Found a Small Hose in Engine Block!

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

Reapers,

OK... So I bring this old 1972 V392E home from the wrecking yard and start
tearing it apart.  I get the water pump housing and water pipes off the front
of the block.  Then I see it... a 6" long piece of pinkish / red hose, maybe
1/4" OD with a very small internal ID... stuck inside the block right behind
where the driver's side water pipe enters the block.  It's lying right next to
the cylinder wall.

For starters, I've never seen a hose quite like this before.  It almost looks
like PVC used on wire insulation, but it's definitely a hose of some sort.
Wait... it just occurred to me it might be the type hose used on those little
coolant concentration checkers.  You know, the ones with the suction bulb?

Anyway, I was trying to figure out how this piece of hose could have made it
to that spot in ther block.  Here's my theory... it must have been dropped
into the radiator filler neck, fell down the tank to the radiator outlet hose
where it was sucked into the pump and spit out through the water pipe where it
lodged in the block.  The hose was chewed up slightly about 1/2" from one end,
so this seems logical, although I'm amazed it could make it through at all.

I guess a PO dropped it in by accident and figured "what the hell" and put the
radiator cap back on!

What's the weirdest thing you've found in an engine?

John
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