blown gasket

[kibgreene]

can anyone help me determine weather i have a blown head gasket or and/ or a intake manifold gasket, ive got the intake off right now.

 

[holyford86]

2.9s don't blow head gaskets, they crack heads. what are the symptoms that you are having?

 

[UnderMedikated]

I put UV dye in my antifreeze which I purchased from Autozone (5.99) and ran it a bit. Used my UV LED flashlight and saw dye around the rear plug on the right side head.
Going to replace both heads/push rods/lifters/timing chain etc. Engine has 141K but uses no oil.

 

[UnderMedikated]

It would be much easier to check with the engine running

 

[UnderMedikated]

My bet is a cracked head.

 

[MAKG]

It's much much MUCH easier to do this with the engine assembled.

If you can SEE a crack -- the common places are at #1 and #6, and it is very often visible on top for 2.9Ls -- you know you have a cracked head.

But you haven't established (at least to us) that the engine is leaking coolant internally, or even at all. Mysteriously disappearing coolant is sometimes explained by a failing water pump, much more often than one might expect. Are you chasing coolant in the crankcase?