Intake or head gasket?

[Number4]

My '03 Mounty was said to be losing antifreeze. It has reportedly over heated. I filled up the overflow today and fired it up. Engine runs smooth, no miss.

I noticed the 'check valve' at the front of the engine (hose going to heater core?) was leaking fairly good. If left alone it'd certainly have drained the system and caused an overheat situation.

I added two qrts. of oil to it when I picked it up. It was clean today until I added water to the system. If I check the oil immediately after shutting the engine off, it's a little cloudy. Once it sets a bit, it really looks normal.

When running the engine, I get white exhaust that smells sweet. So, the hose leak isn't the only leak. I did have a helper watch the overflow tank for air bubbles when I started the engine, nothing.

So, if I don't have a blown head gasket, where else would water enter the combustion chamber? The shop told the previous owner that the intake was leaking. Would a leak here put water in the combustion chamber as well as the crank case?

 

[anthonymtz]

Ok, if your oil looks cloudy right after water was added to the system and your exuast is smoking white and it smells sweet tells me that the head gasket is failing, there can be a small area where water is getting in/leaking and the engine is burning it, only way to really tell is smell the coolant reservoir and smell for a gas smell, even the slightest smell of it (my 02 4.0 explorer blew the gasket and my reservoir smell like a gas tank, and second is to check each piston with a bore scope camera and see which piston is the most shiniest, coolant leaking into the combustion chamber basically steam cleans the top of the pistons and thay will be the dead give away.

 

[Number4]

Thanks, I'll try the camera. I don't want to pull both heads if I don't have to.

 

[shucker1]

Try looking at Lisle Tools 75500 Combustion Leak Test Kit.

It might save you some PITA work.

Chris

 

[anthonymtz]

Thanks, I'll try the camera. I don't want to pull both heads if I don't have to.

Not a problem, and yea I hear they are a PITA! You can also use that fancy test where you pull some coolant and mix it with this "stuff" and it will turn a color if it has been contaminated, but in the end it up to you 100% on what you decide!

 

[Number4]

So the shop had told the previous owner that cylinders 4 and 6 had low compression (110/115 vs. 165-170 in the rest.)

So I pulled the plugs in cylinders 5 and 6 and they looked the same, both had carbon. I then pulled plug number 4 (<-- that's a funny) and could see a shiny piston through the hole. I also picked up a borescope from Harbor Freight (digital inspection camera) and was able to get a good look at the pistons. $69 with a coupon.

I'm thinking the shop didn't identify cylinders 5-8 properly and what they called 6 is really 7.

I'll assume I have two blown head gaskets and go from there.

Oh, the shop also over tightened coil 5 and ruined the intake. The metal piece in the intake that the bolt threads into came out with the screw.