Is this from a bad head gasket?

[Rhett]

If your truck has a cracked head, that's a bad deal.
But, if that is the case, think of it this way...
now you have an excuse to get ported and polished heads.

 

[checkedout]

I guess so. if it is cracked and I'm gonna have it apart that far, I've got to figure out what else I should do to it.

 

[IgotTwo]

Well if is any help,
I thought I had a blown head gasket on my 94.
To narrow it down, I pumped compressed air into one cylinder at a time with the piston at the top of stroke. The operative is to have a compressor.

With a mechanic stethoscope, I listened to where the air was “leaking out“ In my case it was straight forward because the air leaked into adjaucted cylinders.. ergo… I was pretty sure, the gasket was blown between cylinders.

If the head is cracked I think the bad cylinder should leak back through the radiator only ……as in – pumping air into the coolant systems eventually loading the radiator with air …..you will see bubbling at the radiator cap.

If the Ford guy told you it was a cracked head.
1. He may know because he works on Fords and sees the problem all the time
2. He is trying to shock you with an outrageous bill. Then greet you with good news and a less than outrageous bill, proclaiming himself a hero for saving you money.

Life is a crap shoot……..

 

[checkedout]

anyone know of any sites to get new replacement heads?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I've seen remanufactured ones on e bay for relitively cheap. Did you ever overheat the motor.?

 

[checkedout]

No I haven't, I treat it pretty good.

 

[checkedout]

?????

I just found out that ford wants $450 for one head not the set! If that's what's wrong I'll be going somewhere else!

 

[Rhett]

Well heads are expensive items. If I were you I would replace the gasket (you can do that yourself, although it will take a solid 6 hours) and a gasket set is cheap, like $20-30 at most. A lot cheaper than a new head. And if you never overheated your engine, it would be a little unusual to have cracked heads.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I agree with Rhett on heads being expensive, and cracked heads being unusual with any overheating.

 

[IgotTwo]

did we mention how many miles are on your X?

 

[checkedout]

I've got 180k on the EX. According to the techs I talked to at ford, it's not uncommon. Everytime they have seen this, they start out to replace the head gaskets only to find out it's a cracked head. either by # 3 on one side or #4 on the other. This webpage (and another I read) mentions that the heads have problem spots that always crack.

http://www.4.0performance.com/heads.html

 

[IgotTwo]

If I may add two more cents and the best advice I can give you from experience:

Every hear the expression "spending good money after bad?"

With 180K do your homework and get a sharp pencil. If you plan to keep it, throwing all that labor and new parts on a block with 180K block might not be the only choice. Even if you do it yourself ..its a killer job and if you screw up doing it .... well....
You might be opening a can of worms...you gotta admit, the block is probably a little tired.

I know it hurts to even mention it .....consider throwing a remanufactured in that bad boy .....the extra bucks hurt but it might make future problems go away as well as making it more reliable you know what you have but do not dismiss the option quickly.

I opted for a new engine on my 94 best thing I ever did.
It’s like starting over. I’m back in control and worry about the little things now.

Sometimes money is like blood...you gotta get it back in circulation

 

[Doug904]

The 4.0 ford head is VERY prone to cracking when overheated or just plain worn out. Most of them crack between the valves in the combustion chambers. Some of them crack at the rocker stands, and some crack between coolant passages.

I also beg to differ when it comes to the gasket set being $20-$30, the Fel-pro head set is $107 locally with the head gaskets, intake gaskets, and head bolts. The head gaskets alone are around $45 and you MUST replace the head bolts while you're there.

Later Doug904.

 

[checkedout]

I will heed the advice, in fact, I'm already considering that. It is never ending. The ford guy said just replace the one side but if i have it torn down that far....ect

 

[Rhett]

Originally posted by Doug904
I also beg to differ when it comes to the gasket set being $20-$30, the Fel-pro head set is $107 locally with the head gaskets, intake gaskets, and head bolts. The head gaskets alone are around $45 and you MUST replace the head bolts while you're there.

Well excuse moi, it's been a year or two since I've done mine, and I've bought 1000 things for my truck since then, so I get a few prices mixed up. $40 or $100 or $1000 whatever, point was that it's a lot cheaper to replace a gasket than it is the whole head.

 

[Doug904]

Originally posted by Rhett Browning
Well excuse moi, it's been a year or two since I've done mine, and I've bought 1000 things for my truck since then, so I get a few prices mixed up. $40 or $100 or $1000 whatever, point was that it's a lot cheaper to replace a gasket than it is the whole head.

Yes definatly, please don't take that as a flame. If you have the time definatly take your heads to a quality machine shop and have them checked for cracks and to ensuse they are flat. Some times you get lucky, with most 4.0's you don't

Later Doug904.

 

[IgotTwo]

be nice boys!!!!! haha just kidding!

yeap! my 94 overheaded on the infamous Garden State Parkway........thermo stuck .......shortly there after my problems began. Firist and only time it overheaded ...could be a clue.

 

[checkedout]

I was thinking, for the past couple months I've had CEL's come and go. Always pointing to the O2 sensors so I' ended up replacing them all and still got a slow reponse CEL. Could the coolant be fouling the O2 sensors too?

 

[IgotTwo]

Best advice.....I can give up?
Stablize the pateint first.

Don't start fixing stuff with out the exact pulling codes.

 

[checkedout]

Oh I had the codes, but I knew nothing about the cracked head. I guess as I've read here before, just because you get an O2 code, doesn't mean the sensor is bad.