I hope that title caught someone's attention who can help.

It's not an F-150... but it's family.... and you'd try to help your favorite cousin who is dying of cancer... wouldn't you?


I'm convinced that my 1993 Ford Explorer 2WD 4.0L v6 has a blown head gasket(s).

I've been told that "if the oil isn't milky white, it's not a blown head gasket".

Here are the symptoms:

First off, it all started when I was in traffic for 2~ hours on I-20 in Texas trying to get through Fair Park traffic (State Fair) Smoke started coming out of the exhaust heavily

Overheats fairly quickly under light to normal load (5-7 minutes)
When engine is cool and you take off the radiator cap, coolant shoots out of the radiator when you try to start it
White sweet smelling smoke BILLOWS out of the exhaust (A metric ****-ton)
The smoke only comes out after the engine overheats

What I've done to the explorer after these symptoms occurred:

replaced the radiator and overflow tank (needed it badly)
Flushed the radiator
replaced the spark plugs (needed a tune-up anyway)
replaced the thermostat

When I replaced the thermostat, I didn't drain the coolant, and maybe a drop or two came out when I fully removed the housing.

There is no visible external leak in any way shape or form otherwise.


The truck seems to ride decently enough save for the problems mentioned above. I'm extremely uncomfortable in accepting the fact that a lack of milky white oil is an absolute determining factor in whether or not the head gasket is blown, especially when no other alternative possible problems were given to me.

I would appreciate to no end any other possible solutions. If you can tell me what else to check that could even just solve the smoke issue, I would be more than grateful.

A few stipulations: I'd like no serious posts about 'taking it to a shop' or 'making sure I didn't mess an install up' as I don't have money for someone I don't trust to look at it and charge a ridiculous amount to TRY to fix it. I'm also quit adept to the mechanics of how to put things the way they are supposed to be and not Jimmy-Rigging anything. And yes... the smoking is coming OUT of the exhaust pipe, it is not leaking onto a hot piece of metal and burning up.

Basically, the skinny of things is.... I'm trying to figure out what every possible way coolant can get into the exhaust and burn up as it is apparently doing.

Thanks for any help in advance and thanks a little bit for at least reading through the entire post, I know it was a lot

 

Sounds like a head gasket to me! Take rad cap off and run engine. If you see bubbles or the coolant gets squirted out under pressure then its your head gasket for sure.

 

Sounds like a blown headgasket and the longer you drive it the greater the risk to the rest of the engine. The water in the oil will start to scare the rod and crank bearings.

 

Head gaskets can blow by breaking through to the oil passages or the coolant passages. Oil goes milkie when small amounts of water get into it. This water can be from condensation from short trips or an engine that runs with a "cold" rocket box. British Leyland often had this "problem" with their cars.
Your engine sounds like the gasket is blown, do a compression test or leakdown test to confirm.
I had an old Morris and when the head gasket gave out it pumped coolant out the exhaust pipe. So it does happen.

 

head gasket

you are from texas and are not a Jimmy Rigger? You must be the only one in the state. I used to go to Graham Texas to help out a manuafcturing plant- their only mode of operation was Jimmy Rig- had to close the place- it was cheaper to start over than un rig the entire plant

 

Head Gasket!
Don't drive it!! It will do damage!
Happened to me. Took a piston apart.

Phil