Lower Intake Bolts Question

[2000tahoeZ71]

Just did the lower intake gasket job with the good fel-pros, and replaced the lower intake bolts when I was in there. I have a suspicion that I am getting coolant in the oil. However, I don't notice any coolant missing. I don't know if I am just being paranoid or what. After I did the job I changed the oil and drove it for about 20 miles. When I drained it, it felt really thin and there was quite a bit a magnetic particles on the drain plug, much more than I have ever had. However, it wasnt muddy, or creamy or anything, just looked like oil. My question is do any of the intake bolts go into water jackets? I know they all have thread sealer on them but figure on the corner 4 do if any. After I got the job done, I was using a long skinny screwdriver to index the oil pump and dropped the damn thing in there, so off the intake had to come. Made sure the gaskets were back in place good, reapplied the RTV and seated the intake again. None of the sealer appeared to have been removed from the bolts so I ran them back down without putting any more on. Any idea that I could be leaking or am I just being paranoid?

 

[SunlitComet]

They all enter the water jacket I believe. you are supposed to clean the bolt holes on the head before putting new bolts with sealer on and if you remove them you will likely have ruined the sealing effect. You will need to clean and reseal them again. For now keep an eye on your oil.

---------- Post added at 11:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 AM ----------

Oh and hot oil will be thinned out a bit.

 

[2000tahoeZ71]

I chased the threads when I was cleaning the valley. I'll keep and eye on it, but damnit I don't want to have to do it again.

 

[ezdaar]

I always put a small dab (pencil eraser diameter size) of red RTV on the threads before starting them.
Keeps the water from creeping up the threads and rusting them.

 

[2000tahoeZ71]

should I pull the bolts, apply sealer, and reseat them? Anyway to do this without upsetting the gaskets or RTV seal? Maybe do one at a time?

 

[ezdaar]

one at a time

 

[kcb37]

If you really want to know.

Google Blackstone labs.
Not the only place, but you can do an oil analysis. They will tell you more then you ever know about your oil, or what your oil could tell you.

 

[2000tahoeZ71]

Well I have been driving it and got really scared the other day as I checked the coolant in the reservoir and it was way low. Cranked it up and brought it up to temp and went back to where I had marked it. Thank goodness.

 

[SunlitComet]

When you empty the cooling system there will be a few heat cycles before the reservoir stabilizes while it bleeds out all the air.