BBF using water

My 545 has been using water lately. Just a little bit but I have noticed it and was not sure where it is going. There seems to be no external leaks. Saturday being it is the end of the season for us Mn. guys I decided to winterize it. When I drained the water out of the radiator it seemed very black. Then when I opened the block drains it was blacker than the ace of spades as they say. There seemed to be a little scum swirling around in the drain pan also. I am thinking I am getting some head gasket leakage and it is leaking into the combustion chambers and that's where it is going. It shows no smoke or anything when under power. The oil is clean too no milkyness or anything like that. Any idea's or am I thinking in the right direction?

57custom wrote:My 545 has been using water lately. Just a little bit but I have noticed it and was not sure where it is going. There seems to be no external leaks. Saturday being it is the end of the season for us Mn. guys I decided to winterize it. When I drained the water out of the radiator it seemed very black. Then when I opened the block drains it was blacker than the ace of spades as they say. There seemed to be a little scum swirling around in the drain pan also. I am thinking I am getting some head gasket leakage and it is leaking into the combustion chambers and that's where it is going. It shows no smoke or anything when under power. The oil is clean too no milkyness or anything like that. Any idea's or am I thinking in the right direction?

I have had my old 351c in a 71 Mustang head gasket leak like that before where it was going in the cylinder and not into the oil. The way I found it was pressurizing the cooling system noticed the pressure gauge dropping but never saw any water coming out anywhere. .Pulled all the plugs out and turn the engine over and found water in a cylinder just one way I have found to check for a water leak.

x2

When you put antifreeze in it's gona leak worse.

Time to replace gaskets. I can't see any way around it. Sorry:(