Okay so here's my issue, just put a 94 351w into my 1990 f250. The truck ran good for 2 weeks. I was adding coolant every now and then, but the bottom radiator hose had leak in it large enough to leave a puddle when parked. Last weekend my brother was driving the truck and said it was acting up. The truck had a major loss of power, and oil and exhaust was coming out of the dipstick tube!? The truck would also not crank over, but that was fixed with a new battery. Almost all of the coolant was drained out of the radiator. The truck has true dual pipes and only smoke was coming out of the left pipe? Does this sound like a head gasket to you guys?

 

Sounds like a head gasket to me.

 

Yup... more than likely a Head Gasket issue.

Time to do a compression test and tear off the head with low PSI in either the 1234 or 5678 side.

Sucks man.

 

Why just one? Do both and do it right

 

If the gasket isn't blown, why replace it? Replacing two gaskets because one is blown isn't necessarily "doing it right".

 

In my experience, if one blows the other is sure to follow, spend less than 150 bucks to get the top end kit, have the heads rebuilt, put it back together with peace of mind rather than wonderingwhen the other is going to go.

 

X2 with Andy leave the other side alone. If it was gonna pop it would have popped with the other one. Now you have to find out why it popped.

 

I'd fix the radiator hose while you're at it. Your brother might've run the truck hot without realizing it by not having enough coolant. I'm gonna have to side with only doing one head gasket, it's enough of a pain to do one, but I'd take the head off the other side and check it's not blown too before driving again.

 

Just run a compression test... or leak down maybe on the side that isn't blown to rule out the yuck factor.

 

I agree with 75Three90... it's been my experience too that if you're doing one of something, why not do the other? Usually if I don't, the "other" part will fail and **** me off because now I have to do the job basically all over again.

With head gaskets, they're right there next to each other and you have to tear the top of the engine apart anyway.

 

X3 Whats a few more bolts and $5-10 in gaskets, when compared to hours of work if the other one goes?

 

on a related note, can we all make a pact to stop driving trucks with massive coolant leaks? a hose is like 15 bucks, way better than doing a head job.

 

I solemnly swear to fix my radiator hose that has been band-aided with hello kitty duct tape for almost 1 month now.

Still not sure I agree with the concept of doing both hg's... I mean if you busted the short shaft in a D50, should ya just go ahead and get the long side also because the short side broke and it isn't far behind? Point is if it isn't broke why mess with it.

 

hang on now tho, the hello kitty makes it classy, LOL

The gf's mom has a tortoise sitting at the farm with a brand new head gasket, and one that blew a month after the first one. its six to one and a half dozen to the other, but personally, I would rather spend a few more bucks to make sure I don't have to do it again. and for peace of mind.

 

No fair using facts and/ or logic to win this argument man!

Either way he goes it needs to have the original fault (overheating) addressed. That should be priority #1, that and not loaning your rig to people who won't see the issue and let it overheat.