my 1990 corvette convertible has oil coming from the dipstick and I just recently changed intake gaskets and fuel injectors and started I started the car yesterday let  it run then test drove it (overall a quarter mile) then popped the hood and saw oil coming from the dipstick.The  engine idles ok but the water heats up faster than usual with a brown forthy look to it no smoke from the tail pipes but it does smoke from the valve covers and I did change the pcv valve instantly but to no avail did it help.The car was running great prior the intake and fuel injector change but the intake gaskets was leaking on the passenger side.I know all signs point to a blown head gasket or rings  but the car has set for the last 4 weeks during my changes so im asking for suggestions on what to look for.I will do a compression test and possibly a leak down test im just kinda looking for other things that maybe others have encountered to check on.I would appreciate any and all suggestion..thanks Billydee

|UPDATED|10/6/2013 9:26:17 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Brown frothy coolant suggests you are getting oil into the coolant....either that, or your coolant is really rusty.

|UPDATED|8/3/2013 7:28:45 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Joel Adams  
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Yeppers... that brown whip cream is going all through your engine. A PITA to clean out. Before long your valve covers will be full to th' brim... Needless to say, your engine isn't getting properly lubed. But it can be done... back in th' day I had to clean out a "59" Impala with the Ol' Stump Puller in it. A job I wouldn't wish on anyone... It's not so complex, just takes some time..

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Did you compare your new gaskets to the old ones? I replaced mine a few years ago for the same reason and there were 2 closed port holes in the new gaskets... (one on each side). The new gaskets had the outlines for the opening and needed to be cut to make them match the old ones. Also, the original gaskets had a port opening on each side in the gasket material and were closed off by GM using a thin metal insert. I recall it was rectangular and has recessed edges. These 2 ports have to remain closed off by either leaving the gasket material in place, or, re-use the metal GM inserts.  The gaskets I'm referring to came from Felpro and I ended up calling them to clarify what to do about the differences. They were very helpful and explained the gaskets are used for a variety of 350 block setups.  Good luck with getting this straightened out   

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Thanks all for the replies and suggestions so I guess ill tear her back down again and redo the gaskets although I did compare them at first your suggestions make sense to start all over.I did use the fel pro gaskets and looks like I have a phone call to make also so its gonna be another weekend in the garage but that's ok cause I want her done right....Thanks again

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Well pulled the intake and have what looks to be a watery substance in the valley(Brown frothy) and the gasket are correct so now im stumped could it be the EGr valve or something else.I can't believe the car blew a headgasket from setting for 3 weeks and just running down the road and back no ...something else is going on.Any suggetions on this matter. I have the right intake gaskets(and let me tell ya they was apita to get off so I feel good about the sealing of these gaskets) pretty sure the vacuum lines was correct but something is different...surley the fuel injectors wouldn't cause this or could they?Well ok just throw something out there any and all possibilities is greatly  appreciated...thanks Billydee

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Oh boy, that sure sounds like the intake gaskets are messed up somehow. The fact that your coolant temp rises quick usually indicates the coolant system is not pressuring up due to a leak. Steam from the valve covers is the water in the coolant boiling off. If you drain the engine oil look for that brown chocolate goo there. If there is, once you have the gasket leak sorted out you'll need to at least do several fill and drains of the engine oil to flush most of the fouled oil out. If you didn't romp on the throttle during the test spin you might have dodged a scored bearing issue. You might want to get some advice from a local mechanic who might have a trick or two.

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Thanks for the reply and my gaskets are the same as whats on the car.I pulled the intake today and matched them to the old ones again and don't see any difference my only concern is that the rear port is blocked in the old gaskets and I bought gaskets to match to a tee.Any idea why they blocked the rear port?Would the EGr valve creat this issue? Im drawing a blank here it makes absolutely no sense for this to happen the car is back like it originally was even put new injectors in her??? Thanks again

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What's the scoop on the rear ports after installing the new gaskets.... are they now open or closed ?

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see the top of page reply sorry clicked on the wrong post

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I have the right gaskets but prolly on the wrong side and the rear of the gasket is a metered semi closed gasket with a small hole and now I might have the wrong intake cause the intake has a center port and the aluminum heads don't(anybody know why that is or is it the right intake) so this means more research on the tuned port setup. I have also found that I might have a blocked EGr valve basically I checked the gasket to the heads and not the intake which is where I made the mistake my only concern is that worst case of a blown head gasket and not broken rings and a call to fel-pro will be in the future also.   thanks again on the suggestions

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Th EGR valve will have nothing to do with coolant & oil mixing.

