I goofed - How bad???

[zimmy]

My brain must have been on of, but I removed one of my cylinder heads without having drained the block. As you can guess, I filled the three down cylinders on that side with water & antifreeze! I immediately got it out, but realize that some very small bit probably will get into the rings and probably into the oilo. I plan to completely change the oil (now), but was wondering if there is anything else that I should do. Comments (constructive, please) are welcome.

[Ron61]

Zimmy,

Change the oil immediately and then maybe if you still have the head off put a light amount of oil around the top of the piston with it down and turn the car over. That way you will spread a little oil over the cylinder wall and take away any chance of water or antifreeze causing a ring to stick. I really don't think if you got everything out immediately you have anything to worry about. Just turn the motor over a few times before starting it.

Ron

[Clois Harlan]

Definitley change your oil and put about three tablespoons full of new oil in all your exposed cylinders then wipe it out with a clean cloth and cover the exposed pistons with a towel or I after wiping each cylinder down with a clean cloth and oil I have covered the block with Seran Wrap and then layed a towell over it.

You should be OK!

Clois

[My427stang]

Dont sweat it Zimmy, I have seen plenty a motor run with a blown head gasket and be fine. That little bit wont hurt a thing. No-one one is wrong with the cleaning / oil advice, but even if you just wiped it with a rag and put it back together, it wouldnt do a thing. It takes quite a bit to hurt anything, sleep well!

[SCOBRAC]

Squirt a good amount of WD-40 (Water Displacement 40) around the piston. Wipe it up with a clean soft paper towel.. Wipe it again with an oil soaked towel.. That should keep you from rusting for about a year.

[mikey]

I did this myself a number of years ago. One thing I found useful was to use the vacuum cleaner with the tool suction to draw any moisture from the gap around the pistons. Get each pioston to the top and give it a good suck. Bit more WD 40 and another suck.

If you got some water mixed in with the oil in the sump, do not be surprised if you get a bit of steaming from the breather cap even after you have changed the oil as you may still have some small residue. It will burn off, and after you change your oil again preferably drained when hot it will go.

I certainly didnt suffer any problems as a result and as one of the previous posters said its only like blowing a gasket.

Best of luck with it mike.

Oh by the way dont let the wife see you sneaking the vacuum into the garage or you will be in trouble - ie no fun for a few weeks (timescale may change depending upon how friendly wife is and how many favour points you have built up).

Mike.