found coolant in cylinder

[whitebroncoii87]

hi, i pulled my heads today and found coolant sitting on the pistons. no visible cracks in the cylinder. I'm thinking to change out the head gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, and lifters (I pulled the heads for the lifters to begin with). Just wanted to get your suggestions on what else should I change out while I'm in there. Thank you!

 

[whitebroncoii87]

see attached photo

 

[rangerin]

Was it smoking? Coolant will pool on the pistons when you remove the heads...

Edit: you water passages look reeallly clogged up too.

 

[RonD]

Yes, that looks like all the coolant didn't drain from the head so when you removed the head it came out........in to the cylinders.
Clean out the block passages.

 

[whitebroncoii87]

so that's normal? I don't get too much smoke from the tailpipe. are most of those passages for coolant? Why would so much coolant be sitting on the pistons when heads are removed, it came from the passages but isn't it drained out when I drained the system? Are most of those passages for coolant? that brown stuff in the passages when dried looks almost like paper fiber, what is that stuff?

 

[adsm08]

Yes, most of those passages are for coolant. The fiber looking stuff could be a fiber stop-leak, or a product of old coolant.

It does not all drain from the heads or block when you just open the radiator drain. On the 2.9 there is a plug in the side of the block behind the starter that can be removed to fully drain the block, but most engines the only way to completely empty the cooling system is to remove the heads and turn the block upside down. What you have there is 100% normal if you didn't pull the block drain.