Helping a friend with a truck he just bought. A 97 F150 4x4 auto, with the 4.6 v8. Steam coming from the exhaust, and fowling a plug on the right bank. Is this an easy enough job of removing both heads with the engine in the truck. Or is it easier to pull the engine, the v8's are way back there.
Or any other ideas what the problem could be other than head gaskets or heads. Truck has just turned 120k.
Thanks fellers.
Bob

 

Sounds like the head gasket to me, too. Check the valves while you've got em out.

I can't tell you without looking whether it'd be easier to just pull the whole block, but that's kind of hard to imagine.

Of course, I've got acres of extra space under my hood, so......

Good luck.

 

Enough for a lumber yard even!!

 

lmao...

Look here, smartazz, at least I don't have a hole in my block...

 

Ever heard of an intake manifod leaking into a head enough to cause steam??? Open for ideas, suggestions.
Bob

 

If you have the tools to pull it i would. it will be a lot easier to clean things up if you do.

 

Really could do a better job with it on an engine stand that's no lie. It isn't my truck, trying to help a friend that really dosen't want to pull it out. But he is going to have both heads checked over before going back together. I'm thinking he'd be better off to yank it, but what a mess that is in there.........

Bob

 

Try the 4.6 engine forum and yes it could be an intake leak. Run a compression test and that will show if its a blown head gasket.
Jeff

 

As far as pulling the motor or just the heads, its been my experience either can be done. But, look at it this way... if you have trouble getting the heads off with the motor in the truck, think of how bad it is getting the motor out with the heads still on it. My advice, just pull the heads.