f150 fml.. again

[greenbullitt]

I have 5.4L block in my shop that came out of a Navigator. The engine was full of about 6 gallons of what looked like Chocolate pudding. I was told it may have a blown head gasget which I did not care I just wanted the block and 4v heads. Well turns out a Freeze plug behind the Timing chain cover came out and then I noticed in the intake valley there are 2 cracks about 4 inches long.

Just some food for thought.

this is why we use antifreeze

[DFWtechie]

this is why we use antifreeze

LMAO
yep thats what I was thinking myself when I saw the cracks. oh well 350.00 for a complete 5.4 32v motor was an ok deal till I found the cracks in the block. I guess I need to get the Ford Racing 5.4 now Dang it. LOL

[naynay]

just to update the thread...
well i finally got a chance to look at the truck yesterday after work.. hadn't started it or moved it since the day i limped it home.

i pulled it from the street to the drive way and shut it off.. boom... water all over the place again.. i got to looking and could tell that the leak was NOT comeing from the motor itself anywhere.. definately coming from the radiator.. so i (being me) went to O'Reilly's and bout some of that liquid copper STOP LEAK shit.. put that in and let the truck idle for about 15 minutes. This entire time its still had a steady drip. I went to go smoke one(cigarette) and just left it running.

Few minutes later i came back out and oh shit, no more leak.. not to mention all the water i put in it was STILL IN THE OVERFLOW/RESEVOIR!!

so i backed it up away from the previously leaked fluids so i could see if any new fluid had dripped, and let it sit again for another 10 minutes or so idling.. BONE DRY!

I've driven it a few times this weekend just to make sure i wouldn't have any further issues, and I've had ZERO!

so now here is my dillemma:

1. When the issue first arose i got in a hurry and started the truck with no cap on the radiator.. thats when the check engine light came on. Now i know I need to get the code pulled but i need someone to reassure me that this was most likely the cause of the CEL to begin with

2. I have alot of pets in and around my house so instead of running the risk of spewing antifreeze all over the place, I have basically filled my entire cooling system with water

SO; what should i do.. take it to FORD to have the code cleared and system flushed, or take it Jose and Miguel up the road and let them work their "mojo" to get me back where i need to be.. or do i just keep on truckin and call it two tears in a bucket?

[JC316]

just to update the thread...
well i finally got a chance to look at the truck yesterday after work.. hadn't started it or moved it since the day i limped it home.

i pulled it from the street to the drive way and shut it off.. boom... water all over the place again.. i got to looking and could tell that the leak was NOT comeing from the motor itself anywhere.. definately coming from the radiator.. so i (being me) went to O'Reilly's and bout some of that liquid copper STOP LEAK shit.. put that in and let the truck idle for about 15 minutes. This entire time its still had a steady drip. I went to go smoke one(cigarette) and just left it running.

Few minutes later i came back out and oh shit, no more leak.. not to mention all the water i put in it was STILL IN THE OVERFLOW/RESEVOIR!!

so i backed it up away from the previously leaked fluids so i could see if any new fluid had dripped, and let it sit again for another 10 minutes or so idling.. BONE DRY!

I've driven it a few times this weekend just to make sure i wouldn't have any further issues, and I've had ZERO!

so now here is my dillemma:

1. When the issue first arose i got in a hurry and started the truck with no cap on the radiator.. thats when the check engine light came on. Now i know I need to get the code pulled but i need someone to reassure me that this was most likely the cause of the CEL to begin with

2. I have alot of pets in and around my house so instead of running the risk of spewing antifreeze all over the place, I have basically filled my entire cooling system with water

SO; what should i do.. take it to FORD to have the code cleared and system flushed, or take it Jose and Miguel up the road and let them work their "mojo" to get me back where i need to be.. or do i just keep on truckin and call it two tears in a bucket?

So, instead of fixing it right you put a product in that at best is a band aid that will fall off right when you need it and at worst causes engine damage. My mechanical advice is to drain that shit out, flush the system, buy a new fucking radiator and refill with a 50/50 mix of distilled water and green anti freeze. While you are at the auto parts store, have them read the codes for free.

[naynay]

in answer to your question.. Yes.. it was a $6 fix to keep fluid in the system.

As for your suggestion, thank you.

I plan on taking the truck to a shop..

My question.. is this something a regular "radiator shop" can handle or should i let FORD do it?

in case it's not obvious i am seeking ADVICE in this forum.. not criticism.

__________________________________

also just on a side note.. this is a new board with no archives. by me posting here and asking questions/getting answers we are collectively creating a database that future users will be able to look at/search/google etc.

alot of ya'll need to get off your high horses and cut out all the cynical bullshit and just offer up only useful advice.

This is my first Ford ever, I come here because i know that even though its a mustang site, most of yall tow with ford trucks so i figure you have some experience.. the ford truck forums are a big joke as far as real technical info, so i come here because i trust most of yall.

