Europa TCST

[TurboFource]

Removed speedometer cable, engine compartment diagonal bracing and decided it was a good time to drain the transaxle, the gear oil looked like gear oil with very, very minimal tiny brass specs, and dragging a magnet through it grabbed no particles, so the transaxle should be in good shape internally. (Pic of gear oil).

I would assume now is a good time to loosen the large nuts on the stub axles while the suspension is still together ?

[BDA]

Yes. You'll probably have to lock the hub with a breaker bar against the floor of your garage to loosen it. When you get it off, you should need heat to melt the loktite on the hub to get it off. Make a note to yourself to get the right loktite (#635). r.d. enterprises sells small quantities.

[TurboFource]

My axle nut loosening rig......boy that was tight!

3/8" plywood is up to the task!

[TurboFource]

Unpleasant surprise........

About 1-1/8" of water in the oil pan (calculated based on 40 ounces of water in drain bucket)..hopefully below the level of anything important

Good thing the capacity of the oil pan was increased!

[BDA]

Water in the oil is never a good thing and given what you've found already, I supposed it shouldn't be unexpected. I hope the oil mitigated any damage from the water. Good luck!

Your plywood solution seems to have worked well!

[TurboFource]

Can water pump on Twin Cam leak into engine ?

[BDA]

Not than I'm aware... unfortunately...

[jbcollier]

Not the pump itself but there are gaskets between the cover, adaptor plate and the block.  Not a common problem though.  Head gasket issues are much more common.

[TurboFource]

There is evidence of corrosion at the cover mating surfaces at the water pump area, near the timing chain tensioner sprocket......so hopefully that is my issue......

[BDA]

Hopefully!

[Dilkris]

Maybe mentioned in a previous comment, (if so sorry), but you appear to have a toothed belt drive to your water pump do you not? This being the case - do you have the cartridge water pump conversion on that engine?? (Personally I would rate this as "desirable"  )

[TurboFource]

It has a toothed belt and It does have a cartridge water pump that was designed by the original owner CWTech.

[TurboFource]

Minimal progress today, got the other stub axle nut off.....it was tighter than the other one!

Took coolant hoses off engine and discovered why it looks like I had coolant leaking from between the front covers near water pump.....see pic of coolant "goo".....

Pulled thermostat housing.... Head seems to be ok.....

[BDA]

Another step in your journey...

[TurboFource]

Removed all the rear suspension today and lifted the chassis up and over the engine and transaxle....