Power steering bracket/belt-tightening bolt

[jforest1]

I took it out, because the washer was cone-shaped from over-tightening, as well as the bracket, so that it sat in one spot and could no longer be adjusted.

It took 3 hours to get it out because the thread gaps were all filled with ?hardened oil gunk?.  Once out, coolant spilled out (bolt went through water jacket I suppose) and I cleaned the bolt and threads.  I haven't put the bolt back in yet as I have yet to get the new washer (been 3 days or so now).  What I found was that as coolant came out, it was dark (I suspected engine oil also mixed in).   After cleaning the bolt off, and ran it in and out a few times to clean up any further gunk and sure enough approx. a teaspoon of oil came out with each insertion/removal.

Have I ruined my engine by getting oil in the coolant or vice versa?  What should I have done and what can I do now?  Or is this all normal and I should just shove the bolt back in and fire it up?

Thanks guys!

JF

[Chryco Psycho]

small block or big block ?
 on the big block the bolt goes into the water jacket & there is nowhere to get into the oil , on the small bloch it is possible for water to get into the oil between the timing cover & block , the gunk in the water could just be sludge in the cooling system not oil . if you are concerned just remove the oil drain plug , water will come out first if there is any in the oil system , ti will not ruin the engine as long as it is drained out

[jforest1]

Thanks.  Looks like no coolant in the oil.  Thanks for the tip!

JF