About 4 months ago i had head gaskets done. On my 2003 4.6 the shop sent them out and had them rebuilt. Truck has been fine. The last week i am noticing the first start up in the am after sitting all night i smell the sweat smell like antifreeze coming out the tail pipe. Also i have noticed a few times some white smoke for maybe 1 mins or so. After its started and running its fine. Checked antifreeze its full. Has never over heated.

 

You need a pressure test. Compressed air on the radiator to see if it leaks down. Most auto repair shops can do it..

 

Or hydrocarbon test the coolant. If coolant is present in the exhaust, exhaust will in most cases be present in the coolant

 

What would cause this. Bad head or head gaskets again. Today i started it after sitting all night no antifreeze smell out the tailpipe. But had some white smoke for a minute or so. I hope this is not the heads again. I justed dumped $2300 into this truck 4 months ago. I cant afford to keep money into it.

 

How long is the warranty on that repair job? I'd get the two test mentioned above done ASAP before your warranty runs out, if it hasn't already. They could have missed a cracked head. Or maybe they saw it but didn't want to pay the extra costs to replace it.

PS if it is anti-freeze in the tailpipe it could be caused by bad gaskets or a cracked head. The tests above should tell the story. There might also be some sneak path though the intake manifold. A lot of engines run coolant trough the intake to preheat the incoming air. Lots of funny things going on in engines these days and I can't keep track of all the variations. But you need to find out what it is. iF coolant is getting into the engine it could hydrolock it and do some serious damage.

I'd also keep a close eye on your oil. If coolant is getting into the engine, some will probably drain past the rings and show up in the oil. Check it closely for signs of water/coolant when you drain it.

 

When the head gaskets where done the shop sent the heads out to a machine shop and had them checked and rebuilt. The oil on the stick looks clean

 

I dropped the truck off at the shop today. I just picked it up they did a pressure test and a Hydrocarbon test and it passed both. shop said the engine is good.

 

I had a very similar issue to what you are going through, except I have a 2003 with the 5.4. I replaced the headgaskets, timing assembly, you name it because I had a bad headgasket at about 150k miles. About a year later, I went to change my oil one night and there was coolant dripping from up around the front corner of the drivers side head. I drained my oil, and sure enough there was coolant in the oil too. I figured it was a head gasket again, but I was getting ready to head into finals at college, so I did not have any time to work on this (I'm an engineering student who works on a dairy farm, so I have zero free time). I took it to a local mechanic who determined it was in fact the intake manifold. They were known to crack where there is the coolant circulation as mentioned above. It duplicates all symptoms of a headgasket/cracked head, but is much cheaper. The new manifold was around $250. That is some food for thought for you, and something to check.

 

I herd of that also I think that was on the plastic manifolds. I have to check to see if I have a metal or plastic manifold. I just changed my oil yesterday and it was clean. I have not smelled the smell out of the tail pipe. But I am getting a little white smoke on the first start up of the day after sitting all night

 

She let go yesterday she stared miss firing. Then the temp gause pegged. And the oil light came on. So I pulled over pulled the dipstick it was like milk. Called the shop that did the work they sent a flat bed. The owner said he has no idea will start pulling it apart Monday. He said he used ford gaskets and the head shop he sent the head to has a very good reputation. Right away he said maybe it's the block. What do you guys think it good be

 

The work was just done 4 months ago and maybe put on 5,000 miles

 

Anybody

 

Head gasket. Your temp gauge is pegging because hot combustion chamber gasses are being forced past the blown gasket into the coolant system. When that bubble of hot gases passes over your temp sender on the intake manifold it spikes the gauge. There are other things like incorrect head bolt torquing that can cause a head gasket leak. These head bolts need a particular sequence followed to ensure a sufficient clamp load. Brand of head gasket is not usually the problem. Not likely the block either.....Sounds like they may try to fabricate another issue...JMO If they tell you its the block tell them you insist on seeing the defect in the block bore.

 

I dont think its the block truck runs great does not burn any oil does not knock at all. I think like you said bad head gasket or a bad head.

 

We already told you; gaskets, head or possibly intake in that order. Very slim chance that it's the block unless you did something really stupid like raced it and over revv'd it or continued to drive it with it insanely over heated. Even them the computer should have shut it down and attempted to prevent damage.

I think shop is BS'ing you about the block. They don't want to admit that they botched the head job to begin with and then didn't find/fix the problem after you came back to them and now that your engine self-destructed they're in deep ****! I wonder if they even did the two tests that everyone here told you to get done! Time to take it to another shop and WATCH them do those test! And make them show YOU the results. It's also time to start documenting EVERYTHING and prepare to go see a lawyer! You're not only probably out the money that you already paid them but now your engine likely needs a COMPLETE rebuild or a complete new engine. Water in the oil and/or no oil pressure BOTH means that your bearings and rings are most likely damaged if not ruined. Possibly the pistons too. And over heating means that gaskets will be cooked and damaged and it's very possible that your heads and possibly even the block are now warped and will NEVER seal properly again.

If you continue to deal with the same shop on this, take a credible witness with you and both of you make notes of what they say and do! It would probably be best if that witness is also a very knowledgible auto repair person or at least someone that knows what they're talking about.