5.4 head gasket issues
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,342
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From: Jamestown, IN
5.4 head gasket issues
okay 1999 f250 superduty with the 5.4 181400 miles. It has always seeped a little oil out of the passenger side head out of the back. I know they are bad about this, but I was coming home from school today and my buddy thought he was going to pass me in his Chevy, and well I couldnt have that so I stomped on it and got around him but anyways at about 3700rpm and 90 mph a huge plume of smoke was coming out of the truck. It let go at the head and i lost about 1/2 a quart in a two mile run. But on the way home i drove it like a grandma and it did not smoke, so if I keep my foot out of it it does not leak, but how long can I limp it around like that??? I got a quote to change both head gaskets and machine the heads for 1500, and I got a quote for a new engine for 2500. I dont want to do either, but with that many miles Im considering it. But then again since I get a stellar 11mpg maybe ill sell it?? I hate to because I love the truck.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
okay 1999 f250 superduty with the 5.4 181400 miles. It has always seeped a little oil out of the passenger side head out of the back. I know they are bad about this, but I was coming home from school today and my buddy thought he was going to pass me in his Chevy, and well I couldnt have that so I stomped on it and got around him but anyways at about 3700rpm and 90 mph a huge plume of smoke was coming out of the truck. It let go at the head and i lost about 1/2 a quart in a two mile run. But on the way home i drove it like a grandma and it did not smoke, so if I keep my foot out of it it does not leak, but how long can I limp it around like that??? I got a quote to change both head gaskets and machine the heads for 1500, and I got a quote for a new engine for 2500. I dont want to do either, but with that many miles Im considering it. But then again since I get a stellar 11mpg maybe ill sell it?? I hate to because I love the truck.
Sadly it's broken and needs to be fixed.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,342
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From: Jamestown, IN
It is not burning it. It came out of the back of the head and hit the Y pipe and the manifold. I now have a nice coating of oil on the bottom of the truck. My buddies chevy has a nice coat also!! haha but I will drive it tomorrow, because I have no other choice. Im not your typical teen who is lead footed and does not know what the dipstick is. I look at my gauges more than I look at the road.....
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Stephensville WI
Before you spend the money to pull the heads and replace the gaskets, do a little more diagnostic work, like maybe a compression test. You may have just had a bunch of oil get sucked into a PCV valve during your street race and are about to spend some $$$ that you do not need to spend.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,342
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From: Jamestown, IN
Thats an excellent idea. Like I said, I dont race everyday. I usually baby it to attempt to get some kind of fuel mileage out of it. I change the oil every 3000 miles and put stp in it every time so it is well maintained. and 3700 rpm should be no problem for that engine, It will hit that when it downshift on cruise pulling a trailer.
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