1993 possible head gasket or cracked head

[detroityfz450]

well i have a 1993 explorer 4.0l 4x4x with 198,000 miles

the power steering pulley broke off and took out the tensioner also.

i limped her home never over heated and after i fixed her she started blowing coolant out the over flow nipple at the radiator.

the truck has new radiator and hoses etc. after this the temp gauge would swing back and forth like a pendlum.

i tore the heads off and gaskets did not appear to be blown and no coolant was coming from the tail pipe. oil is clean as wistle.


i have the heads being checked as i type this for cracks. anyone else have this happen ? i know how to look for a blown gasket if the heads come back ok i have to assume it was the gasket. i also pressure checked my radiator cap too.

thanks

 

[Creager]

yeah the heads are very prone to warping/cracking when over-heated

you might of warped em.

but the gauge going back and forth, that could be the gauge itself. Did you replace the thremostat when you replaced the radiator also?

 

[detroityfz450]

the gauge worked fine before the problem. no swings and t stat worked fine.

 

[Maniak]

The cooling system not holding pressure can also make the gauge jump. IF you had a blown head or gasket, it could build up pressure and then when the pressure droped (released) the water would boil.. That could have been giving you the bouncing gauge.

~Mark