97 expo blown head

[Tank23]

hey guys I have a blown head gasket I want to get a little input on it. first off the trucks been sitting since January 2014. it is a 1997 expedition XLT 4 by 4 with the 4.6 liter motor. the head gasket is broken at cylinder one I think it broke because the coolant reservoir cracked and coolant leaked into my intake and it sucked it in at ate away at the head gasket. now my question is has anybody on here done head gaskets on this truck with this motor and how hard is it. were you able to do it with the motor in the truck or did you have to take it out of the truck. and since I live in California I have to smog it do you think that since the blown head gasket was leaking coolant and blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe that it could have clogged up or blown out the catalytic converter or the o2 sensor. I already priced out a head gasket kit the reservoir tank and the cap for the tank I'm just wondering what else should I replace all in there I heard I should do the timing chain guides tensioners but I'm not sure if I should or I should just look at them first.

 

[crowncrazy87]

Just my opinion on this one but if I was going to go as far as having to pull the heads I would go ahead and replace all the timing stuff (chains, guides, tensioners), While I was doing that I would also go ahead and replace the oil pump since it sits behind the bottom timing chain sprocket and you would be right there at it.

I am not sure if you can do the heads with the motor in or not, mine was sitting on a stand when I did it. Just if you plan on doing the timing chains, etc. be careful, don't want any valves banging your pistons.