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When you do your re-torquing, take a look at the service manual to note the order. The exact order isn't critical but basically you work from the center out toward each end, zig-zagging side to side to pull it down evenly.

Let me make sure I am following you. You brought the water level 1 liter above the core and then overnight it dropped to 1 cm below the core? That means that 1) there is now an extra liter of water in your oil pan and the oil level will read quite high or 2) there is a liter of water laying in either the intake or exhaust manifold or a cylinder that will make itself distinctly known if you attempt to start the car, or 3) it took a while for the coolant level to even out as air trapped in the block slowly made it way past the thermostat.

I am voting for option 3. Very unlikely you can see a crack with a borescope. There is not internal piping per se, there is just water jacketing around the cylinders and valve pockets. That brass tube merely directs cooler water where it is most needed.

Lost in all the postings, how did you first determine that there was water in your oil?

Hi Ross.
Yes it probably sounds confusing, I will try to explain. Firstly my w/p has been leaking from the seal since the rebuild in 2016 so needed the rebuild anyway. As I'm a novice I thought this was the issue where the leak into engine was occurring.
I noticed rough running, once home, a check of the oil and noticed that horrible tell tale nasty creamy oil sight and a high reading. I had previously filled the coolant rather higher than I normally do.
I emptied slowly to see how much coolant there in the oil as its heavier and separates. This is the litre or so I'm talking about, and I'm not sure how long ago this had started, likely a couple of months.
With new oil added and without even a start up, I added roughly a litre, maybe less of coolant as it was sitting lower than the core top. But the amount was no where near where it flows over into the top of the block. I checked the level the next morning. It had dropped below the core however I could not see how much. Today I emptied the fresh oil to double check the level of coolant only to find very little, a lot less than expected. But remember it has rot run since changing.
I've only worked on air cooled V.W.s and I thought before w/p removal that the leak into engine was through the leaky shaft. Obviously this is not how they function.
My plan is first a compression test, to see if this not on spec. Then check how torqued the head bolts are, using the correct procedure. My mechanic also suggested checking the tappets, and adjust accordingly. I'm hoping this is not too hard.
Stay tuned all, fingers crossed as an extremely expensive engine rebuild is on the line.
Thanks for understanding my lack of knowledge.

So the head is off now. You can continue to do this test multiple times over several days. I would do this with the oil drained from the pan with plug in. Topping off the water each day and rotating the crank by hand to set different cylinders to bottom of stroke. Each morn check what is in the lower cyl and what is in the pan. When you removed the head were all the piston tops black carbon covered? Were there any CLEAN ones? Since the head is dry on these you won't be looking for cracks in the head between the valves as is common. Check for cracks near head bolt threads to cyl. Check for cracks down low in cyl bores. Don't discount rust deterioration in these blocks . Any blocks this old can be rusted thin from the inside.

Howdy Old55Clipperguy.
Trying all those mentioned earlier as remedies before I take the head off. Do you mean a clean piston would be the issue area? Thanks for these tips, they may have to be done. Buying a new gasket means more expense and another long delay in the post to Aus.
I'm hoping there is give in the re-torque setting, and the bolt meets block area is not the culprit.
But what your saying is a good tip if I can't figure it out, even though all such comments are tightening my but cheeks. Old Betty is an all original matching numbers rhd.
I bought a remote starter to help get a compression test done.
I have the manual's measurements to check tappets.
Thanks again to everyone for all the great tips.

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