blown head gasket?
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New User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 13
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From: NC
blown head gasket?
I have an 87 F150, inline six. I noticed anti-freeze just barely fizzing out of one of the head bolts after I had driven for a little while the other day...what could be the causes of this? I thought maybe a blown head gasket but the truck seems to run fairly smooth. Any ideas?
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 90
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From: houston, tx
i would go ahead and change the oil. and check the color of it make sure that there is no water in it. you might want to drain your radiator fluid also check for oil. if every thing checks out fine and the engine runs good and not leaking bad. you can mabe get by with adding some head gasket sealer, ( i have used it beofr and it worked for me ) thay have it at every parts store. then just keep checking it. mabe it'll make it. hope it works out for you
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,420
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From: Langhorne, PA
Maybe you could pull that one bolt and shoot some blue RTV down the thru -hole, and retorque the bolt.- it seems you may have a leak right at that part of the gasket. If it was a big leak you would have rusty or whitish-green deposits directly below( unless the bolt head is directly inside the rocker cover) Keep an eye on the coolant level. If you are losing a quart or more every week, and you're positive there are no radiator, heater core, or hose leaks, then I would start repairs, anything less, I would not take action. Alot of 4.9Ls have small to moderate gasket leaks and run for years just fine. If you have the money and time I suggest fixing it, otherwise the engine will hold up.
My 4.9L ran for 8 years with a small head gasket leak before I went in and fixed it.
My 4.9L ran for 8 years with a small head gasket leak before I went in and fixed it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,565
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From: Sun River St. George
Clean the area around the bolt with a little acetone on a rag and run the engine again. Just to be sure antifreez is leaking from that head bolt. It is likely that that bolt is not torqued properly and you may get away with just re-torquing it. If the head gasket is leaking near that bolt and antifreeze is leaking around the bolt and squeezing out under the bolt head the gasket will fail eventually. But as long as engine compression is not leaking it will run fine.
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