And POP goes my head gasket

[DeclansDaddy]

I was racing home this morning trying to catch some of the USA/SVK hockey game and I guess I finally pushed the girl too hard. I noticed steam coming from the left front of the hood and soon as I pulled over poof!! Heater hose split. Got my dad to come help me and we put a new hose and coolant in it and as soon as I pulled out the temp shot back up instantly. I got the cap off, started it and started putting fluid in and it looked like a steam engine pumping out of the cap. I can only assume its compression from a cylinder. I haven't got a chance to check cylinder comp. yet. I figured it couldn't hurt to stop by and see if by chance the is covered in the infamous recall but the service guy said my truck wasn't one recalled, which I don't quite understand, I thought all 3.0's were. Anyone know the details on that recall? This being my only daily driver is gonna kill me.

 

[KidVermicious]

The recall was because the cylinder head bolt torque wasn't right on early 3.0s. By the time your truck rolled off the line, they had corrected the assembly process.

Time to change your sig.

 

[DeclansDaddy]

So the recall has nothing to do with the x-over pipe design? I have a feeling when I check comp. one of the back 2 cylinders will be dead. Wish it was on the cards to do a. 3.4 swap now bit I just don't see it happening. Thanks Kid.

 

[KidVermicious]

So the recall has nothing to do with the x-over pipe design?

Not as I understand it. Some trucks had bad torque settings on the heads coming from the factory, but any head that was going to fail because of bad head torque would have done it long ago.

It sure seems like when to 3.0 blows a gasket it's always in back there, but I dunno if you can call the crossover at the rear "faulty". You did get 250k out of it, which is more than most motors.

 

[Jdrum1]

Not as I understand it. Some trucks had bad torque settings on the heads coming from the factory, but any head that was going to fail because of bad head torque would have done it long ago.

It sure seems like when to 3.0 blows a gasket it's always in back there, but I dunno if you can call the crossover at the rear "faulty". You did get 250k out of it, which is more than most motors.

I don't know if "faulty" is the right term. bit it is a terrible location.


I thought the recall was due to the head gasket itself. I was under the impression that the early 3.0’s had an asbestos HG, then it was banned, and they rushed the updated HG to market too soon.

 

[DeclansDaddy]

Well I guess it is what it is and a top end rebuild is mandatory, just hard to justify rebuilding the top end only of a 250k motor. Might just pull the whole motor and get a master rebuild kit and go all out. I'm still just hoping I'll stumble across a nice rear ended donor 3rd gen for a steal on craigslist and all the stars will align for my 3.4 swap. But the luck I've been having lately probably not gonna happen.

 

[DeclansDaddy]

I need your opinions guys. I did a compression check on all 6 cylinders and 5 were between 135-140 and this was cold, not starting and running. But what I think is cylinder 1(front drivers side) was 95psi. Does this sound like a blown head gasket? I was really expecting it to be one of the back ones but sure enough it was the front. I just thought it would be lower than that for a blown gasket but what do I know.

 

[KidVermicious]

Low compression could be a lot of things. If you want to diagnose a blown gasket for sure, get a block test kit from Autozone or wherever that tests your coolant for exhaust particles.

You said it overheated again after you replaced the hose? Any chance there was just a big batch of air in the lines after you refilled the radiator?

 

[DeclansDaddy]

Yes we replace the hose, topped of the radiator and I started it (was completely cold) and I took off down the road and within seconds it was overheating. I pulled over and cracked the top loose and it blew steam out like crazy for probably 20 seconds. After it stopped blowing out I started it while my dad poured in more coolant and he couldn't even get maybe a quart in and it started blowing out of the cap like a geyser. From there I just towed her home. I'll check into a block tester tomorrow, seems like a good investment. If it is the head gasket then it is the great debate of just fixing the gasket or complete rebuild of a 230k motor. I just killing me as this is my daily driver.