i have 97 camaro with a 3.8L I got the car for 500 dollars and the engine was filled with rain water after a storm. i drain and flushed the motor. several times the oil stayed clean until the next rain storm....i drain and flushed the motor again until the oil wasn't milky and stayed clear and clean...even found a missing bolt that holds the coil pack L bracket to the block( top bolt)....and its still getting water in the oil...i tested the coolant system and it will 18 LBS of pressure for 5 mins...so i don't think it's a blown head or intake gasket.....now the L bracket still has one of the two bolts on the back side missing....does it go thru the head?....when i drain the oil and with the drain plug still out and pour water on the motor...driver side at the valve cover and the intake manifold...the water will come out if the oil pan drain hole....i have already changed the valve cover gaskets and grommets and this has not fixed this problem....any ideas?

 

do you have an air filter? ive never heard of rain getting in the engine but i assume if there was no filter the intake could suck up some water when you hit a good sized puddle.

 

I will have to think on that one

 

This is an interesting one!
So you pour water on top of the intake manifold, and it comes out of the oil pan. I can tell you this much, it's not supposed to do that!
Take a closer look at the valve cover. Actually, I'd remove it and look to see if it looks like you have a water trail on top of the head. If water is running through it will leave visible droplets if you didn't run the engine after the last water flush.
Another thought is the intake manifold gasket could be blown externally, letting water in.
Then, you need to find out why the engine gets flooded in a rain storm. A bad or missing hood seal at the cowl is a likely culprit.

 

Make sure and let us know what you find.

 

BC...it does have a full and stock air filter and all this happens while sitting in the driveway.....Camaro69 the hood seal at the cowl is there and looks ok i have not done the baby powder check to see if it seals to the hood yet...thats on the to do list,,,now correct me if i'm wrong but the intake manifold had an external leak wouldn't it show a sign of it.....IE:blowing oil out...i am in the process to find an old valve cover and cut the top off and re-trying the water check again.....thanks for all and any input this is really getting to me

 

will do edwardgp

 

Well I'm tired of trying to look around corners so.....i pulled the motor this morning....i will find out where this water is getting into the motor....problems like this just drive me to the point where i just got to know...i will keep ya'll posted

 

UPDATE: after i pulled the motor yesterday. I came in and my girlfriend told me that had a message from another f body forum...this guy said that there only two bolts that go thru the head(s) one holds the L bracket for the coil pack which was missing when i got the car....the other holds the rear bracket for the alternator bracket...well guess what the bolt was there this time but i pulled it straight out with my fingers.....later i will remove the alternator bracket put some high temp black rtv on the alternator bracket and the bolt threads and re-install them do my water test and hopefully have the engine back in and running by dinner time....i will keep ya'll posted

 

Re-installed the bolt and bracket as i said i was going to do....re-installed the motor and did the water test with a garden hose....nothing came out of the oil pan drain hole ....flushed the motor twice...so the oil is clean and clear and going to do another water test here soon