Hey yall I have a 03 250 gas 5.4 trying to find out the cooling system problem ive found what ive read to be common oil leaking from back of passenger head.
I had never noticed this before but it started very slight now overflow started bubbling over.
There is no coolant in oil no white smoke do you think that my cooling system leak is just head gasket and gasket change could solve the problem or should I did deeper? Id appreciate any guidance n experience yall can share.

 

If you suspect a head gasket failure, I would start your diagnostics with a compression test.

 

Thats part of why I was asking.all cylinders are between 150 and 160 except that cylinder where I see oil leak was just a little over 145.

But I just didnt see how it was affecting the cooling system because ive found no leaks or smoke.i dont have the funds for a new engine till October so im wondering if just replacing head gaskets would fix it all or if I should hold out till I can replace it

 

Oil in the coolant isn't always visible. Here's an old mechanics trick I was shown years ago.

Get the engine warm, then turn it off. Pull your dipstick and touch the tip to your hot exhaust manifold. It will smoke, but if you also hear a sizzling sound, like bacon frying, you have coolant in the oil.

Your compression test results are iffy. Technically all cylinders are within 10%, which is normal.

 

That's a great tip! Thanks!

 

Quote= the cooling system problem ive found what ive read to be common oil leaking from back of passenger head. no coolant in oil


First- clarify your first post. Do you have an oil leak or coolant leak? If coolant, there is a pipe running under the intake manifold that goes up at the rear of the pass side head that connects to the heater core. There is also a pipe coming out of the intake in the same close location, also to the heater core. Either can crack or corrode and leak.

 

Are you positive its the head? There is a hose under the intake that goes to your water pump. That hose routes under your intake and goes to the back passenger side of your head area. Maybe just a bad hose?

 

Sorry yall I had got sent out of town for work.i have both oil leaking down back of motor on passenger side and ive got a coolant leak that I havnt found cause of yet.

Every day id get in id get the waterfall noise from heater core after its warm it would go away but then when I park it leaks from resivoir.truck occasionally would read over heat but then immediately drop back down as soon as id turn switch on for heater.

The oil has no sizzle I tried soon as I got home but now when I crank it sounds like its a dry start no oil then soon as it pumps up the truck sounds just like new it never did this before I parked it but sitting idle when I rev it a little it has a tapping that starts as its returning to idle.

The oil seems to be leaking very bad now it smokes dripping on exaust heavy but my oil still reads full on dipstick.is it possible coolant maybe leaking in same place and it just seems like alot of oil? Sorry its just hard on this truck the way the motor us in there even from up under its almost impossible to see in there

 

I wondered this too I will pull intake off this morning and check I wish thats all it is truck runs way to good to be parked

 

Im still not 100 % on if its leaking coolant from head gasket I pulled intake I dont see no sign of where it could be coming out but there is definatly coolant pooled up between the head and the intake.i believe thats whats making the oil leak look worse from underneath.
I guess as far as I am it would be easy to just go ahead and pull the heads and change both but id hate to spend 250 and then it still not be right I can sit and it runs smooth it will read overheat after about 30 mins in idle I bump the gas pedal couple times and it goes right back down but when I cut it off it will leak coolant out resivoir