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Old Nov 21, 2009 | 04:58 PM
  #1  
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How bad is it?

OK, I have a '87 f150 with the 300 I6. It's been overheating and I cant seem to fix it. The temp gauge doesent go over the halfway point but the radaitor cap will start blowing over coolant into the overflow tank and that will overflow the overflow tank. Now what I have done to the truck, replaced the water pump, fan clutch, thermostat,flushed and cleaned the radaitor, new belt and coolant. Im leaning twardes a head gasket now since I cant think of anything else and there is alot of water and steam comeing out of the tail pipe. So, if you guys can think of anything else that I may have overlooked Please let me know as I need to get this truck back on the road ASAP. thank you much.
 
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Old Nov 21, 2009 | 06:55 PM
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Water and steam out the pipe. You have to ask?

Does the coolant look like a carbonated soda? Lots of little bubbles and some fuel?

Any of the plugs wet after shutdown?

If yes, that just confirms the head gasket, so as the Pontiac guys used to do, Get your Tools Out.
 
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Old Nov 21, 2009 | 08:23 PM
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X2

If you take the head in to have a valve job done, you'll never have a better chance to have it ported and wake up that engine.

Note: BE SURE TO HAVE THE HEAD MAGNAFLUXED FOR CRACKS.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 01:16 AM
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Do not modify an EFI head.
Polishing the exhaust ports is about as far as I would go.

If you are having overheating probloms I would install a mechanical temp gauge also.

If you are replacing the headgasket I would spend the $100 and have the valves ground and the head re-surfaced.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 09:04 AM
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the coolant was dark brown before I flushed it. I havent looked at the spark plugs yet.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 02:29 PM
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Originally Posted by flipklos
Do not modify an EFI head.
Polishing the exhaust ports is about as far as I would go.

If you are having overheating probloms I would install a mechanical temp gauge also.

If you are replacing the headgasket I would spend the $100 and have the valves ground and the head re-surfaced.
Oops, I dropped the ball there. I thought it was pre EFI. Yeah, don't modify an efi head. Thanks for catching that, flipklos.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2009 | 12:54 AM
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Everybody poops. Just like Mr. Rogers said,

I goofed on one last week myself.
 
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