2006 Ford F150 4.6L 4X4 need to know if head gasket is going bad
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6th Gear
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2006 Ford F150 4.6L 4X4 need to know if head gasket is going bad
While I was driving last summer in August, my truck overheated and lost all of the coolant so I had my husband bring me some water to throw in it. 2 weeks later it did the same thing again so I put coolant in it and kept checking the coolant level and looking for any places coolant could be leaking out. It never did it again and I have no idea what caused that. Here recently I noticed a burning smell coming in through my vents when I was running the heat. I took it to a mechanic that had recently changed the coils because it was stuttering pretty bad, he changed the belt because it was beginning to get tears in it. I told him about the coolant leaking out twice before and he said it was fine. After about a week I was still smelling a burning smell so I looked under the hood and I am pretty sure the head gasket is sticking out on one corner and I saw some oil around that area. I also checked the oil cap and it was milky but when I checked the oil stick the oil was fine. I was wondering if this was signs the head gasket is going to blow or something else. And if it's the head gasket should I use a head gasket sealer?
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From: sussex county, nj
welcome to FTE the best of the ford help forums
smell from the vents normally means the heater core has started leaking, the smell shows up when the heat is on with a oily film sticking to the windshield.from the defroster , one real way to check is add a black light coolant dye, run the heat while parked look under the truck at the a/c drain area with a black light, what drips should GLOW
a milky oil on the oil cap is condensation which is normal, a milky dipstick means major problems.
smell from the vents normally means the heater core has started leaking, the smell shows up when the heat is on with a oily film sticking to the windshield.from the defroster , one real way to check is add a black light coolant dye, run the heat while parked look under the truck at the a/c drain area with a black light, what drips should GLOW
a milky oil on the oil cap is condensation which is normal, a milky dipstick means major problems.
Cargo Master
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Yeah the oil cap condensation is pretty much standard for a Triton. WHAT smell are you getting? A "sweet" smell like coolant, or a "dark" smell like burning oil?
Has the system been pressure tested?
Note a failing head gasket will rarely translate to odors you can detect -- except perhaps at the tailpipe in extreme cases.
Has the system been pressure tested?
Note a failing head gasket will rarely translate to odors you can detect -- except perhaps at the tailpipe in extreme cases.
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6th Gear
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Yeah the oil cap condensation is pretty much standard for a Triton. WHAT smell are you getting? A "sweet" smell like coolant, or a "dark" smell like burning oil?
Has the system been pressure tested?
Note a failing head gasket will rarely translate to odors you can detect -- except perhaps at the tailpipe in extreme cases.
Has the system been pressure tested?
Note a failing head gasket will rarely translate to odors you can detect -- except perhaps at the tailpipe in extreme cases.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,919
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On these motors it's unlikely a head gasket will provide a burning oil smell/oil leak.
Can you provide any good pics of where you think you see the head gasket?
A cooling system pressure tester just attaches to your degas bottle and allows you to pressurize the system and then monitor the attached gauge to see if pressure escapes
Here's an example
https://www.harborfreight.com/radiat...kit-63862.html
If you have access to compressed air Astro makes one with a regulator that allows you to just flip a lever and pressurize the system. Faster and better for finding gross leaks because you can just leave the air on and listen for the noise. You probably don't need this, however.
Search local classifieds as there's usually pressure testers for sale. Pawn shops, too. But make sure you get the adapter to thread onto the degas bottle (I think GM and Ford shared threads during this time??)
Can you provide any good pics of where you think you see the head gasket?
A cooling system pressure tester just attaches to your degas bottle and allows you to pressurize the system and then monitor the attached gauge to see if pressure escapes
Here's an example
https://www.harborfreight.com/radiat...kit-63862.html
If you have access to compressed air Astro makes one with a regulator that allows you to just flip a lever and pressurize the system. Faster and better for finding gross leaks because you can just leave the air on and listen for the noise. You probably don't need this, however.
Search local classifieds as there's usually pressure testers for sale. Pawn shops, too. But make sure you get the adapter to thread onto the degas bottle (I think GM and Ford shared threads during this time??)
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6th Gear
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Cargo Master
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Is this definitely a 4.6 V8 or a 4.2 V6? Sometimes people get lexdysic with the numbers.
Your fuel rails are round while my '07 4.6 is flat. Your injectors look further apart and I see no COP. My valve covers have threaded studs for push-on wire retainers at all four front corners where you just have hex head bolts
Anyway that's your valve cover gasket(s), not head gaskets. They certainly CAN leak oil and that COULD be the source of your smell.
Your fuel rails are round while my '07 4.6 is flat. Your injectors look further apart and I see no COP. My valve covers have threaded studs for push-on wire retainers at all four front corners where you just have hex head bolts
Anyway that's your valve cover gasket(s), not head gaskets. They certainly CAN leak oil and that COULD be the source of your smell.
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6th Gear
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Is this definitely a 4.6 V8 or a 4.2 V6? Sometimes people get lexdysic with the numbers.
Your fuel rails are round while my '07 4.6 is flat. Your injectors look further apart and I see no COP. My valve covers have threaded studs for push-on wire retainers at all four front corners where you just have hex head bolts
Anyway that's your valve cover gasket(s), not head gaskets. They certainly CAN leak oil and that COULD be the source of your smell.
Your fuel rails are round while my '07 4.6 is flat. Your injectors look further apart and I see no COP. My valve covers have threaded studs for push-on wire retainers at all four front corners where you just have hex head bolts
Anyway that's your valve cover gasket(s), not head gaskets. They certainly CAN leak oil and that COULD be the source of your smell.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
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Ok I'll certainly admit I feel disoriented looking at your photos. So much easier in person. What you have circled there as cylinder head is the coolant crossover tube. Very very common leak point on Tritons and certainly could explain your coolant loss. I'd also be curious if any of the forward cylinder spark plug tubes are filled with coolant that's leaked in.
Here again, a pressure test might help. Spray the area with soapy water while pressurized. Any growing bubbles = leak
Here again, a pressure test might help. Spray the area with soapy water while pressurized. Any growing bubbles = leak
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
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what your pointing to is the intake manifold or cross over ( coolant) gasket.. It might leak coolant and then burn off so you really cant see a leak.. The pressure test might work... If it is a small leak, a head gasket sealer like BARS COPPER might do the trick.
Cargo Master
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I used to be a believer in Bar's (Radiator) Stop Leak but I've seen even that clog heater cores -- although admittedly not in a Ford truck. And once in your system it's very difficult to fully flush out, but there are products specifically for this.
Thus I'd live with it or fix it right, but avoid stop leak. YMMV
Thus I'd live with it or fix it right, but avoid stop leak. YMMV
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