Blow head gasket? Help

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Bummy2V

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I have a 2003 EB with 160k miles. I have done a good amount of work to it and have kept it well maintained. Installed new radiator, fuel pump, fuel filter, battery, alternator, starter, spark plugs, coils, have been changing out the oil and filter every 5k miles with royal purple 5w-30. Did some mods to it k&n intake, air raid spacer, bbk throttle body, muffler delete. She runs good and strong. I noticed a few weeks ago I got a check engine saying that the engine is running cooler than usual the temp was at 160. I knew it had to be the thermostat but I kept running it for about 2 more weeks until I had the time to replace it. I got a new thermostat and housing started her up and got good temp at 190-200 which is perfect then on a few trips I got a check engine light for misfire on cylinder #1 I checked the spark plug and replaced it but the code stayed on after clearing it and kept misfiring. I thought I might have gotten some water in there when replacing the thermostat I kept driving it like that and one night after work I started it up cold start on a cold day and noticed white smoke from exhaust I immediately got worried went home checked the oil and it looked good. Did an oil change and ran it a few more days. The oil looks great no coolant mixed in it, looks brand new after a week. Another cold start in the morning on a cold day about 3 days after the 1st time and got more white smoke from exhaust. My guess is that it was moisture since its been cold. Been checking the oil, coolant, etc everyday and everything looks fine. The misfire went away, no more misfire or check engine light. I took out the new spark plug to check if there was any coolant on it and I did see some dry dirty coolant water on it. Has anyone ever had this issue? I've been driving it daily, freeway and city, 3 days now and no misfire, no white smoke, or anything. Has never overheated, temp stays at 190-200. Could it be a bad intake manifold gasket or do you think it could be a very small head gasket leak that only opens under high RPMS? I don't know what else it could be. Sorry of some of this doesn't make any sense wrote it up super quick as I'm at work. Feel free to ask any questions or give me any info. Thanks
 

Hamfisted

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Take a bright flashlight and look closely at the intake manifold crossover there in the corner nearest the #1 cylinder (passenger-side front). The crossover gasket is prone to leaking in this area and can leak into the intake right there at the #1 runner in that front corner. If you're not getting any exhaust smell in your coolant reservoir, and none in the oil, it is a very likely leak spot. You'll have to remove the intake manifold to replace that crossover gasket, and inspect the intake manifold contact area for delamination. But that's much easier than pulling the heads to replace a head gasket.


Crossover Gasket Leak & Misfire Video

Fel Pro Crossover Gasket Set ES71213, at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Intake Manifold Gasket Set MS928361 at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Gaskets on Amazon





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Bummy2V

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Take a bright flashlight and look closely at the intake manifold crossover there in the corner nearest the #1 cylinder (passenger-side front). The crossover gasket is prone to leaking in this area and can leak into the intake right there at the #1 runner in that front corner. If you're not getting any exhaust smell in your coolant reservoir, and none in the oil, it is a very likely leak spot. You'll have to remove the intake manifold to replace that crossover gasket, and inspect the intake manifold contact area for delamination. But that's much easier than pulling the heads to replace a head gasket.


Crossover Gasket Leak & Misfire Video

Fel Pro Crossover Gasket Set ES71213, at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Intake Manifold Gasket Set MS928361 at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Gaskets on Amazon





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So I've been checking my truck everyday and everything seems to be fine other than a rough start from time to time where the starter just spins. I already replaced it but ima check it again to see if it's defective. The spark plug is dry and the misfire went away. I've been driving it a bit rough and nothing. No missing coolant and no milky oil. I'm still iffy about what it could be and what caused it
 
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Bummy2V

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Take a bright flashlight and look closely at the intake manifold crossover there in the corner nearest the #1 cylinder (passenger-side front). The crossover gasket is prone to leaking in this area and can leak into the intake right there at the #1 runner in that front corner. If you're not getting any exhaust smell in your coolant reservoir, and none in the oil, it is a very likely leak spot. You'll have to remove the intake manifold to replace that crossover gasket, and inspect the intake manifold contact area for delamination. But that's much easier than pulling the heads to replace a head gasket.


Crossover Gasket Leak & Misfire Video

Fel Pro Crossover Gasket Set ES71213, at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Intake Manifold Gasket Set MS928361 at Rock Auto

Fel Pro Gaskets on Amazon





.
Hey bro got an update. so from my last message everything has been running fine. Oil looks great, no milkshake, no overheating, no misfire and spark plug looks brand new super clean still no coolant. Well yesterday after work I started the tuck and felt it misfire. I grabbed my scanner and yup p0301 and p0316 came back. When I started driving it, the misfire went away, check engine light never turned on. Misfire was gone but code is still showing up on the scanner. Came home and later that night I checked the spark plug and it's bone dry. Looks brand new no coolant or anything. I checked the oil looks brand new still. Noticed I was missing a but of coolant and was worried but then I saw a bunch of dry coolant on the passenger side coils and noticed the heater control valve leaking so I ordered a new one from autozone. That explains the coolant loss, but not the misfire. Coils are new, plugs are new, I swapped out the coil with another cylinder and also the injector but it still came back. Don't know what else to do.
 

Vincent Vega

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So when you moved the #1 coil to a different cylinder, did the misfire remain at cylinder 1, or did the misfire migrate to the cylinder you swapped that coil into?
The misfire and white smoke don't make me feel fantastic about this, but most of time a misfire in a 2V is a bad coil, either from old age or use of cheap aftermarket coils that are bad right out of the box. A bad head gasket could also cause that, especially after the engine has been sitting (and and misfire goes away when the engine is warm). Thats when coolant could be dripping into the cylinder due to the void in the head gasket. If you ruled out the coil, I suggest removing spark plug #1 and inserting a boroscope to check if the piston looks too clean (lack of carbon deposits) and/or if you can see coolant dripping into the cylinder. @Hamfisted told me he observed gurgling and bubbling in his coolant overflow bottle when his head gasket went bad, so check for that too. Let us know what you find out and what you decide to do. good luck.
 

whtbronco

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My heater valve was leaking and not very much, but it still caused a misfire. I thought I had a bad coil. Nope just a bit of coolant that got in under the coil. Quick cheap fix after lots of troubleshooting because the coolant would dry up before cooled down.
 
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