[76 Maverick]

Just pulled a set of heads today that someone used stop leak in the cooling system and most of the coolant holes in the head gasket were sealed shut from the stop leak.... That stuff is the worst thing to put in your cooling system....

[2011GT]

It shouldn't be hard to install a new radiator. Any real shop can do that.

[dville_gt]

anytime someone ask me if they should use stop leak i say nay, naynay

[krazy kris]

now you possibly made the problem worse and you may have an over heating problem once you get the new radiator in

[JC316]

in answer to your question.. Yes.. it was a $6 fix to keep fluid in the system.

As for your suggestion, thank you.

I plan on taking the truck to a shop..

My question.. is this something a regular "radiator shop" can handle or should i let FORD do it?

in case it's not obvious i am seeking ADVICE in this forum.. not criticism.

__________________________________

also just on a side note.. this is a new board with no archives. by me posting here and asking questions/getting answers we are collectively creating a database that future users will be able to look at/search/google etc.

alot of ya'll need to get off your high horses and cut out all the cynical bullshit and just offer up only useful advice.

This is my first Ford ever, I come here because i know that even though its a mustang site, most of yall tow with ford trucks so i figure you have some experience.. the ford truck forums are a big joke as far as real technical info, so i come here because i trust most of yall.

Firstly, I wasn't asking a question, I was stating a fact. Secondly, I gave you advice. Drain, flush, replace radiator, fill. Thirdly, you are in the wrong place if you are looking for hand holding. Fourthly, it doesn't matter what kind of car it is, if you don't have mechanical skills, then you shouldn't be fucking with the car, just take it to a shop. A radiator is a very simple job and shop should be able to change it.

Just pulled a set of heads today that someone used stop leak in the cooling system and most of the coolant holes in the head gasket were sealed shut from the stop leak.... That stuff is the worst thing to put in your cooling system....

This. I have seen it time and time again. If the snake oil products worked, there wouldn't be much use for mechanic. Stop leak, no smoke, seafoam, and engine restorers don't work and in 98% of cases, they make the problem worse.

now you possibly made the problem worse and you may have an over heating problem once you get the new radiator in

Also this. You might get lucky if you drain it out ASAP.

[naynay]

Firstly, I wasn't asking a question, I was stating a fact.

So, instead of fixing it right you put a product in that at best is a band aid that will fall off right when you need it and at worst causes engine damage

yes you did ask a question. you just didnt add a question mark.

as for the rest of your post, thank you for the insight. for the record I consider myself very mechanically inclined for someone who is self taught. i build buildings bro!

as for what i was saying about making this new site useful for the futeure it'd be better if you dropped the holier than thou attitude and the whole "you came to the wrong place for hand holding" comment.. i was here waaaay before you.

I have no problem turning wrenches on vehicles but a damn new brand new truck that im paying $500/month for makes me cringe at the thought of doing anything other than standard shit on. My only real question in this thread was asking an opinion.. should i let FORD handle it, or is is something that i can let the ese's up the street handle..

@JC316, again, thanks for the input but your attitude can gag on a dick.

thanks to everyone else, i guess next time i need my hand held i'll just go to the useless f150 forums

[Mike]

My question.. is this something a regular "radiator shop" can handle or should i let FORD do it?

I would take it to a radiator shop.

Thirdly, you are in the wrong place if you are looking for hand holding.

NayNay
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: 3rd Bass
Posts: 6,733


LOL

[naynay]

thanks mike for not being jesus christ himself

[JC316]

yes you did ask a question. you just didnt add a question mark.

as for the rest of your post, thank you for the insight. for the record I consider myself very mechanically inclined for someone who is self taught. i build buildings bro!

as for what i was saying about making this new site useful for the futeure it'd be better if you dropped the holier than thou attitude and the whole "you came to the wrong place for hand holding" comment.. i was here waaaay before you.

I have no problem turning wrenches on vehicles but a damn new brand new truck that im paying $500/month for makes me cringe at the thought of doing anything other than standard shit on. My only real question in this thread was asking an opinion.. should i let FORD handle it, or is is something that i can let the ese's up the street handle..

@JC316, again, thanks for the input but your attitude can gag on a dick.

thanks to everyone else, i guess next time i need my hand held i'll just go to the useless f150 forums

No, I didn't forget to add the question mark. Why would I be asking something that I already knew the answer to? I am really not trying to have an attitude here. Just saying that if you are skilled in any way, then you should know better than to use stop leak.

As for being here for so long, I figured that you would expect an attitude. This is the only place that I do have an attitude since it's expected from nearly everyone here. Here is the response that you would get from me on the F150 forums (Yes I am a member there, had a 95 F150).

Yeah, you probably shouldn't have put stop leak in, it usually causes more problems than it helps. Any shop should be able to fix it, but if you feel uncomfortable taking it to an independent shop, you should probably just take it to the ford house.

[naynay]

now, was that so hard?

thanks all for the input..

JC since i have no skillz you wanna come finish up the drop spindles and airbags on my '63 c10?