The truck in questions is my 2001 F150 5.4L SC 4x4... I started having hard starts every so often and after the hard starts it ran absolutely terrible for about 5 minutes. It did stop though and ran fine after that. That problem was intermittent. Well, I let it sit for about a week started it once and let it run, it did fine. I then tried to start again and it wouldn't start at first, it tried, but just wouldn't. So, I cranked it one more time and white smoke came rolling out of the exhaust pipes. HEAD GASKET? I checked the coolant, no coolant in there, but a bit was on the dipstick. HEAD GASKET! I would like verification on this from you all, as well as info regarding issues with engines after HG replacements. Would it be better to get a good used engine and go that route? I need help here guys, I need to make a decision rather quickly to get her back on the road.

 

Hydro carbon test the coolant for exhaust gasses. That will confirm the HG. If it is a leak, and is severe enough, you may risk hydro locking the engine...... How many miles on the engine? That may help determine the choice you need to make as far as replacing the HG's or replacing with a low mileage engine. Or if there are any other issues with the engine. A used low mileage 5.4 will see around $1500 give or take a few hundred. That's if you do the swap yourself. Along with new fluids, gaskets and other things you could see around 2k total.

 

it has approx. 130,000 on it now.....and I am just worried that I will have trouble down the road with the block/heads etc. Just paranoid I guess.

 

So i got a price for getting a used engine with 99,000 miles on it...engine and install $2500! looks like I can get headgaskets replace for a grand. but I'm still leary about possible issues after the replacement. I have owned several of tbirds and had numerous head gasket issues but the car always had trouble after I replaced the head gaskets. have any of you experienced any problems after a head gasket swap?