1994 Explorer Blown head gasket...I think.

[shorty423]

Alright, So My mother in law's 94 explorer has been screwing up. It started with losing coolant, Okay No problem I thought. Until, I couldn't find the leak ANYWHERE!
It literally has no leak yet coolant magically disappears very rapidly, So I thought the head gasket may be going. I messed with it a little and tried my best to confirm my suspicion. Everything pretty much said I was right, As did some friends I talked to.
They don't have alot of money so I suggested something that I thought Might work (atleast for a little while) which was steel seal. It is guaranteed to work or your money back so we tried it 2 days ago, And today it's missing almost all of it's coolant and the kinda studder that it had has intensified.
It's almost like a miss until it warms up then it runs fine, So I have no Idea. Does this sound like a head gasket? Thanks for the help!

 

[arco777]

A lot of times those sealers can cause more problems than they fix. I had good luck with the BARS sealer, but wouldn't recommend it unless someone can't afford a real fix. The money back guarantee pays you back for the $10 sealer bottle, not for repairing the clogged coolant passages and sludged up radiator.

The 4.0 rarely just blows a head gasket. These motors don't eat head gaskets but the factory cylinder heads are prone to cracking. These cracks can be too small to be seen with the naked eye but still cause the symptoms of a head gasket failure, and even make the head gaskets look like they are what failed. It is usually the head itself.

The permanent fix is aftermarket heads. Not remanufactured stock castings, but new heads made by aftermarket companies. These are not aftermarket as in performance oriented, but instead an improved design intended to replace the stock heads. The price is higher than throwing a head gasket set on and praying, but it is a solid investment into the motor. With aftermarket heads these motors can last several hundred thousand miles.

 

[shorty423]

So, It may not be the head gasket but possibly the head. Alright, What other possibilities are there? As far as I can tell it's either a cracked head, Cracked block, Cracked head gasket and that's about it as far as why it's losing coolant.

 

[arco777]

Not likely to have cracked the block. 4.0 block is pretty stout. Not impossible but unlikely.

Check the spark plugs for one that is cleaner than the others or white. May find which cylinder the leak is worst in. Also check the tailpipe emissions by holding a clean paper towel up to the tailpipe to catch what's blowing out. If the paper towel gets wet, your coolant is being leaked into the combustion chamber.

Pressure testing the cooling system is a good idea to check for physical leaks. Sometimes certain parts only leak when they get hot and expand during driving though.

 

[shorty423]

I have replaced all 6 spark plugs recently and NONE of them looked as if there was a problem. They were all old and dirty but completely normal looking for spark plugs that have been in there for a very long time. What could it be? Shouldn't one of them shown a sign?

 

[jprentice94]

If its just water for coolant then it can evaporate and cause missing coolant and no symptoms of leak did it overheat? Also food for thought those sealers are all GARBAGE. Its sort of luck if it works

 

[shorty423]

It hasn't really overheated really bad but It's not just water it's a 50/50 mix so it's not simply evaporation, unfortunately.

 

[jprentice94]

If its not overheating then that could rule out water pump is there a certain spot its leaking like next to rad. By tire more in the middle etc.

 

[shorty423]

There is no external leak anywhere that I can find. I mean this thing screams head gasket but at the same time it kinda doesn't. It's just been a huge pain in the a$$.

 

[jprentice94]

Did you pressure test the cooling system would be a good idea

 

[BobWiersema]

Did you pressure test the cooling system would be a good idea

Yes, pressure test. Just guessing without.

 

[shorty423]

I haven't tested it because I do not have a pressure tester, Is there some way to test without a tester?

 

[jprentice94]

Not necessarily. You can rent one from a part store or you can pick up a cylinder leak down test kit very cheap and that is most accurate it measures to see if there is any exhaust gases in your fluid
Also does your fluid boil into over flow. In my honda i had a blown head gasket only way i found out was die and leak down test pressure tester showed i had constant pressure but found water leaking just barely out back of head

 

[shorty423]

Yes actually it has so much pressure it seems to try to push out of the overflow reservoir sometimes. I have not been able to find an external leak anywhere.

 

[jprentice94]

Did this start happening after you added the fix stuff ussually causes this. If it did it before it could be from a collapsed hose clogged rad or even a sign of blown head gasket get a cylinder leak down test kit if fluid turns green no blown head gasket if turns yellow at all has exhaust gasses mixing with fluid cause from blown head gasket

 

[shorty423]

This is all before I put the stuff in it, Except the pressure in the reservoir. That happened afterwords.

 

[jprentice94]

Could have clogged a passage. Im sure there is a leak somewere could be so tiny as water leaks out it evaporates as soon as it hits motor on my honda only found it with die very hard to find these type of leaks how are your hoses

 

[shorty423]

All hoses look fine, I've already checked ALL of the usual spots. Water pump, thermostat housing etc. I'm beginning to think dye may be the way to go. If there is an actual leak then I will know and be able to track it down, However I have little hope for it to not be the head gasket.

 

[jprentice94]

Try the cyl leak down test

 

[shorty423]

In an effort to tie up this discussion and reveal the diagnosis, The head gasket is blown. It is absolutely certain at this point. Thanks everyone for your help!