunrides wrote:

The good news is it can be fixed. The bore can be fixed with a sleeve and you probably can drill the outside of the block to take a small freeze plug. While the sleeving is not exactly cheap, it is cheaper than rebuilding another engine. Couldn't hurt to get a quote from a machine shop. I have an unknow condition EA62 here that turns freely you can try out if you want to mess with it. It is missing some flywheel bolts though :lol:

. If it ends up being a runner, you can use it until you figure out what to do with the other engine and return it whenever. If it's bad, you would only be out some gaskets and fluids. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Heck, I may even be able to bring it up there if I can find time to help with your wiring.

Mark

EA62 is a wet sleeve. Not too sure I'm that desperate yet...

Toyohead · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 9:56 am

Disaster after all your work on it.

Good luck...

Kuroneko · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:58 am

I saw this for inspiration yesterday...

Neko.

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 10:22 am

I have some photos saved of that car. I think it was in a car show at some point.

Datsunrides · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:15 pm

Kostamojen wrote:

EA62 is a wet sleeve. Not too sure I'm that desperate yet...

I was more talking trying it as running motor, not a rebuildable core. My understanding is the biggest problem with the wet sleeve motors is finding the copper washers that seal the sleeve to the block.

Mark

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 5:37 pm

Datsunrides wrote:

I was more talking trying it as running motor, not a rebuildable core. My understanding is the biggest problem with the wet sleeve motors is finding the copper washers that seal the sleeve to the block.

That, and they blow the headgasket too frequently.

2stroketurbo · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:31 pm

I just aquired a new , in the factory box, sealed in the factory bag , with factory air sealed inside the bag, NOS, Subaru FF1 lighted rear view mirror. A useful time capsule, maybe? !

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:48 pm

2stroketurbo wrote:

I just aquired a new , in the factory box, sealed in the factory bag , with factory air sealed inside the bag, NOS, Subaru FF1 lighted rear view mirror. A useful time capsule, maybe? !

Black or beige?

Funny though, thats the last thing I installed. Got a later model non-lite rear view and installed it.

Kostamojen · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:04 pm

If anyone else is interested in an FF-1, there is one for sale in South Bend:

http://southbend.craigslist.org/cto/2666470350.html

1970 Subaru FF-1 Project car

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