Hello, I have a 1998 F250 with a 5.4 motor. A few months ago, a lot of white smoke started to come out. I understood it to be a head gasket leak. I had never done that type of job, but me being a DIY I wanted to do it. I took it all apart and I am glad I did, I was able to clean everything. When I saw the gaskets, however, I didnt really see a damaged or broken area on them. I saw wear, but nothing like a break. I took the heads and cleaned them. I didnt see any cracks in them either. I had looked up cracked heads to get an idea of what I was looking for. I didnt consider a crack because a buddy told me that a crack only happens if the engine overheated and this motor has never overheated. I took all the steps in cleaning the bay area and the head area where the new gaskets were going. I put it all back together and it started right up. The motor sounds good, like I had never hear it before. Ive been driving it for three days and this morning, the white smoke is back. I looked at the dip stick and the oil is smoky. Not as bad as it was when it first happened but its leaking again. Im thinking about putting one of those liquid head gasket leak repair bottles in it. My questions here is, what else could it be? I know I am going to have to take it apart aging but I dont know what to look for in a bad motor head or block. Do I just need to buy new motor heads? Im angry and glad at the same time. Glad because I gained a lot of knowledge about motors and Im no longer intimidated by one and angry because I have to do it again. I hope to get to a point where I can rebuild an engine. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

did you reuse the gaskets?

 

Hi StofferJ, no, all gaskets are new. I order a head gasket kit which came with new head gaskets. I did not reuse any old gaskets.

 

I had to do head gaskets on my 2003 with a 5.4. It didn't break or blow out the gasket either, but it was blowing by it. It had been doing it for a while blowing cylinder compression to the outside of the block between the water passages. This wore a groove in the aluminum head where it was blowing by. Had to cut 0.007" off the heads to get it all flat again. I bought a large machinist straight edge and checked the block with it and a feeler guage before putting it back together.

 

Thank you 406f150, I bet thats what going on with mine. I should have done that when I had the heads off. Now I am going to have to tear it down again. But think this time, I might be easier.