Blown Head Gasket?

[skilledbum23]

Ahhhhh.... mine is in that range, but it recently went up a deg. i hope the change was just the Houston weather going up??...

Probably... it's hard to cool anything with really hot air... haha I used to live in Texas and I know how hot and muggy it gets. It should be fine... :top:

 

[5H4D0WD347H]

Does Helobobby seem to think its a gasket?

The tell tale signs of a gasket are pretty well understood (pressurized coolant system, coolant in the oil, white smoke/blue smoke, running crappy, etc....), however a in person professional diagnosis would be good before you start ripping the heads off.

Its of little or no use trying to diagnose this sort of thing over the internet.

If there are hydrocarbons in the coolant system you have your answer.

Analyzing the gaskets when you remove them (if this is the issue) will tell you what the cause was.

 

[KETCHUP]

man, that sucks. hope it all works out!

 

[Gadget]

Ok, I will do that right now and let you know what I find. Thanks. :top:

Gadget,

I looked at the bottom of the overflow tank after driving in boost range... No bubbles.... BUT the bottom hole is capped, with no hose.... so how would it bubble from the bottom if there isn't a hose going to the bottom? Maybe I'm not understanding you. I have the overflow hose coming from the radiator to the top hole of the tank. The bottom hole is capped...nose hose running from it...

The cap on the bottom is for draining the tank.

The hose from the radiator attaches to the overflow tank. That has a tube that runs down to almost the bottom of the tank. That way when the coolant cools down and contracts it will pull or suck coolant from the bottom of the overflow tank and back into the radiator.

When exhaust gas blows into the cooling system it will bubble out of tube in the overflow tank from the bottom.

Gadget

 

[STONER-X]

there are test kits you can get from auto part stores.. ive never had to use one, but all i think you do is run the motor then put the kit thing over the coolant opening and there is junk inside it that will react with the exhaust gasses that get in to the coolant.... but ya know if you wind up getting one read the directions first of course for proper use.....

 

[5H4D0WD347H]

there are test kits you can get from auto part stores.. ive never had to use one, but all i think you do is run the motor then put the kit thing over the coolant opening and there is junk inside it that will react with the exhaust gasses that get in to the coolant.... but ya know if you wind up getting one read the directions first of course for proper use.....

hydrocarbons :top:

 

[x20Runner05]

Sorry to hear about this. I would check alot of things first. If it still under warranty could bring to dealer but they gonna wanna not cover it cuz the supercharger i am given the heads up

 

[Dallas]

one of the easiest ways to see if a head gasket is blown is to pull the spark plugs, look for a plug that is super clean and or water in a cylinder, also bubbles in the cooling system with the rad cap off. also WHITE smoke out of the exhaust.
also be very careful when starting the engine just bump it over a few times without starting it, if a cylinder gets coolant in it after it is shut off from the cooling system pressure, and its on compression stroke, you WILL bend the connecting rod.
A slight misfire is also a symptom.
not sure about our engines, but many of the modern engines use torque to yeild head bolts, meaning you have to use new ones when replacing the gaskets.

 

[skilledbum23]

one of the easiest ways to see if a head gasket is blown is to pull the spark plugs, look for a plug that is super clean and or water in a cylinder, also bubbles in the cooling system with the rad cap off. also WHITE smoke out of the exhaust.
also be very careful when starting the engine just bump it over a few times without starting it, if a cylinder gets coolant in it after it is shut off from the cooling system pressure, and its on compression stroke, you WILL bend the connecting rod.
A slight misfire is also a symptom.
not sure about our engines, but many of the modern engines use torque to yeild head bolts, meaning you have to use new ones when replacing the gaskets.

None of those things seem to be happening....yet.... But, I don't want to keep driving and those things start happening.... I guess what I was trying to see from you guys if this could be the very first sign. I want to prevent as much as possible. I'm considering taking the s/c off and getting a stock air intake and take it to the dealership. I spoke to Gadget and he's not compelety sure what it is either. He also suggested taking the s/c off and taking it to the dealer just in case it's something worse...

 

[heloboby7]

What I saw was trace amounts of oil in the reservoir and a thin film of oil on the side walls from sloshing. Unless someone was trying to play a practical joke by pouring oil in there, the only logical place oil could crossover into the coolant system is the head gasket. The oil on the dipstick was at normal level and not milky looking. If there is a leak in the HG, it's tiny. I suppose block test fluid and a compression or leak down test are on the to do list.

 

[skilledbum23]

What I saw was trace amounts of oil in the reservoir and a thin film of oil on the side walls from sloshing. Unless someone was trying to play a practical joke by pouring oil in there, the only logical place oil could crossover into the coolant system is the head gasket. The oil on the dipstick was at normal level and not milky looking. If there is a leak in the HG, it's tiny. I suppose block test fluid and a compression or leak down test are on the to do list.

Thank you! Like I said, I'd talked to Gadget. I'll tell you what he told me when we talk again. I don't feel like typing it.... :smile:

 

[overdriven]

I won't ad my .02 about diagnosis since the experts seem to have that covered. But I'd tell him about the truck. He shouldn't worry too much as the xru family has your back.

Edit: wish I had a girl who was confident in changing a head gasket!

 

[rat7761]

If there is no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant, white smoke out of the exhaust, no coolant bubbling out of the radiator with the engine running, the oil and coolant levels are ok, the MIL isn't on, and the engine is running normal it doesn't sound like a head gasket problem. Did you drain the overflow reservoir, refill it, and drive to see if the oil came back? A compression test would be a quick and easy way to check for a blown head gasket.

 

[skilledbum23]

If there is no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant, white smoke out of the exhaust, no coolant bubbling out of the radiator with the engine running, the oil and coolant levels are ok, the MIL isn't on, and the engine is running normal it doesn't sound like a head gasket problem. Did you drain the overflow reservoir, refill it, and drive to see if the oil came back? A compression test would be a quick and easy way to check for a blown head gasket.

I don't want to drive it just in case coolant gets into the cylinder and hydrolocks the engine. So as for draining the coolant and seeing if it comes back is out of the question for me... I'm not about to cause any more damage if I don't have to just in case there is something really wrong. Boby is going to come over and help me do a compression test and what not sometime.

And I told Lance about it. He didn't get mad, he's just hoping that it isn't anything really bad. I think he feels more bad that he's not there to help me and I have to deal with it all before he gets back. He's ok tho. He knows the truck is in good hands and I'll do everything I can to make sure it's back in tip-top shape for him when he returns home! :biggrin:

 

[VIPDreamin]

I hope it aint what i think it is...what oil are you running?

 

[Gadget]

No, no, she checked the oil level....

G

 

[VIPDreamin]

No, no, she checked the oil level....

G

You got jokes today:biggrin:.....

 

[disciple X]

what's with the concern of what oil she's runnin? is there something i should know about a certain brand/ type of oil to NOT use???

 

[skilledbum23]

I hope it aint what i think it is...what oil are you running?

Royal purple 10w 30, not sure why it has anything to do with anything... We started using that weight to prevent blow by whenever we decided to put the 75mm pulley on and get it tuned (which hasn't happened yet).