Blown Head Gasket? Pretty sure it is, but want second opinions or thoughts.

[Planter]

Tonight my car started acting up on the way home from work and running like shit. I noticed something was different this morning on the way to work, as it had a slight hesitation, but I was thinking that was from the jerry rigged copper wire (someone did it before I bought it because they lost the terminal post nut and put the wrong one on there, and cross-threaded it and now it won't come off. So the idiot wrapped copper wire around the terminal post between the nut and the post. Only reason I didn't catch is because it was twisted on the bottom side where you couldn't see it) on my terminal post coming in and out of contact, so didnt give it too much thought.

but I now have major problems. It was idling like shit as I left work, it sounded like it had some sort of exhaust leak, and it was hesitating badly. Got it to O'Reillys, had them pull codes, it pulled 5 codes. All misfires and ignition coil codes. I checked the oil, it was a tad low so I bought a 5 qt jug and got it back to the fill line.

Got home and parked it. I noticed fuel rich exhaust smoke coming out the back (could smell it and see white smoke). Had a real bad feeling so I checked the coolant reservoir. Slowly loosened the radiator cap and let the pressure relieve, then pulled the cap and I find this. :fm:

Codes being pulled are

P0303 - Cylinder #3 Misfire Detected
P0353 - Ignition Coil C - Primary/Secondary Circuit
P0316 - Misfire detected on startup (First 1000 revolutions)
P0300 - Random Misfire Detected
P0304 - Cylinder #4 Misfire Detected.

this was all I needed right now. how the hell does a 75K engine blow a ****ing head gasket?

I just bought this car 3 months ago and it all checked out. Oil change, coolant was checked, codes were checked, trans fluid was drained and refilled, rear diff was drained and refilled. Compression check and leakdown test were good. Charging system was good.

I mean wtf???

It's been running really good up until this morning. Never had any white smoke, never rough idle or anything in my coolant before today. Now just like that it blows a head gasket?

anyone know how much it's going to run me to get this fixed?

 

[mustanginky]

Rent a coolant pressure tester from autozone and go from there. You may need a leak down test as well.

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Doing it yourself, will be cheaper than sending it to a shop.
Are you able to do this yourself?

You definitely have a bad head gasket , or possibly a bad head.

 

[Planter]

Doing it yourself, will be cheaper than sending it to a shop.
Are you able to do this yourself?

You definitely have a bad head gasket , or possibly a bad head.

unfortunately I will not be able to this myself. Don't have the time, the tools or the place to do it at.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

these cars dont have the engine oil coolers but I believe it could still be the gasket on the assembly for the oil filter and lower radiator hose...id try to explore that before the head gasket bit but the misfires on 2 neighboring cylinders doesnt sound good.

 

[Planter]

these cars dont have the engine oil coolers but I believe it could still be the gasket on the assembly for the oil filter and lower radiator hose...id try to explore that before the head gasket bit but the misfires on 2 neighboring cylinders doesnt sound good.

thanks. Will relay that info to whoever I take it to.

 

[Planter]

good news! the boys at Finish Line Automotive and Performance got into the car today and the head gasket isnt blown! compression was good and leakdown test was good.

turns out a spark plug blew out and was being smashed into the coil pack.

so they put in new spark plugs, a new coilpack, changed the oil and flushed the coolant system out and replaced it.

and as mentioned above the gasket asembly on oil filterand lower radiator hose was bad why I had oil in my coolant.

getting her back on Monday! :dancenana:

 

[Maustang]

I blew a plug once back when I was still N/A.
As a preventive maintenance I check the plugs every time I do an oil change now.

 

[Planter]

I blew a plug once back when I was still N/A.
As a preventive maintenance I check the plugs every time I do an oil change now.

what causes that to happen?

 

[Dsg-shaker]

what causes that to happen?

Not being torqued properly, most of the time... but all is well! Didn't I mention that gasket in lnc

 

[Planter]

Not being torqued properly, most of the time... but all is well! Didn't I mention that gasket in lnc

yes you did! I gave you accolades in LNC for it too! :beer: thanks for the explanations!

 

[Dsg-shaker]

yes you did! I gave you accolades in LNC for it too! thanks for the explanations!

I missed that haha.

 

[Planter]

got the car back monday and she is running like a champ again.

then dropped her off at the body shop to get the 03-04 cobra front bumper painted and put on, bullitt sidescoops and hood and fender damage from a minor fender bender that I had in August fixed. hope to have her back on Monday!

I decided to remove the hood and rocker stripes, as well as the fender badges and having the holes from the badges welded over and smoothed out and re-painted going for the clean look.

Only badge that will be on the car is the Mach 1 badge on the rear. the Ford badge on the decklid will come off at some point as well.

 

[TKat13]

You will like the look; I had mine done a while back. I also had my side scoops molded in, antenna hole welded up and the door lock smoothed. If my battery on the remote dies or car battery dies I will have to go through the trunk. lol But it does look fantastic.

 

[Planter]

You will like the look; I had mine done a while back. I also had my side scoops molded in, antenna hole welded up and the door lock smoothed. If my battery on the remote dies or car battery dies I will have to go through the trunk. lol But it does look fantastic.

share a pic, I'd like to see! I'd love to shave the door handles and locks. it would look so clean. maybe years down the road when I go to repaint the entire car.

 

[DRK HRS]

good news! the boys at Finish Line Automotive and Performance got into the car today and the head gasket isnt blown! compression was good and leakdown test was good.

turns out a spark plug blew out and was being smashed into the coil pack.

so they put in new spark plugs, a new coilpack, changed the oil and flushed the coolant system out and replaced it.

and as mentioned above the gasket asembly on oil filterand lower radiator hose was bad why I had oil in my coolant.

getting her back on Monday! :dancenana:

Man I had a plug blow out ONE WEEK after I got my Mach 1! Was so pissed. It blew out the coil pack, and in my case it actually stripped the threads in the head. I helicoiled every cylinder. Not sure what Ford was thinking with the 4-thread heads.

Glad to hear it all worked out okay for you!

 

[Planter]

yes, I found out it stripped mine as well. he just didnt tell me that till I went to pick up the car. But they did good work, so no worries. I'm glad it WASN'T a head gasket. don't need that mess right now.