# Never started engine just drained water out of pan



## 1ST Timer (Jul 22, 2016)

Holy crap I don’t even know where to start. I recently had to move my project from Eastern Washington to western Washington where they love the rain. My engine has zero time on it. Has never been through break-in although it was rebuilt along time ago so needs opening and inspection At least. On the trip over the mountains it was raining terribly all of the obvious holes had been taped up but some water got in. I’m not sure where maybe through loose valve covers or tape that blew off during the trip. Should I spin the oil pump and try to push fresh oil through it for a while or would that just make my problem worse pushing water around I really have no idea what to do and I’m feeling a little defeated. It is a 69 400


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

1ST Timer said:


> Holy crap I don’t even know where to start. I recently had to move my project from Eastern Washington to western Washington where they love the rain. My engine has zero time on it. Has never been through break-in although it was rebuilt along time ago so needs opening and inspection At least. On the trip over the mountains it was raining terribly all of the obvious holes had been taped up but some water got in. I’m not sure where maybe through loose valve covers or tape that blew off during the trip. Should I spin the oil pump and try to push fresh oil through it for a while or would that just make my problem worse pushing water around I really have no idea what to do and I’m feeling a little defeated. It is a 69 400


You certainly DO NOT want to prime the oil pump/oil galley/bearings/lifters and related engine parts with water.

Assume the engine is in the car? If it is out, much better. If it is in I would pull the engine and remove the pan, valve covers, and intake/valley pan to inspect for water as you have no idea of where the water entered and where it may be pooled up inside the engine since there was enough to travel to the pan. You could have water pooled up in the tops of the head when you pull the valve covers or on top of the valve lifters/lifter valley. Check the windage tray if you have one as water could get on top. So several places water could set and then rust parts and/or do damage.

If the engine has been sitting for some time, my guess is that any assembly lube used on the cam/lifters (if a flat tappet cam and not a roller) has dripped off and when you do go to start/break-in the engine you may damage the cam/lifters. So removing the intake/valley pan for water will be two-fold as you can re-coat your cam/lifters with *assembly grease *which will stick to the cam/lifters and not run off if the engine sits more. There are several brands but the one I chose after doing web research was the Driven brand Engine Assembly Grease which you can get online.

Better to be safe than throw money away and have the engine damaged by taking a chance and hoping for the best and not taking a peek in the engine. If nothing else, I would pull the valve covers and intake/valley pan and then use a good light to look down into the lower end. I would suggest using an inexpensive bore scope/camera to peek into the engine, but I would be afraid you might miss something, but again, your call if you want to try it.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Since you are going to open and inspect it, do it asap. In lieu of that, I would drain the old oil, install new oil and filter, and remove all the spark plugs. I would squirt WD40 in all the cylinders and crank the engine over by hand to push all water/moisture out of the cylinders. Then I would squirt Marvel Mystery Oil or ATF in each cylinder, turn the engine over and re-install the plugs. I can't tell you how many good engines I have seen over the years that were destroyed by water getting into one or more cylinders and left there to rust out the bore. One freshly rebuilt, matching numbers '64 tripower 389 with zero miles on it needed 6 or 7 sleeves to save the block because water had gotten down the center carb while it was in storage. Surface rust inside the engine on the windage tray and oil pan is one thing, but ANY moisture in the valve train or cylinders is a death-sentence. At the very least, pull the valve covers and spark plugs, blow out with compressed air, and do the WD-40 /ATF treatment ASAP.


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## lust4speed (Jul 5, 2019)

How much water came out of the pan? Was there oil in the engine? How long before you plan on having it running - days or continue in permanent storage?


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## Sick467 (Oct 29, 2019)

Unless you can start/break-in the engine ASAP with fresh oil to burn off any moisture (given the precautions mentioned above)...I'd break it down right away, clean everything with thinner (or the like), and oil all the parts. A this point you can rebuild at your leisure with confidence.


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## 1ST Timer (Jul 22, 2016)

lust4speed said:


> How much water came out of the pan? Was there oil in the engine? How long before you plan on having it running - days or continue in permanent storage?


