Hey guys,

My F150 has a 5.4L Triton engine with about 133,000 mi on it and I have been noticing that the coolant level in my recovery tank has been going down in small amounts recently (a pint maybe in a month) and I am also seeing this yellow-greenish? colored sort of foamy/creamy almost white grease-like material on the underside of the oil filler cap and inside along the walls of the filler neck. I also was down about 5 quarts of oil (had gone about 6000 mi since my last oil level adjustment) as the oil pressure gauge had gone to zero and the idiot light illuminated which let me know I was real low on oil (adding oil after that to the proper level brought the gauge reading back up to normal). I did an oil change then and found I had maybe about 3/4 quart left (I do have some decent exterior engine oil leaks which is I'm sure where at least some of the engine oil has gone).

Is this possibly the result of a blown head gasket? If yes, are there others ways to confirm? If also yes, is there anything I can do about it without having to tear down the motor to replace the head gaskets? And, if again also yes, is there a way to tell how much time the engine has left on it and how I will be able to tell that the end is near. Thanks for any thoughts on this. Also, the engine doesn't make any odd noises and still has plenty of power when I step on it.

 

For the coolant loss yes, but the oil loss is likely just due to the various engine leaks. You need to do a compression or leak down test on each cylinder to determine if it's the head gasket or not.

 

The coolant loss along with milky foam in the oil are classic signs of a blown head gasket. This will either be a significant amount of work or significant amount of money to fix.

 

Great. Such is life. You do your best to take care of things and things still happen. Guess I won't be getting the 200,000+ mi of trouble free engine life that others often post about. Probably won't be able to do the repair (or afford it). So how will I be able to tell when it's nearing the end of the engine's usable life and will I be able to go for awhile without issues aside from needing to add coolant and oil? It really sounds and runs great right now.

 

Continuing to drive it with coolant known to be in the oil is not a good idea as it will ruin the bearings throughout the engine. To pay a shop to make the repair you're probably looking at $1800-$2800, or if you have the mechanical skill and appropriate tools you can get the gasket set you need for under $200. Getting the timing set correctly is the biggest hurdle on the job, but with the appropriate tool it isn't really that difficult. Expect several hours of labor to make the repair. If the truck is in good running order otherwise and you like it, make the repair. It's a 20 year old truck, gaskets don't last forever.

On a side note, I'm having to do a gasket change on my 99 as well due to an oil leak. Thankfully there has been no sign of coolant in the oil.

 

I do love the truck and mechanically otherwise it's in a good place right now. Brakes, exhaust, suspension, tires, all real good. Problem is the body, bed, frame, rockers, and doors are all very tired from rust and rot.I keep patching here and there but eventually I will probably be unable to keep doing that. The downside of living in New England over time.

 

Is there some kind of coolant additive that will plug leaks of this nature without plugging up the radiator? Just taking a shot in the dark for a quick fix!

 

You can try this product to seal the head gasket.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bar-s-Lea...epair/52628129

 

For real?! Someone actually makes something? One review says it works. Maybe worth looking into. My only concern would be whether it would/could clog the radiator or heater core small passages. Any thoughts on that? I might think that if it has the ability to block a leak that it might be able to block a passage also. ??? But if it can save me from doing a head gasket repair, it would be so worth it as I don't believe it would be worth doing a head gasket with the condition the body and frame are in. ??? Thanks again for any thoughts on this.

 

I have used BARS LEAK with good success on coolant leaks. I prefer the COPPER base sealer. It mixes with the antifreeze and no need to drain or flush before or after. I think the number is #1109 .... it cost about $10. at Auto Zone. Your biggest problem now is the coolant. Get that sealed up, then worry about the oil...... fix external leaks, then determine usage.

 

BARS LEAK 1109..

 

I used the stuff above on my old 98 4.6 and it sealed it right up....still had good heat too. I also drilled an 1/8th inch hole in the thermostat body (where the jiggle pin was) to keep pressure off it until it opened...that really helps. I sold it a year later with full disclosure.

 

Did you use the head gasket sealant or the liquid copper block seal? Should this work without having to drill a hole in the t-stat body would you think? Thanks.

 

I used the copper block seal stuff like Steve has pictured. The hole is insurance until the motor warms up and the seal is totally tight. What would happen with mine was some exhaust gas would get into the coolant while the motor was warming up. Since the thermostat was closed it built up a lot of pressure. Once the thermostat opened all that pressure was released into the system and she would puke out a bunch of coolant out the reservoir. Then it would settle down and be fine. The small hole in the thermostat prevented this. Try the sealant first and see how it acts...it may be fine.

 

take off the top radiator hose at the radiator and pour the bottle into the hose and reinstall.. that gets it into the system immediately .... don't pour it into the overflow bottle............ the stuff works by plugging a hole that has a differential pressure on both sides... NOT like a heater core tube, or radiator tube... has to be a DROP in pressure across a hole, like a pin hole into the head or intake manifold from the coolant passage.