Ripped off the top end of the motor today with a friend. Here's what I found.
cylinder 3 and 4 and 5 to 8 all look like they are running lean. the exhaust valve on all of em are covered in the white soot. even on the valve stem.

when we pulled the valve covers off the entire left side was basically black around the springs etc, while the entire right side was clean. Didn't see any signs of a busted gasket on either bank so now I'm not so sure of whats next.

I did however see that the heads were E7's which I thought were a different type based on what I've read.

cylinders 1 - 4
http://youtu.be/abkHC27fOo0

cylinders 5 -8
http://youtu.be/npLQZzXh3Io

the entire upper and lower intake are gross with thick sludge/carbon deposit

everything came to a halt today because I didn't have the 24mm socket for the crank to get at the timing chain. That's next.

I have a double roller ready to go on, new gasket set, a friend is recommending we inspect the valves and see if they are done or maybe just need to have the seats /valves cleaned up. pushrods seem fine, will have to check into a lean condition from the injectors perhaps but it seems abit odd that 6 out of 8 are running lean.

Couldn't find where the compression was leaking into the coolant passage but then again it didn't look like the heads were ever off this motor either. 230K on it so I'm open to ideas at this point.

The cylinders aren't scored, you can still see the x hatch on em, some really well and some just faintly. The motor burns no blue at all, but there is a definite build up of oil just about everywhere except those exhaust valves which are a bright yellowish white.

Wish we did a compression test before we torn it apart because once the pushrods were out and the heads were still on it was really easy to turn the crank it seemed. Maybe it was supposed to be that easy but I really dont know. I didn't notice much of a difference between it and the previous motors I've delt with.

I should also mention that before we took it apart we hooked up a code reader and performed a bunch of tests.
truck threw code 412, 126 and 538 at us but only when performing the engine test.
At no time since owning it has the check engine light come on except when first starting the motor letting me know the light wasn't burnt out.

 

ok thanks for the help guys

 

questions been up for.... 5 hrs and you're complaining?

 

yes those are the heads on those. i got a 95 f150 with blown 302 in my spare time ive been tearing th motor aparts and my e7 heads looked pretty good. no sludge build up just still damp with a little oil when the motor blew who knows when. tag on windshield says 07. but ya these heads looked pretty good and the guy said it had 220k on the truck.

 

more in reference to 60+ views and no comment.

regardless I'm ordering some patriot heads, new rr's, pushrods, lifters and will go through all the lines and see where that gets me.

 

If you're gonna put $1200 in the top end you might as well do the bottom end too.
What was the original problem?

 

I'm not entirely sure what the original problem was.
A neglectful owner would probably be the first one.

The motor was putting combustion into the coolant, was detonating after 3000rpms if you were into the throttle but if you were just going lightly on the pedal it never made any noises.

Never burned blue.
Timing could have been an issue, lean condition perhaps. Injectors or blocked pcv, or egr system perhaps.

Basically I bought a nice looking truck and the seller did everything possible to hide any issues during the sale.

 

I had the same type P.O. with my truck. Said "it runs good, we just don't drive it that much anymore. Xhusband died in fiery.....blah, blah,blah....." So, $600 later and an oil pump an pickup, plus countless hrs. on here getting free mild performance tricks (timing bump, MPG tips, ign.stuff....you get the idea.), my 150K '91 f150 XLT runs F**K'n great!! So thanx to the site also!!!