350 - headgasket / compression question

Background:

Engine (1990 350cid) picked up a miss, pulled plugs, #6 had water on it. (initially thought it was #4 if anyone saw that post)

Started wondering if it was actually water since I didn't smell it or anything... so pulled it again the next night... still soaked.

Put some Bars (stop leak) in it just hoping it would help until I could get to it... pulled the plug three days later - dry.

Started wondering if I had pulled it too soon after driving so I pulled it again two days after that, waiting a little while before pulling. Still dry.

Questions:

Is it normal to see water on the plug when a head gasket is blown? I was surprised, thought the water would evaporate quickly because of the heat.

I checked the compression, #6 (leaky one) was sitting at around 125. The two others I checked for comparison were 140. So now I'm wondering if the compression is low due to blown gasket or crack and the Bars just slowed the leak down.... or if it could be low due to damage from the time water was getting in the cylinder. Opinions?

What's normal compression for a 90 350 truck engine?

One more, does the distributor go through the intake on that engine?

Thanks,

Tom

Reply to
T. Penick
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Welcome to a PLUGGED RADIATOR / HEATER CORE

pulled the plug three days later - dry.

Reply to
no one

Last time I pulled a plug with a small leak in the head gasket, the plug came out 100% squeeky clean. A small amount of water in the cylinder will act like a pressure washer and "clean" everything in the cylinder. When I pulled the head, the combustion chamber, top of the piston and valves looked brand new, as well as the plug that I pulled. The engine was a 1967 Olds

330.

Eightupman

Reply to
Eightupman

"" wrote: > Background: > > Engine (1990 350cid) picked up a miss, pulled plugs, #6 had > water on it. > (initially thought it was #4 if anyone saw that post) > > Started wondering if it was actually water since I didn't > smell it or > anything... so pulled it again the next night... still soaked. > > Put some Bars (stop leak) in it just hoping it would help > until I could get > to it... pulled the plug three days later - dry. > > Started wondering if I had pulled it too soon after driving so > I pulled it > again two days after that, waiting a little while before > pulling. Still dry. > > Questions: > > Is it normal to see water on the plug when a head gasket is > blown? I was > surprised, thought the water would evaporate quickly because > of the heat. > > I checked the compression, #6 (leaky one) was sitting at > around 125. The two > others I checked for comparison were 140. So now I'm wondering > if the > compression is low due to blown gasket or crack and the Bars > just slowed the > leak down.... or if it could be low due to damage from the > time water was > getting in the cylinder. Opinions? > > What's normal compression for a 90 350 truck engine? > > One more, does the distributor go through the intake on that > engine? > > > > Thanks, > > Tom

It is not normal for water to get on the plugs so you may have a head gasket blowed or a crack in the head or even both.And the distributor does go through the intake.

For compression it depends on the miles that is on the motor but on average somewhere between 130ish and 150ish is good.

Reply to
Shakes73

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