Head gasket stop leak

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Don't crucify my here....the truck seems to developing the dreaded head gasket oil leak that is highly common among F150's built during that time. Climbed under it and can see a sheen, on some places, but not covering the entire engine or starter, another tell tale sign. It's starting to slowly drip. Somehow the oil has reached its way to the AC compressor and dripping off of it. Nothing major, like a drip now and then, but it never has done that before so I'm thinking its a future omen. Truck is old, won't get hardly anything if I trade it in and has about 94K on it. Not worth having it analyzed and then looking at replacing both heads for a couple of grand. No dipstick difference between oil changes. Just going to live with it. Question, seen so many adds for Lucas/STP "oil treatments". Would it be worth trying one of those to see if the leak slows down? Like many of you, I've never believed in additives, but with the age of this truck and other problems that are starting to emerge, I figure it may be worth a shot. Truck has been on an exclusive diet of M1 EP 5W-30 with MC filters, OCI has been once every two years...it may average 4K miles a year so I ain't throwing away good oil and it's parked inside. I'm wondering maybe switching to a HM oil would make a difference. It doesn't lose coolant or anything like that, just seeping a little oil.
 
On a Jeep that would be an anti-rust system. Put a drip pan under it if you don't want a stain. It would have to get worse, much worse, before I would fix it. My first 528e had a similar head gasket leak. A qt of oil every 1500 miles. For 200k more miles. The Lucas /STP goop is a bandaid for worn out rings and bearings. I would either do nothing or get radical and go with a 10w30 of your choice. If this is your major complaint on a 17 yr old Ford, I'd say you were in fine shape . How are the brake lines?
 
There is a chemical product you can buy to test for exhaust gases in the coolant .

I would first try such a test .

Are you seeing signs of oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil ?

If not , I would just live with a slight oil leak . W/O using any addatives .
 
It's an oil leak to the outside, not an internal coolant leak.

You can buy a lot of oil for what any other possible solution would cost.
 
Oil is fine when drained. This gasket issue has been a very well documented issue for Ford, along with the spark plug spitting problem, all of which Ford will not address unless you're under some sort of warranty, but even then still, Ford claimed that the spark plug spitting problem is the plugs, not the lack of threads for the spark plug...yeah, whatever. On these modular OHV engines, there is no other way to replace the HG other than removing the heads, which is almost impossible without lifting the cab off the truck because they are set back so far. Break lines....that's a new one I've heard for F150, but mine are fine so far. 17 years....let's see....4x4 went out, paint looks like [censored] from fading, passenger side exhaust manifold cracked and all the studs rusted out and stayed in the block...that was fun....back windows leak like a opened [censored] when it rains, power locks barely function, windows won't roll down all the way, mystery oil leak, 13 mpg, seats are cracking, had to put in a whole new front end because of lack of grease fittings on factory originals, eats drum rotors, moon roof got stuck in the open position when a tornado hit...cheap plastic trigger part got jammed.
 
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That's the "infamous" Ford head gasket issue with their modular engine trucks. With the cast iron blocks and aluminum head the HG material usually could not handle the different material expansion/contraction differences over time. No chemical "fix" or high mileage oil will fix the problem. In fact the HG chemical "fixes" can lead to real problems. At this point in the trucks life put a oil drip pan under it and check the oil level more frequently. I had a 2002 F-150 but it had an aluminum block and head so I didn't have the different metal expansion and contraction differences. At 25,000 miles I loosened all the spark plugs and RE-TORQUED them, don't remember the spec I used, and never had a problem with them blowing. My problem with that truck was massive frame and overall rot of the truck here in "salty" NJ
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Whimsey
 
For vehicles blowing tons of white smoke due to burning coolant I've successfully used bars HG1 in both a Dodge and a Chevy.

That said, clearly that won't help you here.

I am surprised to hear about head gasket problems in these engines... in fact, in my Crown Vic I beat the snot out of it the entire time I owned it and even drove it for a long period of time overheated and only pulled over when the transmission got so hot it wouldn't even move, and no head gasket issues.
 
Good advice ya'll.....I guess my main worry is that engine just blowing up while driving to a vacation spot with the family. Not too worried about losing a drop here and there, just the longevity issue. Maybe I'll just trade it in and get one of those new Ridgelines.
 
Saw a funny quote about Ridgelines on a truck forum: "Putting a shelf on the back of a car does not make it into a truck." Nevertheless, they seem to be popular and good for light hauling. I see a lot of them around where I live so Honda must be doing something right!
 
This stuff is your best chance:

https://barsleaks.com/product/blown-head-gasket-repair/

It is easy to use, unlike blue devil, and it has worked for me twice. A Cadillac SRX had a bad gasket leak with coolant literally flowing out of the head....worked and it's been a year so far and woman is still driving it fine. The second was a Suzuki Forenza - major leak with low compression- worked and it's been 3 months. Both times the stuff worked in les than 30 minutes.

Worth a try!!
 
Not a real problem with the heads. These had a TSB about a burr or metal swarf getting between the block/head and gasket, so much for cleaner manufacturing. IIRC it inc 2001 models
Over the years it worsens somewhat but it will probably not blow out to a full blown pressure leak. Try a stop leak and if it helps fine but if not screw it. The fix is to replace the HG not the head.
 
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
This stuff is your best chance:

https://barsleaks.com/product/blown-head-gasket-repair/

It is easy to use, unlike blue devil, and it has worked for me twice. A Cadillac SRX had a bad gasket leak with coolant literally flowing out of the head....worked and it's been a year so far and woman is still driving it fine. The second was a Suzuki Forenza - major leak with low compression- worked and it's been 3 months. Both times the stuff worked in les than 30 minutes.

Worth a try!!


yup, that stuff is the best!
 
Originally Posted By: dogememe
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
This stuff is your best chance:

https://barsleaks.com/product/blown-head-gasket-repair/

It is easy to use, unlike blue devil, and it has worked for me twice. A Cadillac SRX had a bad gasket leak with coolant literally flowing out of the head....worked and it's been a year so far and woman is still driving it fine. The second was a Suzuki Forenza - major leak with low compression- worked and it's been 3 months. Both times the stuff worked in les than 30 minutes.

Worth a try!!


yup, that stuff is the best!


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I might, let me check, you are makingme work on my vacation.

TSB 01-21-10 is the one. I can send it as a pdf to anyone that needs it, just PM me your email address.
 
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