Aren't there some water jacket drain plugs somewhere at bottom of block? I don't use them, but seem to remember a tech article on the website in which Dave Swingle does. Coolant IS coming from somewhere -- water jacket, external plumbing, pump, etc. Biggest concern with head gasket theory -- symptoms different than vacuum leak. Vacuum leaks primarily a low RPM problem, basically "wandering" idle. Leaking head gasket worse at high RPM's: hesitation, shudders, and misses. Do you have any of the classic head gasket indicators: steam in exhaust or a milky white residue in oil? Put a timing light on each plug -- if water leak is bad enough will foul them (electrode will actually rust). Sounds like stupid question (and I know I beat the topic to death), but have you ensured all external coolant hoses and pipes intact? Are quite a few to worry about. Is it possible you have two different problems (water leak and vacuum leak) at same time? At least your speedo works. Bill Robertson #5939 >--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxx> wrote: > For anyone who's been following this odessey, I have: > > Drilled out that last stuck clutch pressure plate bolt. Removed the > clutch and flywheel. I found, absolutely nothing. > > I'll recap the symptoms: Engine behaved as though it had a vacuum > leak (which I couldn't find) Oil mixed with coolant on the ground (at > least 1/2 to 1 quart). The bottom of the engine was totally wet with > the mix, especially the tranny end of the engine, and the crossbeam. > The rest of the engine was totally dry. To me, this suggested a > cracked block, or blown headgasket(s). Some of you (and the folks at > DMCH) informed me that crack blocks were extremely rare and a blown > head gasket was much more likely. > > Fine. But that didn't answer where the fluid came from. There was a > lot of it, but none of it came from where the heads mate to the > block. It all seemed centered around the bottom of the tranny, > smearing back all over the bottom of the engine. The more stuff I got > apart, the more of the trail I could see, the more convinced I was > that the crank seal blew out. When I removed the tranny, there was > even a -puddle- of the fluid mix in the bellhousing. > > I looked all over. I can't find a crack. The crank seal is dry. No > snail trail. WHERE is this stuff coming from????? Test this theory: > Is there positive pressure in the oil pan when the engine runs? Did > the oil pan gasket give out, spraying that area of the engine? It's > the right location. The whole oil pan gasket is leaking. The bottom > dust plate for the clutch was missing when I took it all apart. Did > it spray in there, and leave the puddle in the bellhousing? > > One final question: I have a new crank seal. Even though the old one > seems intact, should I replace it or not mess with it??? > > Sorry for the length. > Rich > #5335 -MD