Popped a head gasket

[voodoochylde]

Howdy.

I recently bought a 94 XLT 4 door, electric 4x4, 5 speed. It's in fair shape with little rust. I did a partial tuneup including changing the oil, new autolite 605 plugs, new wires, new air filter, and a new PCV valve.

I'd noticed that it was getting warm on the interstate but would cool off when I reduced speed to below 60mph. I began planning on a cooling system refresh (flush, thermostat, fan clutch) but...on the way home last night, the vehicle began billowing white smoke from under the hood. I was less than half a mile from home and it's all down hill so I coasted to the driveway and shut it down.

It appears that the gasket blew on the passenger side, near cylinder number one.

I've purchased a full felpro gasket and bolt set and am working slowly on getting access to the heads.

My question is, does anyone have any idea how common it is to damage these heads? When the truck would get warm on the interstate, it would be around 'a', once or twice touching, 'l'. The vehicle was running normally when the gasket blew with no indication on the gauge of overheating.

 

[Centaurious]

The early heads went through several casting revisions because of cracks with I think '94 or '95 being the last year. This is a Known problem and it is STRONGLY recommended that the heads be professionally checked before re-installation and a lot of wasted time and money.

That being said there is a known problem with Intake Coolant Leaks between the Intake and the Heads for the front water passage that feeds the thermostat. There is no rear passage on the intake but all 4 points can leak.

I would recommend running a compression test before any more work to see if the head gasket failed and to establish a baseline of the cylinders condition.

Best of luck

 

[2stroke]

If you see coolant leaking from the head gasket, no need to compression test. When you take the heads into the shop, make sure they pressure test the heads. They are prone to cracking, but I've had 3 sets checked now, and all have come back with a clean bill of health. Then just have them machined flat, and bolt them back on. Fiber head gaskets all fail eventually.

 

[voodoochylde]

In truth, I'm not completely sure where it was losing coolant other than being in the area of cylinder number one.

I drove it the 3 or 4 minutes home and immediately shut down.

A compression check is planned. I realize that this isn't the best thing to do but I do not have the fiscal ability to have the heads checked or decked. I will check with a certified straight edge and visually inspect to my ability. Hopefully nothing is bad and, more hopefully, nothing is missed.