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Joel Adams  
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Your pic shows center ports on your heads and my intake has these ports but one side flows into the heads and one does not.My aluminum heads does not have a center port I do believe your on to something when you say the heads have been changed also my intake has the EGr valve in the middle underneath the fuel rail could I possibly have the wrong heads? They have the center bolts down the middle of the valve covers and if so will I need to change them and why in the *&&^%$#$# would some one change them????? You know I did have a little bit of a coolant temperature issue but my secondary fan doesn't work that well so I was going to fix that once the intake stopped leaking. thanks again to all for the help and im sure there will be more post about this issue once I figure out the heads and intake along with the gaskets...man oh man I love these vettes but this one is getting interesting to say the least. How did you get those pics on here I may need to post some for you guys?  thanks again everybody

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doesn't sound good. Last time I saw oil pumping out a dipstick it was because the piston rings were shot. When the cylinder fires, the pressure would blow past the rings and out the dipstick. I've just been down the expensive road of head gaskets, machined and rebuilt heads and intake manifold gaskets. It costs but my garage did it right, including 3 engine flushes to get anti freeze out of the oil. So far its fixed and runs significantly cooler than before. Now, if it just lasts another 10 years the cost won't seem so bad. Remember, your Corvette will put  a smile on your face, it just won't be a cheap smile.

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Apparently the luminuminum heads do NOT have the EGR passage in the same location as the iron heads, but why the heck does the intake have the EGR passage in it?  

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Joel Adams  
My Link

    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I assume you are refering to the rectangular passage just to the front of the two rear round ports?  That is the outlet FROM the egr valve. There is a corresponding passage in the RH runners that passes the EGR gas into the plenum where it is mixed into the general airflow, and ingested by ALL 8 cyls.

The above pic is a iron head engine. The egr flow TO the valve is from the ce3nter head port, which is between the two black bolts in the above pic. Aluminum head engines use the external pipe from the RH exhaust manifold to the rear of the intake manifold.

Well I guess im going to call felpro about the gaskets for the aluminum heads and try again at that point I will do a compression test once its all back together and hopefully its not something more serious. thanks again to all for the suggestions I just can't believe it blew the headgasket or rings this way but  I guess im gonna find out.

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Well its been a few weeks but I think I solved my problem it was the intake gaskets them selves.I went back to the original  Victor Heinz and nothing against Fel-Pro but they didn't work for my application I personally thought the FelPro gaskets was a better quality material but for some reason the VH worked for me.Thanks to all for the suggestions and now im on to changing my cooling fans amongst other things.  Thanks again from Billydee

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In regards to RedVetts question the rear ports are almost closed with a small opening in the metalic part of the gasket and from what im hearing this is to let a small amount of coolant into this area.

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This is what my beautiful wife gave me for my SURPRISE Birthday party ...Thanks babe I love you !! Boy was I surprised..We was actually supposed to go to her brothers surprise Birthday party (which is close to mine) but when I walked in all my friends was there and I was shocked!! to say the least werank a few beers(of course) then after I take all this in  BAM!!! guess what she pulls up in a beautiful RED convertible Corvette and threw me the keys and said Happy birthday babe ( Ok this is where I lost it ..yup I was teary eyed) here's your red convertible corvette you've been looking for( of course I had to take a lot of people for a ride) and its an older model in which I love older cars....WOW what a women I have ...at that point I looked to the sky and said thank you JESUS for all that you have blessed me with!!! So here's the kicker...She had the car for 3 weeks without me knowing about it plus she hid the car in the town nearby because she ran from the cops and hid it in a friends garage( IM NOT KIDDING) for 5 days.(yes she actually out ran the local cops) So the day we take it out I change the license plate to what else BILLY D and once I hit the town guess what? yup im followed everywhere I go at that point she tells me whats going on and I laughed almost all day about it apparently the car runs extremely well she said with a smile.Thats my story and all  ended well but the main thing is the cars back on the road,my  wife said to thank everybody for the suggestions and to drive safely.....Thanks again from .....Billy D




|UPDATED|10/6/2013 10:14:19 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Congrats on all fronts, Birthday Boy!!

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Joel Adams  
My Link

    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

gee -- she's definitely a keeper bro. You're very lucky.

C.