Guys this truck issue could be: bad, really bad or...awh ****

[lonewaya]

Hey Son yea hte heater core can leak on the inside but yet also can leak on hte outside if its got a drain hose like my ranger did that how i know it was leaking talk to ya soon

 

[mn_smokeater]

il yet you know Tuesday bud! offer is much appreciated

 

[Will]

well guys i caint get a starter until Tuesday as thats the soonest my napa can get one. everyone iv talked to is telling me iv got a blown head gasket...frick.

sooo anybody got a 302 laying around?

Pull the starter out and test it, if you haven't. If it's humming or something it may be working and the motor is stuck. Just seems that when thing B happens right after thing A has happened it's likely that thing B was related to thing A.

If the motor will turn over then it's time for a compression tester and an air compressor. The tester should have an air coupler to atach the gauge that will allow you to attach an airhose--and be the screw in type, not the rubber tip type. Sometimes a leak only shows itself while it's running, but in this case I think it would show with compressed air.

You first just pull all of the plugs, wire the throttle open and do a compression test on all cylinders. Whichever one is leaking should show. If it's blwn between 2 then both will show. If only one is blown, put compressed air into the plug hole, roll the motor to TDC and pop the radiator cap and see if bubbles come up.

A failed head gasket is extremely rare and usually occurs after some other work was done on the motor and the gasket wasn't torqued correctly. I've put motors together that the gasket required retorquing after running the engine for a while, for instance. If that's the case then there some hope for just replacing it. If it's been slowly failing due to corrosive coolant dissolving the block or detonation or something, a jet of combustion gasses may have carved a path that would require machining to get rid of.

I hate speculating though. Sometimes it's tough diagnosing something when you have the engine right in front of you.

 

[mn_smokeater]

bench tester failed the started .

il go do all that on tusday Will thanks!

 

[strvger]

mine goes into the shop tuesday for new valve seals or i'd drive up and give you a hand. good luck with everything.

 

[mn_smokeater]

Thanks man!

 

[Iron Ranger]

Usually, if it's a blown head gasket, you would be burning coolant, which has a very thick white cloud and a very noticeable sweet smell.

Also check to make sure your mechanical fan is working properly and that the fan shroud is in place.

A guy I work with had his overheat all the time because the shroud came loose and held back the mechanical fan.

But long story short, a blown head gasket is very noticeable. It either drained into your oil which you would spot on the dipstick, or smell it, or see it when you change your oil; or it leaks into your combustion chamber and that has a very sweet burning smell along with a constant white smoke coming from the tailpipe.

If it's either, a gasket change is mandatory. Coolant in the chamber fouls plugs and could hydrolock the engine, coolant in the oil will wear out the bearings really quickly.

Man, this sucks!! I wish I could just come over and get her running in perfect order, but alas, I'm just too far away to be of any help. I'll look around and see what I can find....

 

[mn_smokeater]

Monday I'll check the fan and the shroud and track down the testers I'll need. Iv thought iv picked up a sweet smell a few times but wasn't sure. If a new engine is what I need I'll have see how that goes

 

[Iron Ranger]

Well, good news is if you need to get a new engine, the F-150's are a dime a dozen, so you should be able to pick one up for a couple hundred bucks.

Then, you'll have one extra of everything!

 

[mn_smokeater]

Best would be a 302. A 300 or a 351 would need a computer change and may not bolt up right?

 

[Iron Ranger]

Best would be a 302. A 300 or a 351 would need a computer change and may not bolt up right?

Right.

 

[mn_smokeater]

It also would need to be in the same generation correct?

 

[Iron Ranger]

Maybe. They're all pretty much the same until they went to the 5.4L, right?

 

[mn_smokeater]

I think there's differances in the wireing and maybe computer?

 

[BigJohn76]

I think there's differances in the wireing and maybe computer?

maybe. get a carbed motor and you wont have to worry about it. or a 6.9 diesel i have to talk to a guy Monday about 2 250s he has on the yard, both diesels. ill let you know what i find.