Where's the Bakersfield peeps....need a mechanic

[TOOBOLD]

In April dad passed away and inherited his 2001 F150 5.4 L engine. I noticed oil in the driveway and DH checked it out. Well Ford dealer says head gasket and seals are toast and need to be fixed...$3300? That is not in the budget right now so looking for another reputable mechanic. When DH checked it was less than a quart low on oil. If I watch the oil level is it wise to keep driving or will I cause more damage?

[shakyjay]

Moore's Automotive on Rosedale Highway near Allen Road. Doesn't look like much but fair and honest people.

[TOOBOLD]

I asked the mechanic and he said there is no coolant in the oil. There is only oil leaking at this time. I'll look into re manufactured heads.

[carringb]

Wow, if this is the 2nd head gasket, that pretty says the head is defective. Either it's warped, or there's a scratch in the mating surface. I would not try another head gasket repair (assuming a correct diagnosis) without replacing the head. Good news is re-manufactured heads are under $400 loaded (meaning valves and cams and all that stuff is already installed).

Or, just swap with a wrecking-yard motor. They are cheap since that is such a common motor and failures are rare. If there's any sign of coolant in the oil, this is the way to go because even slight contamination can cause eventual bearing failure.

[TOOBOLD]

Well apparently this is not the first time dad's truck has leaked. I got the OASIS report on the truck and at 58K miles the Head Gasket& Head Cylinder were replaced along with the PCV Valve. At 67K mile the Valve Cover Gasket also was replaced all due to leaks. Not ready to let the truck go due to sentimental reasons.

Will get a second opinion next week, but kind of believe the Ford mechanic.

[SCVJeff]

TOOBOLD wrote:
Thanks for the info. The truck only has 77K miles and has been sitting for over a year. The truck has not overheated we only drive it in town. Discover thanks for the recommendations SCVJeff will wait for yours before we proceed and see if any two match.

He says he takes both personal and TV Station vehicles to Euro Auto (White Ln. and Ashe Rd., 661-832-2636).

They also have a Ford Diesel (one of the two transmitter trucks) that keeps wiping out its turbo, so it exclusively goes to the dealer per the atty's who are looking at sending a nasty gram to Ford. But all others are at Euro

[TOOBOLD]

Thanks for the info. The truck only has 77K miles and has been sitting for over a year. The truck has not overheated we only drive it in town. Discover thanks for the recommendations SCVJeff will wait for yours before we proceed and see if any two match.

[discovery4us]

S & S automotive on Taft Highway in Pumpkin Center, White Lane automotive on Mexicali and White lane, and Fruitvale Automotive off of Rosedale Highway on Fruitvale are the first three that come to mind. As with any recommendation keep in mind that yesterdays reputable job might not be reputable today.

[Ron3rd]

Seriously doubt it's head gaskets as this problem allows coolant to leak into the block and causes overheating, loss of coolant, etc, all of which was pointed out by members in posts above. Oil leaks are common on older trucks so a second opinion from a good independent mechanic is a good idea. Could be something simple, or not.

[SCVJeff]

Let me call my guy in Bakersfield tomorrow. They have a shop up there that maintains two big Ford 4x4 trucks to get to transmitter sites and a Ford News van. They'll have a name or 3 I'm sure.

Stby...

[carringb]

Pretty unusual for the head gaskets to go on the 5.4L. It would take major overheating, and it has the "fail-safe" cooling system which makes that really unlikely. Also it would be unlikely that a bad head gasket would only leak eternally.

I think a 2nd opinion is warranted, and also suspect it's probably dried out valve-cover gaskets. Also the PCV hose can crack and cause oil to spray everywhere.

And speaking of the PCV valve.... major oil leaks are often caused by a sticking PVC valve, especially valve cover leaks. Mine stuck completely, blew oil through the oil-cooler o-rings until the coolant reservoir got full, then it ruptured the heater hose and blew the PVC valve right out of the valve cover at the same time. I though for sure the motor blew! It was a huge mess! It rattled when I had last checked it 100,000 miles before, so I stuck it back in to save $3. Not worth it.

[Tankcar]

hi. it mighy be the valve cover gaskets? which seals are leaking? crank front / rear?

what is the condition of the oil? any water?