Interesting. I had a head gasket leak on my '05 but it was out of warranty. Half a day later, both head gaskets were replaced and it was back on the road.

I'd be a little worried about the shop if it took 4 techs and yourself to determine the head gasket needs to be replaced if oil is leaking from below the head and oil's on the outside of the motor. I'd find someone else...anyone else for that matter to do the work. Making a job that takes half a day stretch out to 2 - 3 weeks sounds like highway robbery.

Sorry about your luck, but the truck should hold up to the abuse and then some.

 

I surely don't want a \/6 f150 that only gets 20 MPG when a v8 gets that good of mileage.

 

Well, I knew it was shot myself even, but the techs somehow all congregated around my truck in the discussion, but rather for other (personal) reasons. But the first one who was assigned to look at the problem knew right off the bat.

As far as the wait time... who knows what takes them so long. I figure as long as it is put back together properly, that is all that matters. So far they've been so, so with it.

I know my luck has been downhill rather lately. Not sure why either. But yeah Mike, you are right, that engine can take some serious abuse. I think it was just a flukey gasket.

 

These engines are built for abuse. Many of the work trucks that companies buy and beat the crap out of are equipped with the V6. a 2006-2007 model year should not have a blown head gasket.

I personally have the 5.4 engine, which still isnt a very powerful engine, and i work it hard during both summer and winter. 90k miles with zero engine work besides normal maintenance.

A blown head gasket should not happen that early.

 

Using the truck like a truck is not going to blow a head gasket, and is not hard on the engine. The springs don't carry enough weight to get to that point.

 

Good point. A blown head gasket is usually the failure of the gasket itself. However, you can have a pinched gasket cause compression loss in a cylinder.

 

We do full headgasket and valve job service in about 5 hours at work on the buick design 4.0 V8

One a tech has done a few of them it should be no big deal to get through the work quickly. But thats the thing, i bet they havent had alot of people in the shop with F150's needing head gaskets....

 

Yeah, I hear ya. There's a transmission/converter shop down where I go to college, and they can rebuilt most any transmission in 1 day or less. They supposibly have techs that used to work for a company that is about an hour away from me called Magna Drivetrain (formerly known as New Venture Gear Co.). They make drivetrains for everything pretty much. They make gears, servos, transmissions, transfer cases, etc, for pretty much every auto manufacturer. I can almost guarantee Magna made some part for the F150.

What's really cool is my Dak's NV3500 5 speed manual transmission was built right here in the Syracuse plant, formerly when it was New Venture Gear (hence the "NV" in the model).

Anyhoo, I went under the truck today, and got some brake parts cleaner, and cleaned the engine block well. After getting some in my mouth and eyes, I got the engine's block clean to where there was no oil. I then took a test drive around about 20 miles, and I came home. I then took a peek underneath, and no oil. I spent like 30 minutes with my shop light under there, and I didn't see a spot of fresh oil. So I am going to run it until Wednesday. If I don't see anything I'm cancelling. However, I'm going to consider bringing it by my friend's shop on Tuesday for a final word because Wednesday morning. As this has got me stumped. I snapped some pictures of it to have it on hand. So if it happens again, then I will know for sure where it is coming from and how long it takes to get there.

How it got there... I have not a clue. The oil filler cap is no where near where the oil was, and I have done all of the oil changes on this truck, and I am not clumsy when filling the oil up.

I'm clueless. I suppose I'll just have to wait it out, and drive the truck some. I'd love there to not be a problem, as it is scary to think about someone totally taking apart the engine and not fixing it right.

 

sometimes leaks can come and go, my valve covers used to leak, but they stopped now.

Its a practice we call "spray and pray"

 

We're all assuming you checked the oil levels after you cleaned up the block....

 

just take it in. its better to make sure its right than to run it til your engine is destroyed. you get a loaner vehicle and you said you have another vehicle. and its a free repair. so dont overlook it just because it stopped temporarily

 

Yes, I checked it, and it seemed fine.

Well, since it is a very small leak, and very slow, I am. But I am just horrified of them if they don't put it back together correctly. I think I want to ask for an extended warranty on the engine at least... maybe an extension of 12k/12m on my factory warranty for the engine, just in case.

--------------

Anyhow, I snapped like 150 pictures of the engine compartment, and got all sides of the engine, the top, bottom, left, and right. I took pictures of EVERYTHING. This way if it comes out of the shop damaged or filthy, I will demand that they take care of it.

I had an experience when I had my Escape, and when they were doing I think either the 2nd or 3rd transmission, the shop pretty much bathed my engine in Mercon. I was ticked! I made them clean it! Not only that, but when they took the transmission out, they had to support the engine I guess, and they bent the engine compartment from this engine holder. If they do anything like this to my truck, I got proof that it wasn't there before they screwed with anything. In fact, I am going as far as putting a sign in the engine compartment that states:

1. Please be considerate! The owner of this truck works on this vehicle. Please do not make a mess of the engine bay, as there are expectations of when the truck is finished, is to look the same as when it came in.
2. Any damages done will NOT be tolerated. As photographs have been taken to prove any discrepencies before work was initiated.
3. Ensure ALL tools, rags, and other items are removed from the engine compartment.
4. When filling fluids, do NOT spill ANY on engine or on ANY surface. Ensure they are filled to correct capacities.
5. When finished, ensure the job has been done right and in accordance to the service manual and factory specifications. Please, just fix the problem. ANY issues will NOT be tolerated.
6. Do NOT wash truck, as there is equipment mounted to the truck that could easily break.
7. There is radio equipment in the truck, please DO NOT turn ANY of it on or even touch it. It is a violation of FCC rules for unauthorized users.
8. IF there are any questions, concerns, or problems, please contact the owner of this truck at XXX-XXX-XXXX, and ask for Chuck.
9. Currently the problem with this truck has been posted on a public forum with 138,844 members. If you would like to read the owner's experience before hand, after hand, please follow this link:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/2004-present/348067-blown-head-gasket.html
As any good, bad, or indifferent experiences will be publically known, along with an exact copy of the work done. Please make this service center shine!

Hopefully that sets them straight.

I hope they do not mess anything up. I just want them to fix the problem and do nothing else.

 

Those are certainly some detaild instructions.

Hope it all gets made right for you.

 

Well, this way they can't say I didn't say it... or in this case, post it.

I hope so too. Thanks man!

I'm having kittens right now thinking about my truck's engine being torn apart.

Good thing I bought myself a nice big case of Rolling Rocks. I was almost tempted to buy a bottle of Jack Daniels and guzzle it to ease me over. So I'll have a few rocks, and go to sleep.... gosh... what the morning will bring.

 

Dude, you are stressing over this as if your pregnant wife was going in for surgery! Take a chill pill! I'm sure they have done this before!.......