Blown head gasket?
#16
Pull the plugs. See if any are shiny and clean. If your losing coolant, and its intruding through the gasket, you may be able to notice it in the cylinder just by checking the plugs.
if you find a wet plug, chances are high you fou d the leak at that point. Another old school method is to rotate the engine and find TDC for each cylinder. Then using an air hose fitting and compressed air, thread it into the cylinder plug hole. With it at TDC, the valves closed, if you start pushing air into the cylinder, if the gasket is compromised, then you will see air bubbles start to form at the filler neck. I did this before when I didn't have access to a coolant pressure tester and it showed that the gasket was shot on the passenger side if my 302. It ended my headache of blowing coolant out and the water being clear when flushing. Everytime I drove it, coolant would blow out the coolant reservoir tank.
Be sure that if temps are dipping below freezing, add some coolant or your problem will become huge if the block freezes.
Even the head gasket is compromised, don't fret. The 300 isn't that hard to repair. Heavy though, if you end up pulling the head, it needs to be milled for straightness as any 300 head that may have overheated always should be checked.
if you find a wet plug, chances are high you fou d the leak at that point. Another old school method is to rotate the engine and find TDC for each cylinder. Then using an air hose fitting and compressed air, thread it into the cylinder plug hole. With it at TDC, the valves closed, if you start pushing air into the cylinder, if the gasket is compromised, then you will see air bubbles start to form at the filler neck. I did this before when I didn't have access to a coolant pressure tester and it showed that the gasket was shot on the passenger side if my 302. It ended my headache of blowing coolant out and the water being clear when flushing. Everytime I drove it, coolant would blow out the coolant reservoir tank.
Be sure that if temps are dipping below freezing, add some coolant or your problem will become huge if the block freezes.
Even the head gasket is compromised, don't fret. The 300 isn't that hard to repair. Heavy though, if you end up pulling the head, it needs to be milled for straightness as any 300 head that may have overheated always should be checked.
#17
Tester you can get at autozone, you pay thrm some money for it and you take it and do what you need to get done and you take it back after you are done and get a refund and you have 90 days to take it back. Use that tool and see if it leaks down and if it does try and fine where it is coming from. Could you drive it like that? Most likely yes but will it do this truck any good? Nope not a bit if it is having gasket issues.
#18
Slow down a bit!
You seem to have at least 3 problems here;
Your truck overheats.
Your truck has an oil leak.
Your truck has some sort of exhaust leak.
Yes, it is very frustrating to have these sorts of problems with limited funds, but tackle them one at a time. $1300 is not going to buy a problem free truck, well, at least most times. $230 can go a long ways towards fixing problems if you do the work yourself and resist the urge to throw parts at it.
I would say the most pressing issue is overheating and, if I read your post correctly, you do not have a functioning temperature gauge. Fix this first. Simple check, ground the wire at the sender and see if the gauge moves in the cab. Make sure the connection is good. If you need parts, try the wreckers. Once you have a working gauge, you can see if your cooling system repairs work. Is it leaking coolant? Have you checked the thermostat? Overheating can be, but does not have to be a head gasket.
You seem to have at least 3 problems here;
Your truck overheats.
Your truck has an oil leak.
Your truck has some sort of exhaust leak.
Yes, it is very frustrating to have these sorts of problems with limited funds, but tackle them one at a time. $1300 is not going to buy a problem free truck, well, at least most times. $230 can go a long ways towards fixing problems if you do the work yourself and resist the urge to throw parts at it.
I would say the most pressing issue is overheating and, if I read your post correctly, you do not have a functioning temperature gauge. Fix this first. Simple check, ground the wire at the sender and see if the gauge moves in the cab. Make sure the connection is good. If you need parts, try the wreckers. Once you have a working gauge, you can see if your cooling system repairs work. Is it leaking coolant? Have you checked the thermostat? Overheating can be, but does not have to be a head gasket.
#19
No mis info from me Joey......Been a Ford mechanic for MANY years and fixed MANY trucks where they overheat because the owners pulled the t/s then complained of overheating....They can't figure it out either. If coolant circulates too fast and isn't restricted, the radiator can't cool it fast enough it overheats.......JB.
#20
No mis info from me Joey......Been a Ford mechanic for MANY years and fixed MANY trucks where they overheat because the owners pulled the t/s then complained of overheating....They can't figure it out either. If coolant circulates too fast and isn't restricted, the radiator can't cool it fast enough it overheats.......JB.
#21
Not wanting anyone to "stand corrected" but if you ever have a vehicle that is easy to remove a T-stat, pull it and leave the cap off . Watch how fast the water flows through the radiator. Increase the RPM's and it really cranks it through. At least it was that way in the older cars and trucks. I'm not superior, just something I have encountered many times as people did not like how hot the cars ran when this emission stuff went into effect and they pulled the T-stats. I better be quiet as I am giving away my age!!!!
#22
i have no problem with being wrong... it has happened before ...and i am glad to have learned something. it just always seemed more logical to think that the faster the water got away from the combustion area, the cooler it was going to run. but, as i say, if someone with more experience knows otherwise then i accept that info gratefully.
#24
#25
So you're saying with the radiator having the hole, or hopefully only the hose being messed up the air is getting in and thus allowing no pressure and overheating the truck?
#26
Air doesn't come in through leaks in a cooling system,the air inside is just the absence of coolant, but let's rule out leaks and t stat first. Your video I'm guessing was you pressure testing the system, if you hear a hissing sound spray soapy water in the area you suspect, it should blow bubbles revealing the leak.
#27
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ford_f100_custom
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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11-03-2004 11:11 AM