Over the past several weeks I have been working on swapping head gaskets on my '02 f-150 4.6. Today, I got to the place where I was pouring the coolant in and about halfway through the 2nd gallon it started pouring out the back corner between the head and the block on the drivers side. It wasn't just dribbling, it was running like a faucet.

I climbed in under there with a flashlight to confirm where it was coming from and I noticed a big piece of the head gasket sticking out there and it looked out of place. I also noticed when I was tightening the fan bolts, I was also turning the engine and I kept hearing what sounded like compression escaping out of the same back corner. I also was frustrated and in a hurry when installing that side head and gasket.

If anyone can help me by giving me advice such as is it even possible to install the gasket upside down without noticing, what would be the symptoms if I did?

The truck never started, but thats probably unrelated (no fire to the coil packs for whatever reason) but the head gasket that was blown was on the opposite side. The place where it is running out now never leaved before. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

likely damaged the gasket putting the head on....need another new set......did you get the heads machined/serviced as well....torqued in sequence??....
just asking as most diy's will lower the back on first cutting/damaging the gaskets..

 

That sucks!

Whatever the issue you have to take it off. You will know then the issue.

Good luck and hope it's just the gasket.

 

maybe a wire or line stuck between the head and block?

 

Thanks guys, and no i didn't have them machined but i did put clean them real good and put a straight edge on them and checked them out real good.

I did a little more research, went back out there with my flashlight and i'm about 95% sure I put that one side on backwards and/or upside down.

If anyone out there has done this or seen it happen before please chime in and tell me the story because it's just weird to me that I would set that gasket on there upside down, look at it and think it's ok, because I usually don't miss obvious stuff. But then again, I was being pushed for time plus working outside in the winter, I could have made a mistake...

 

Wow I just completed that job this weekend on my 97. Sucks to redo. My guess would be a wire or something is pinched. Look at the intake also it could be coming from there and running down.

 

Also, left and right are different.

 

Turns out that I had the left bank head gasket on backwards just like I thought! I tore it down, replaced that side gasket the correct direction this time and got it all back together in 12 hours. Way faster than the first time.

At this point, I would probably rather jack off a grizzly bear with a hand full of broken glass rather than pull them heads off one more time. e

 

so you reused a torqued gasket?? sell it soon....

 

And bolts?


Hope you don't have to do it again.