Would someone please help me find the/a thread with how to pressure test a 4.6 block for liner leaks.
I have searched with no luck.
I have my engine on a stand, torn down just a short block, oil pan and heads off.
I think I have 3 cylinders with coolant coming between the cylinder liner and the top off the block.
I remember seeing a setup on here that would attach to bare block, and the escaping air would bubble between the liner and upper block.

I rebuilt my engine, cranked it but before it started, noticed 3 major coolant leaks from idiot machine shop not putting Any sealent on Any of the freeze plugs.
I took the engine back out, and put it on a stand in my garage months ago.
I did not disassemble it until today.
It sat in my garage out of the elements, lower intake ports taped over, but exhaust ports open, so I would expect a small amount of surface rust being possible.
That did not appear to be the case, but I cannot be sure.
All 8 cylinders were pinned while the block was apart, even though I found no evidence of it needing done.
I Co2 tested the coolant system with the engine running before disassembling the engine for the rebuild, it was sucessful, no Co2 in the coolant.
No heating, running hot, no coolant leaks prior to disassembly either.
After pulling the engine again, after the rebuild,I noticed small coolant drops that had crystalized all along the edges of both head gaskets.
Very strange, as the heads are remanufactured, and clearly have been resurfaced. The head and block surface are flat by a straight edge. The head gaskets and stretch bolts are new. Torqued to 15' lbs in sequence, then 90 degrees, then 90 more, using and angle gage on the breaker bar.
The entire coolant system is new, minus the hoses, which are recent and in good shape.
As said, coolant pushed past 3 freeze plugs, without the engine even starting. So, my thought is that the new coolant system is working great, but, that I may also have a crack(s) in the block, behind some liners, and now leaking.
I hope not, but find it hard to belive that even with the inaccuracy of torque to yeild instead of torque to specific lb ft, that it wouldn't leak otherwise, especially with the engine never warming up.
So I want to test this block before buying new gaskets, ARP studs and higher quality gaskets next too.
And hopefully not buying a block and/or 8 top hat liners.

My no start condition seems to have been as I suspected, bad fitment of the Crower cam to the factory cam gear.
As it appeared to not have seated in the key groove correctly, and spun itself out, so it jumped time.
Fortunately, these are clearanced engines, and no damage was done to the cam or sprocket, which now fit correctly(key groove in cam was not wide enough originally).
Depending on what I find with this block determines if I need to spend a couple hundred...or couple grand to finish.
Thanks for any links or advice.

 

Yes, there is a kit to do this. Basically it is some block off plates for the ends of the block. You mount up a front cover and waterpump and connect a hose with a plug to pressure test it. Video of a guy doing it here: He made plates for the front cover, but you could just use the actual cover and water pump and plug it with a hose with a plug.

See here: https://www.motorcarsltd.com/block.tester.html

I made my own block off plates, only thing left is to drill the head bolt holes (have not had the need to use them yet). There is some concern that leaks could only show up once the engine is warm. If that actually concerns you then you can plumb in an inlet port on the block drain plugs and an outlet port in the hose plug, then use the coolant from a running vehicle to get the block up to temperature. In my case I have multiple Disco's so I could use the coolant bottle line from the manifold for the feed and route the discharge back to the coolant bottle. That way you get actual running temperature and running pressure. If you wanted a little more pressure you could plumb in a pressure fitting in to the loop and some isolation ball valves from Home Depot to quickly isolate the test block and give it a shot of 30 or 40 psi to see if it leaks.

If I remember you are in the Lynchburg area, if that is correct I could potentially help you set up the test and run it.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the video link and the info!
I'm about a half hour south of Lynchburg.
This was an unexpected suprise that really has me thinking hard about what to do next.
I'll buy head studs and all gaskets again, but 8 top-hat liners and machining..not so much.
Or another block, with the same risk.
I'de like to do an LS swap as well, but that looks like a $6k swap.
I overpaid $3k for this thing(when I finally found an 04 black on black after looking for a long time), then fixed 5 things, only to have 10 more break. I'm at $7k in parts now...yeah.
I knew it was a money pit(what truck or toy isn't), but it has snowballed. I can fix whatever it needs, but there comes a point of when to stop throwing money down the rabbit hole.

 

I watched it again, and didn't catch it before that he removed the liners before the test.
And that his block held pressure before.
I've watched how to remove the liners before too.
All very doable, but to me, still looking likely that I need top-hats or a good block.
Rrrrrrrr!
Oh well, it is what it is.

 

Basically, I need a block, and a windsheild(one in it is cracked and won't pass Va state inspection).
Has tons of new and extra parts.
Somebody make me an offer and get it out of my driveway.
I've been pissing money away in this thing for a year and a half, and at the moment, don't have the motivation to spend another dime on it.