Last year when I got my project '87 dl wagon, I expected that I would have to replace the engine so I bidded on an Ebay motor from Mokato_autoparts and was the high bidder. It turned out that I was able to rebuild the existing motor in the dl, so the Ebay motor just sat unused until I got another project recently.

 

Project 2 is a '90 Loyale and had serious motor problems but a very straight, rust free, nice two-tone paint body. So for the past 6 weeks, I've been wrenching on it. Got the Ebay motor installed, running and took a short trip around the block. Then I noticed that the radiator wanted more coolant and I added some, but then shut it down when it seemed to want too much.

 

Checked the oil dipstick and discovered foam. Drained the oilpan and saw a foul milkshake - coolant in the oil that had been churned.

 

Decided to pull the motor (out in 2 hours) to see what I did wrong. Found that one side of the intake manifold wasn't torqued enough. Have taken one head off so far and also discovered that Mokato didn't use the reinforced o-ring under the camshaft housing. Cleaned up that side of the motor and replaced the head gasket and installed the proper o-ring.

 

Will finish the other side tomorrow.

 

Moral of the story: Should have double-checked for the proper o-ring before installing the motor and taken my time installing the intake manifold.

Wow. That story is enough to make a grown man cry.