Very few of these I bet, and I hope...a bolt through the block.

[RidgeRunner]

Gentlemen and all you engine experts...that's not to say that Gentlemen and experts couldn't be one in the same. I have been working at installing an '84 AMC 360 into my short wheel base Jeep CJ7. As I was installing the timing chain cover with the water pump mounted to the cover I found that a bolt on the left side seemed to get real easy to thread into the block. To be honest, at first I was using an air-rachet and I felt and heard a "pop" which gave me a real sick feeling in my gut! I removed the bolt and radiator fluid poured out of the hole. My assumption is that I blew out the tapped blind hole that is in the casting and penetrated the water jacket or water galley. I think that this would be the best scenario...however I can think of several other scenarios that are much, much worse. Let's discuss this please and speak to a possible solution. I would much appreciate any and all help. How much risk is there that water will get to the oil??????

[RidgeRunner]

Correction ...as you look from the front of the engine the brake through is on the driver's side or right side toward the #1 cylinder.

[RidgeRunner]

Hopefully you can see the included pic. As I was running the bolt through the water pump and through the timing chain cover the bolt broke through the casting wall. Coolant leaked through the hole after I removed the bolt. My question is ...did I simply break through the block wall and into the water jacket or passage for coolant or did I do some real damage to the block? The pic shows the hole location with a thin black circle. So far replacing the bolt with RTV seems to have stopped the leak....yikes, this can't be good.

[tufcj]

I just looked at a bare block I have sitting in the garage. The hole you have marked is just a nub that extends into the water jacket. As long as you have enough threads left that you can seal it and it doesn't strip, you should be OK. It is really close to the outside of the cylinder wall (like 1/4"), so hopefully you didn't go deep enough to damage the cylinder. Some early blocks had enough core shift that one of the head bolts opened into the water jacket. AMC's solution was to just put sealant on the threads.

If you pull the timing cover, you can see the casting inside the water jacket through the hole. It might ease your mind to do that.

Bob
tufcj

[RidgeRunner]

Thanks Bob,

This is what I was hoping. I did apply RTV to the bolt and used two thick washers to back it out a bit. This seemed to stop the leak. At this point, I am going to move forward with the assembly. I was able to crank the engine on Tuesday night through the solenoid. This weekend I will be able to run the engine and then see just what will happen. Fingers, toes and eyes are crossed for good luck!

Happy trails,

Ridgerunner