Maybe 4 fl oz


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## 1ST Timer (Jul 22, 2016)

Sick467 said:


> Unless you can start/break-in the engine ASAP with fresh oil to burn off any moisture (given the precautions mentioned above)...I'd break it down right away, clean everything with thinner (or the like), and oil all the parts. A this point you can rebuild at your leisure with confidence.


Yeah the more I think it’s about ready to start up the more I find missing. So no it’s not really in a position to be started yet.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

One ounce of water sitting on top of a piston is enough to take out a cylinder if it sits long enough. Time to remove the plugs/blow out the cylinders and get it oiled up as best you can if you aren't going to start it and aren't going to take the pan off and heads off, etc. How about borrowing or renting a borescope and looking inside the cylinders and crankcase with the engine still assembled? That would save time and work and you'd know what you were looking at....


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## 1ST Timer (Jul 22, 2016)

geeteeohguy said:


> One ounce of water sitting on top of a piston is enough to take out a cylinder if it sits long enough. Time to remove the plugs/blow out the cylinders and get it oiled up as best you can if you aren't going to start it and aren't going to take the pan off and heads off, etc. How about borrowing or renting a borescope and looking inside the cylinders and crankcase with the engine still assembled? That would save time and work and you'd know what you were looking at....


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## 1ST Timer (Jul 22, 2016)

Sorry late getting back to you. I think all is well.


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

good save ...
where did all the cam lube go ??


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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

Was thinking the same thing. Even the liquid style, while not designed for a build and store scenario, will stick to the lobes for a very long time, yours looks to be pretty dry. The supplied lube is designed to stick to the surfaces at a molecular level so you should still be able to see at least a film of it even if that was all you used when you assembled unless is was a very long time ago. You may want to leave installing the valley pan and intake to the very last thing before start up. You can buy a small tube (or a couple of them) of the lube that comes with a new cam (Butler sells them in little packets), squirt it on every lobe and let it run down, install the valley pan and intake, turn the engine over a couple times by hand, prime the oil pump, and start it up. I'd hit a dab on the top of each lifter and see if you can get it to the contact point of each pushrod as well. Probably overkill, but can't hurt. 

Glad you lucked out on this one. Having to rebuild a freshly rebuilt engine would have sucked for sure. Can't wait for the update that says you have it up and running.


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## rockinelvis718 (4 d ago)

I


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## rockinelvis718 (4 d ago)

My 67GTO just fired up from a new rebuild,400 running good, all of a sudden 0 oil pressure could my oil pump of died or how to check if shaft is busted for oil pump, heard some thudding so shut it down I will be changing oil to see if it has any water in it, or any metal in pan


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

rockinelvis718 said:


> My 67GTO just fired up from a new rebuild,400 running good, all of a sudden 0 oil pressure could my oil pump of died or how to check if shaft is busted for oil pump, heard some thudding so shut it down I will be changing oil to see if it has any water in it, or any metal in pan


Not what you want to hear. Could be anything. Who did the rebuild? If a shop did it, I would not touch it and bring it right back to them. If you mess with it, it may void any repair work it could need and them pay for it.

Otherwise, it could be the oil pump drive shaft. You always want to install an aftermarket hardened shaft. The stock ears on the ends can break off from fatigue or using a high volume pump or thick oil. Easy enough to check, pop your cap and turn your rotor back and forth by hand. If more is needed, then pull the distrib. and look down inside and see what you see. If it looks OK, use a long flat blade screw driver and use it to spin the shaft and see it it will turn.

If the shaft ears look OK, the shaft spins with the screw driver, pull a valve cover and turn the screw driver counter clockwise several turns and it should be enough to force oil out the rocker arm spurt holes. I have primed engines this way with the big Craftsman screw driver and spinning it by hand. There is a correct "priming tool" that uses a drill motor.............but those cost money. LOL

The oil pick-up screen may have fallen off. Drain the oil and use a bore scope to take a peak - this can happen if the pickup tube/screen did not have a really tight interference fit, the tube was not knocked deep enough into the oil pump body, and/or it should have been pinned/tack welded or bracket made to hold it tight onto the pump body.

The noise and 0 pressure may indicate the pickup screen fell off.

Step by step, check it out.


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