Water out the tail pipe and running hot...

[stockcarracer]

My Wife has some how destroyed my 05 Ex. She drove it to school to pick up my son with no problems. She sat there with the engine off for 30 minutes. Started it up and the temp started rising. Pegged the gauge. She shut it down and called me. I drove it 2 blocks to the Fire Dept. and started cooling it down by spraying cool water on the radiator. Got the temp down and popped the cap off to put more water in it. Topped it off and drove it home. Temp came right back up and i kept going till the motor killed. I towed it home cooled it again and cranked it back up. It seemed to be fine. I pulled the thermostat out and checked it. All looked normal. I put in back together without the thermostat and thought all was good. Next day it started pumping water out the tail pipe and running like crap. I know I either cracked a head or blew a gasket. I just don't know what caused it to run hot in the first place. Water pump is fine, fan and fan clutch is fine. Thermostat was open when I pulled it out. I started pulling the motor this evening. I will get it out tomorrow.
Any one have any ideas? 05 ex with 180k on original timing components...............

 

[cm8809]

Don't forget that a blown headgasket itself will cause the motor to overheat - maybe that was the cause, not the effect?

180k is a decent amount of mileage, it's possible that it was just time. Have you kept up on the maintenance?

 

[stockcarracer]

Oil was changed every 4000 beginning at birth. Routine coolant flushes and maintenance. Should have it out tonight. Timing components are shot. I pulled the intake and covers just to look around. I am kinda amazed it still ran before this. It looks like it will be cheaper to buy a low mileage engine rather than getting heads checked and replacing timing components. I found a 05 engine with 56k. We managed to get it started this morning. Ex has been sitting a year or so in a guys back yard. It was hit hard in the rear but everything else is in great shape. Man said 750 takes whole thing. So I am going to pick it up tomorrow. Does the 4.0 have a history of head gasket failure due to age and miles?

 

[swetrid]

I have worked for Ford for 16 years and have only seen one 4.0 SOHC blow headgskets and it was due to the radiator leaking and customer driving it till overheated multiple times (2006 Explorer).