360 with water in oil

[randy73]

Looking at a car and it has a 360 and the guy was running just water, he said when the temps went down to single digits, the water froze and pushed out the freeze plugs. When he started the car, it started making a noise so he shut it off, when he looked the dipstick he say water on it. So he is think it is a cracked block, so my question is, can someone guestimate whether the block really cracked or did the water maybe blow out a gasket somewhere?

[JB400]

When he pulled the dipstick, did it show the oil level rose or did it just have a little mayonnaise on it?  If it was just mayo, it's probably just condensation that built up inside the engine.  If the oil level rose, then it don't look good and will require a tear down to find out for sure.

[randy73]

yes, the oil rose and looks like mayo.

[el dub]

The most common reason for water in the oil is a bad head gasket.

[RogerDodger]

The most common reason for water in the oil is a bad head gasket.

Yes but knowing that it froze I would suspect more than head gasket.

[Challenger340]

I am up in Canada where it gets COLD here ?
IMO, If it got cold enough to push the frost plugs out.... good chance it cracked in the lifter gallery lengthwise just above the Lifters on one, or both sides.
Pulling the Intake is fairly easy to verify.

In my experience, there just are not any "gaskets" that fail as a direct result of freezing, expect the worst.

[Cooter]

I wouldn't anything from a moron that runs straight water in the cooling System and lets it freeze.
these people know better.