2.9 Overheated - Blown Head Gasket

rivers · Aug 10, 2008

Hey guys, kinda new on here. . . sorry if there is already another thread out there regarding this, but I didn't see one right away.

Anyways, the truck overheated and all of the coolant spit out. When I would refill the radiator, I could see the coolant boiling over and out the overflow lid pretty quick. I didn't see any other signs of leaking from the hoses, but I am getting white smoke from the exhaust until I run out of coolant again. So I'm sure the coolant/ water is getting into the cylinders now, creating the white smoke.
But my main question is, should I look into a faulty water pump as the cause or do these motors have thermostat problems that keep the water from circulating.

Thanks a lot for the help.

IMenriched · Aug 10, 2008

rivers said:
Hey guys, kinda new on here. . . sorry if there is already another thread out there regarding this, but I didn't see one right away.

Anyways, the truck overheated and all of the coolant spit out. When I would refill the radiator, I could see the coolant boiling over and out the overflow lid pretty quick. I didn't see any other signs of leaking from the hoses, but I am getting white smoke from the exhaust until I run out of coolant again. So I'm sure the coolant/ water is getting into the cylinders now, creating the white smoke.
But my main question is, should I look into a faulty water pump as the cause or do these motors have thermostat problems that keep the water from circulating.

Thanks a lot for the help.

No...sadly white exhaust pretty much spells out cracked head and or head gasket, Gasket if you're lucky...most times it is cracked head.

to help determine which side....remove plugs...look the over carefully and the plugs that look all clean is the area that is probablly leaking. hopefully it is only 1 side. If this really got warm/hot it maybe wise to have both removed and checked

rickcdewitt · Aug 10, 2008

hidesertrat · Aug 10, 2008

You may want to go into the Technical Library and read all about the 2.9, alot of good information there. Really a great job putting it all together.

Odds are you have cracked heads, if you got the engine that hot. Do you have water in the oil? Pull you dip stick and see if you oil looks like chocolate mouse.

I had to overhaul my engine for the same reason. I wasn't a member here, so just went a head and did the dirty deed. Half way through the job, found this site. Wish it had been earlier into the job, as I would have opted to do the 4.0 swap, cost would have been comparible and I would have ended up with more hp.

When/if you pull the heads to have them magnafluxed (only way you are going find out if they are cracked) ensure they check the tops and bottoms of the heads. Most heads will crack down by the vavle seats, however, 2.9 heads will crack on the top by the springs. The shop I went to missed this the first time around and I thought I only had a bad head gasket...until I put it all back together again and found out differently! :shok:

rickcdewitt · Aug 11, 2008

hidesertrat said:
. Half way through the job, found this site. Wish it had been earlier into the job, as I would have opted to do the 4.0 swap, cost would have been comparible and I would have ended up with more hp.

i bought all kinds of crap for my 2.9 before hydrolocking it and researching the 4.0 swap.i wish i had looked into it before wasting the money.

turbo cat · Aug 11, 2008

time to go 4.0. or you can replace the headgaskets and there are companies that sell remanufactured heads for the 2.9s and 4.0s that dont have the bad factory casting issues

2.9 Overheated - Blown Head Gasket

rivers

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