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Full story:
1996 Ranger 2.3l, 5-speed, 306,000 miles ().
Last week driving to work got an engine temp warning light. Pulled over immediately, let it cool down, filled coolant.
Truck would not start.
Did the 50/50 test - ignition problem. would not start with ether/starter fluid.
Had it towed home.
Today went out to check compression. Pulled #3 plug hooked up gauge - turned the key & the engine fired right up and ran. Did not expect that hence I did not pull the wire from the exhaust side coil pack.
BUT noticed a substantial amount of water coming out the tailpipe and puffs of smoke (exhaust gas??) out of the radiator.
Ok probably a blown head gasket.
Replaced #3 plug & pulled #4 - compression check 210 psi in #4 (#3 was about 120 psi) - OK pretty much confirms blown head gasket. And still water out of the exhaust pipe and little puffs of smoke out of the radiator.
Question is: How can I determine (if possible) if the head is warped or if the head is cracked??
ps - no evidence of water in oil either under the oil filler cap or on the dipstick.
pps I did replace the head gasket about 16 months ago and this truck does see a lot of miles
Will pull the head now, but any help & advice is much appreciated.
Head needs to go to a machine shop
They will clean it, surface it and then pressure test it.
They will also replace valve guide seals if needed.
2.3l lima is not known for blowing head gaskets, or cracked heads, but any over heated engine can crush head gasket or crack head because head metal expands too much when it is over heated.
You can do Glove test and it will confirm blown head gasket and then ID which cylinder(s) are effected
I could get a bare head for $135, but see no point in using installing new valves, springs, rockers, and camshaft in a bare head - probably cost me just as much.
And there is no pint in swapping cam, springs, and rockers from this old head with new valves in a bare head.
Lastly I don't even see any point in taking the old head to a machine shop to be decked and magnafluxed - i think the problem is pretty obvious.
RonD, Hello again, I have replaced the head with a new one from Autozone. Replaced head bolts, gaskets, etc. Engine fired right up, but there is a significant 'tick' coming from the top end. If the engine had lifters I'd say it was stuck lifter or that the lifter hadn't 'pumped-up' yet. But obviously there are no lifter involved. Also getting some white smoke from the exhaust. When the head cracked & I removed it the first time there was no coolant in the oil although the oil did have lighter brown color to it than I would have expected, but it was not 'foamy' at all.
I tightened the head bolts in order to 50lbs (according to my Haynes & Chiltons manuels) then went 90 degrees further - again according to the manual.
Is it possible that the head didn't seat properly?? That could explain the white smoke.
But any ideas what the tick/knock could be.
I'll do a compression check on the cylinders & see if that tells me anything.
A brief update - I let the truck sit for about 20 -30 minutes while I typed in that last post. Went out & started the truck & now no white smoke at all, but still a 'tick' maybe an exhaust leak??
I did forget to mention that before I pulled the old head coolant was "pouring' out of the tail pipe - maybe that white smoke was coolant still in the exhaust system/catalytic converter??
Yes, most likely you are correct, white smoke was from first warm up of exhaust system.
Rocker could have slipped out of place
If spark plug wire is not down on the plug all the way it will "tick" as spark arcs, or a bad spark plug wire can do the same
Yes, exhaust leak can "tick" as well
Another update drove the truck 32 miles round trip to a meeting - highway miles average about 65mph.
'Tick' sound has disappeared.
This was at night so for the short time I was in town I could still see a little white (?) smoke in my rearview mirror if I looked down at the tail pipe. I got where I was going looked at the exhaust when at idle and no smoke at all.
On the way back home same thing - a little white smoke - in town, cruise at 65 for 16 miles home, pull into the driveway, let the truck idle, no smoke from the tail pipe ???
It did use maybe a pint a water, so still thinking there is a coolant leak somewhere, but top radiator hose is soft, and when taking the radiator cap off - no air bubbles of any kind.
Will do the glove test tomorrow after work & maybe a compression check.
When you burn gasoline(H) with air(O) one of the by-products is H2O(water), this is why tailpipes drip water and why exhaust systems rust from the inside out.
So white "smoke" from tail pipe in colder temps is normal, it is the hot water vapor condensing quickly when it hits the colder air
On Friday I had hydroplaned and went into the ditch. At first we only thought the damage was only because the air bags deployed and my bumper torn up. But I drove it around town and when the engine is warm it will leak coolant. We tried to find where it’s coming from but couldn’t. It’s a 2001 ford ranger XLT 4 cylinder 2.5 liter engine. The truck does not overheat. It left puddles every time I parked then stop once cooled.
On Friday I had hydroplaned and went into the ditch. At first we only thought the damage was only because the air bags deployed and my bumper torn up. But I drove it around town and when the engine is warm it will leak coolant. We tried to find where it’s coming from but couldn’t. It’s a 2001 ford ranger XLT 4 cylinder 2.5 liter engine. The truck does not overheat. It left puddles every time I parked then stop once cooled.
11-25-2017
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