Coolant in oil. 1999 tahoe vortec

[chicagochuck]

I bought the truck from a friend to fix and sell, it needed a new motor. I posted a while back and I was installing the used motor in a 1999 tahoe. Installed the motor in October 2016. I started the truck periodically checked the oil a few times and didn't notice anything abnormal. There is a cylinder 8 misfire that wont go away though. I changed plug wire, distributor cap and spark plug , I'm thinking maybe dirty injector. But maybe its elated to the problem I may have now.

I heard the motor run and checked the oil before I bought the used engine. Everything checked out.





Fast forward to today and I start the truck probably hasn't been started in a few months or so. I check the oil and it looks like oil is mixed in. WTF. Could the upper gasket cause this or is it usually always the lowers?

Doing the job doesn't scare me, Iv done lower gaskets on 90's gm cars and Iv installed motors before .
The whole distributor and timing thing does. I have never set tdc nor have I used a timing light, nor do I have the scanner to set timing. etc Is there a easier way? I see some people or all mark the ignition rotor to the firewall, but it that advised to just do that?

 

[drakon543]

Just in the short time owning my 97 ive changed its dist twice. Once because the original was shot and second because the one i out in the first time was cheap junk. Ive also changed 2 others within that time on 2 other trucks without a scanner. Do everything possible mark it, tape it down, take a picture, mark a spot on the i take manifold and mark a spot on the dist. Just as long as you dont rotate the engine while your working on it and you put i back in like you pulled it out you will be fine.

 

[Kenny D]

First,
The 5.7L Vortec is notorious for leaking intake gaskets. It will be the rear ports on either head. When swapping out intake gaskets, be sure to run the torque sequence multiple times until they all stay tight. They will loosen on you, trust me I found out the hard way.
Second,
the timing issue, you can mark the distributor, mark the rotor, and mark the intake or firewall. You may get lucky and it all goes right back, but there is a 75% chance it will not. The fine tuning of the timing will have to be done with the machine.

He explains it pretty good here.
If you have an engraver that will make a super fine line, you can mark the base of the distributor and intake with a fine line and the rotor and firewall with a marker, you probably could get lucky. Like the guy says, 2 degrees and that is not very much. LOL

 

[chicagochuck]

Thanks guys I will try that and hope for the best. IF It does run like crap and or I et tat code is it ok to drive a few miles to a shop who has a scanner? or will that damage the motor?

 

[east302]

To read the CMP retard, you download an app (Car Gauge Pro or DashCommand, both android) and use an OBD Bluetooth adapter to connect it. The app is about $20, the adapter maybe $30 and it'll get you what you need without an expensive scanner.




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[Kenny D]

Good to know. Thanks. I'll have to remember that.

 

[Kenny D]

Thanks guys I will try that and hope for the best. IF It does run like crap and or I et tat code is it ok to drive a few miles to a shop who has a scanner? or will that damage the motor?

I had to. It just drove like it was on 4 cyl.

 

[east302]

Before you pull the distributor, mark the rotor position on the housing and mark the distributor flange on the intake manifold. When you pull the distributor, the rotor will turn about 45-degrees counterclockwise. Try to mark that second position as well.

When you replace it, position the rotor on this second mark and it should turn clockwise to the original mark as it seats. That and aligning the mark on the intake should get you pretty close.


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[Kenny D]

The finer the line, the closer you can get.

 

[east302]

Very true.


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