about a year ago i had to replace my passenger side head gasket. since then ive noticed ive been burning oil and coolant. ive had to top off both every 3-4 months. as far as i can tell there isnt coolant in the oil, the oil does smell burnt. so i know its burning, not leaking. ive done a compression test, all cylinders hit 180 psi or within like 2 psi, except the 4 cylinder which was around 170 psi, well within limits, but i also couldnt get the adapter to seal all the way. i did have an issue with the lower intake manifold gasket the first time, the first gasket folded in on itself while i installed the manifold. im thinking it might be the lower manifold gasket, which would account for the coolant but not the oil. but the fact im loosing both coolant and oil means its most likely another head gasket, so what do you think?

 

Yah. They have had problems with the 3.22l V5 in 1949.


Ulp. What engine? What year? Factory or after-market or custom install? What brand gasket? Did you use a torque wrench? Were torque-to-yeild head bolts used? Were they re-used or replaced? Does the cooling system hold pressure after shutdown, at least for 1/2 hour? Any leakage onto ground? Drips, drools, or spots?
Need more specific information...

tom

 

Sorry it's a 1999 4.0 v6, the gasket was felpro if I remember correct, I used new TTY bolts. The system remains pressured for while but unsure of how long exactly, the only drips I see are from my AC unit.

 

The rocker arms, pushrod ends, etc all need lube while the engine is running. If you have the 'cassette' type OHC adaption, it still requires lube, especially to the cam bearings.
The oil must get from the block passages to the head. If that particular spot was not cleaned effectively, or the gasket flipped, things might not line up, or might cause leakage.
Most Ford gaskets have the word FRONT embossed, and one gasket is 'flipped' compared to the other bank, and they are the same gasket, identical, side-to-side. If the 4.0 has different needs, the gaskets may differ. I don't have one, and have not heard of any warnings about them specially.
I have heard of oil consumption increasing when cylinder compression was restored by a new gasket. What was the reason for the replacement? Was there coolant leakage into the cylinder? That would not have a good effect on the piston rings. Were the valve stem seals replaced at the time of the head gasket replacement? Was the head checked for cracks? You can get oil & coolant consumption with cracked heads, and other symptoms may be hidden.
Take a look at the spark plugs, and compare to the opposite bank. If the plugs look 'washed clean', they may be having coolant turned to steam keeping them spotless. They could be oily or smudgy, indicating some sort of oil control problem, even with good compression readings. The oil control rings could be gummed in place and allowing too much oil on the cylinder walls. Plug condition may give good information.
You can also check the vapors at the radiator cap for CO or CO2 presence. You should not find it, and if you do, it generally indicates gasket or head problems.
tom