99 F150 Lariet 4x4 SC 5.4L 76,000 miles
Truck has had a stink to it everytime you start it after shutting it off warm. Finally had time to get under it and found oil dripping off the starter and onto the exhaust pipe, coming from further up but I couldn't see where. Truck was 1 qt low after 2500 miles. Has never used oil and I always change every 4000 or 4 months. After searching this forum I found what I believe is the problem. Head gasket leak. Probably unrelated, but I checked the tranny fluid and there was nothing on the stick, just a little black watery fluid. Added 1 qt and now it shows on the stick but not pink, still black. It doesn't smell burnt at all and I do very little towing. Fluid and filter changed 30,000 miles ago.
Question...is it worth the money to fix or should I trade it in or drive it to it's death. I have yet to replace (or blow) plugs yet, it'll need new rubber in 10K or less(17"), the rear sliding window leaks and rust is starting to show on the bottom of the drivers door on the inside.
If I trade, what year do I have to go to so not to have to worry about the plugs or some of the other problems that seam to be common on these trucks? Do I dare take it to the dealership for an estimate if I plan on trading it in there? What would you do?

 

Sounds like you got a Friday afternoon truck... If it was me I'd trade it in, if I could afford to do so, if not, find a reputable, trustworthy shop and look into having the mechanical problems fixed. The leaky rear slider and rust on the doors, well, you're on your own there. I have the leaky slider on my truck too but I'm planning on filling the area of the gasket with a very generous amount of black silicone sealant. I think mold is starting to grow on my headliner, it doesn't smell, but there's two tiny black spots I can't clean out. You probably have the door cracks too.

I keep reading on several forums that they fixed the door cracks in '02 and leaking slider in '01, and I know for sure the '03 5.4's have new cylinder heads with more threads so you don't have to worry about blowing the plugs out after a change.

Mine has 88k on it without an oil leak and transmission fluid is nice, bright red, but I'm sure the plugs are original. I can't afford the $287 for the dealer to do it, but Bubba-Ray-Jimbob-JoeDirt down at the service station says he can do it for a $100 and a case of Coors. For some reason, I don't trust him.

 

Took the truck to the garage (non ford) and after putting it on the hoist he agreed it was the head gasket. $1200 - $2000. Do you have to have the heads machined when changing the gasket and if you do one side should you do both since you have everything out and accessible?
Showed him the tranny dipstick, he wasn't sure why it was black, it doesn't smell burnt. Told him is seams to be using/losing fluid but I don't know to where. He thinks if I pull the inspection plug on the transfer case the excess fluid will come out. Common for the gasket to leak I guess. His thoughts are trade it. But for what?
What would you do?

 

Don't know much on the head gasket except it looks like it'd be a tough fix considering much of the head is hard to reach and almost under the firewall. Looks like they'd have to lift the engine up and forward to get to it... but I don't know.

I had the same black/milky looking transmission fluid in my old '97 but it was a 2wd. At 153k miles, I had a shop pull the pan, release all the fluid (no flush), install a new filter and gasket, and refill with new red fluid. They made it clear they weren't liable for damage should the high milage tranny fail from receiving new fluid, but I drove it 20k more flawless miles until I wrecked it. Cost about $75.

 

I had the head gasket problem on my truck ('99 5.4L 4x4 SC Lariat) and the head was replaced. A few of the heads had a milling defect and a new gasket won't fix it. I had a Ford dealer do the work and they lift off the cab to access the engine easier.
To fix it or get rid on it I think depends how long you want to keep it and how your finances are. I'm not sure what the tranny issue could be, but maybe take the truck to a tranny shop for a diagnosis? My .02 is to figure out how much it would be to fix everything and figure out if its worth it in the long run.

 

What was your cost for the head gasket work? I would like to take it to the dealership for a quote but I might trade there and not sure if I want to disclose all I think is wrong.

 

The Ford dlr charged ~$2500 for all. That included BOTH heads since the other one was leaking too (intake manifold side, about middle of the head at the gasket). Luckily, I did not pay for it since fixing it was part of a contract when I purchased it from a Chevy dlr. I did receive all the invoices though.

 

It's common for just the passenger's side head to leak. Usually just replacing the gasket will cure it. When it's apart the head should be checked to make sure it's flat. Cleaning the head and block surfaces properly on these is critical.
The head gasket can be done with the engine in place but Ford recommends removing it so everything can be cleaned thoroughly and to avoid sliding the head on the locating dowels. I lift the body off the frame to do the job because I feel that with a good 2 post hoist it's quicker and easier.
If you check the transfer case oil and it's way overfull then the seal in the front of the transfer case is leaking.

 

any idea on cost for the seal to be replaced? are fluid types the same in both and would this cause my oil to turn black?

 

I do the work and don't normally see how much it costs. I'd guess the seal and gasket would about $20 and probably 3 hours or so of labor at whatever your shop charges.
Depending on which transmission you have it takes either Mercon or Mercon V. Either one can be used in the transfer case.
The oil shouldn't turn black in the transmission from a leaking transfer case seal.
I would get the transmission oil and filter changed, including draining the torque converter and see how it looks after driving it a while.

 

plan on dropping the pan in the morning and changing filter and oil. is draining the torque converter something I can do in my garage and if so how? Where is the check level plug on the transfer case? is that it on the back just a little lower and to the drivers side of the drive shaft, just below the electrical whatever it is? would it pay to open to drain off excess if it truely is going in there? if is it going in there wouldn't eventually level off? Transmission is the 4R70W.

 

On the bottom of the bellohusing, in between the transmission pan and the engine, is a round rubber plug. Inside that is the torque converter. You'll probably have to crank the engine over until the drain plug is at the bottom so you can get at it. I usually crank it over with a long bar and 18mm socket on the damper bolt on the front of the engine. Just remove the drain plug and let the fluid run out until it's empty. I usually start the torque converter draining and then start removing the pan. Make sure you refill the transmission with Mercon V oil. It should hold approx 14 qts I think.

On the back of the transfer case there are 2 plugs that a 3/8" extension will fit into. The higher one is the fill plug. The oil should be just up to the fill plug level. If the seal has been leaking oil will run out when you remove the upper plug. Once no more comes out of that hole then the oil level is where it should be.

 

Well I'm now the, dar I say owner of a 03 windstar. dropped the tranny pan and found metal and small needle bearings. put it back together and drove to the dealer and traded. anyone know of a good windstar site?