Head Gasket Job

Well chaps,
have not been on here for a while but after a nightmare 6 + weeks of daily trips to hospitals my V8 decided to deal me a possible head gasket issue

1995 4.0 ( no LPG ) and just 80k on the clock

Symptoms: a slight misfire on start up but settles to normal after about a minute
or so and this happens at every start up hot or cold.

White smoke / steam from exhaust and sweet smell on start from cold.

Slight coolant loss approx 1 pint over 4 weeks no wet carpets etc.

Checked engine at night time and noticed arcing from plugs 2 4 6 8 checked leads all OK removed spark plugs and no 2 plug was a little wet and appeared washed.

Thoughts welcome, but think i know the inevitable

Compression Test results??

Thebest4x4byfar said:

Thoughts welcome, but think i know the inevitable

Click to expand...

Fingers crossed that it is a head gasket - coz if it isn't you have a porous head or two, a porous/cracked block or a slipped liner.

If it's an head gasket one would ask how comparatively low pressure coolant is going one way but several hundred PSI of combustion gas is not going the other.

I have arranged for a pressure test at local indy tomorrow so will know a little more then. I removed heat shield for a closer look and did not see any carbon trace between 2 & 4 as suspected so maybe not HG.

Forgot to add no oil contamination and no overheating

Head gasket it is ! the indy suggested to put a bottle of K Seal to cure
just collected new gasket set from stealers and my weekend planned

I asked at the stealers how many hours labour they estimate for such a job 12 was the answer so if i can do in a couple of days i'll be happy

Thebest4x4byfar said:

Head gasket it is ! the indy suggested to put a bottle of K Seal to cure
just collected new gasket set from stealers and my weekend planned

I asked at the stealers how many hours labour they estimate for such a job 12 was the answer so if i can do in a couple of days i'll be happy

Click to expand...

K-Seal is **** - Irontite ceramic motor sealer will probably work if it's a porous head or cracked block. Use exactly as described and change your water pump 1,000 miles later. If it's a gasket then do the gasket.

http://www.irontite.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1