Water in oil/ steam in exhaust

[anglosax]

Don
I know this issue is well documented but we have not yet isolated the possible cause of repeated water in the engine oil. The oil has been changed after a top end rebuild and we are continuing to get traces of water in the oil. All points to headgasket or cracked block but we cant tell which. Am I correct in thinking that there are no oilways in the head to leak into a waterway?
To add to the intrigue, we suddenly have too much steam in the exhaust after only 30 seconds of running from cold, the volume increases with engine revs. Again head gasket or cylinder head is suspect. We already have external hairline crack on head under the alternater brkt,, now repaired. The only thing that doesnt add is that the engine is not missing on any cylinders [ plug lead test at idle] and the plugs are not fouled or rusty/corroded.
We have replace/ replumbed the injection bend on the exhaust and have consistant 140 deg cooling exhaust and still steam .
Only thing left is heat exchanger manifold - but could this produce steam and 140 deg cooling water at the same time
Nothing makes too much sense - Help

[Don Moyer]

The fact that your engine continues to run well and the spark plugs are staying normal is a good indication that, wherever your water is coming from that is causing the steam, it is apparently not originating or passing through the combustion chambers. This rationale would suggest a good possibility of a leak in the manifold or a hairline crack in one of the exhaust ports in the block.

The trace of water in the oil is perplexing in view of the above, since a leaky manifold or exhaust port would not be able to get to the crankcase.

I usually shy away from suggesting that a problem may have two cause factors, but for the moment, we have to consider the possibility that you may have a trace amount of water entering the crankcase from one cause (perhaps a cracked block), and a separate trace amount of water entering downstream of the combustion chambers which is causing the steam.

I'm attaching our tech note for water in oil which includes a pressure testing procedure for the block, head, and manifold which may be of some help.

You're correct to assume that there are no oil passageways in the head.

Don