*RIP* Bijan's #EXPOASF Long Travel Build

Buying a weatherpack tool and a shitload of weatherpack components from Del City as been one of the best choices I made. Butt splices don't exist on my truck, and have felt the benefits after fighting with 2 particularly pesky ones in my early days.

 

Well that was easy! Now have a winch. Still yet to tension the line as I don’t have any bumper brackets on and don’t want to risk it.

And yes, the fairlead is ziptied on (; Need to get rid of the hook for something like a factor 55 or smittybilt

 

Will definitely look into them, thank you

 

Productive day!

Got spark plugs, idler pulleys + belt, oil change, and some other misc. stuff done.

However, the plugs on the driver side were drenched in oil. Assuming the valve cover gasket has gone, so that’s now on the to do list very soon.

In the pic I wiped off the left plug, but the right plug shows the oil

 

Ouch. For some reason I thought your truck was newer. I had to have mine changed out not too long ago. I was chasing the misfiring cylinder check engine light for a while.

 

Nope it’s a 2006 with 199k miles, but the new front end!

Did you do a new valve cover gasket or just a new plugs?

 

yes and yes lol. I tried everything but ultimately it was the head gasket that fixed the issue. Tried changing the plugs, cleaning the throttle body and TPS sensor, replaced a couple fuel injectors, then finally did the head gasket. Apparently 05 to about 08ish had a bad gasket design. The new gaskets have the new design that is way better.

 

It was the 05s and some 06 4.0s that had the notorious head gasket problem that would usually pop around 100 - 150k miles on cylinder 6. Something about the temp difference between the cast iron block and aluminum head over time making it fail. They redesigned the gasket eventually

 

That would explain the smoke coming out of the exhaust.

 

Sent you a PM

 

I thought you meant valve cover, it’s the dreaded 05 headgasket. It’s kinda worried me on mine but you made it to nearly 200k, everyone says it’s almost just as cheap to swap in a low miles engine as it is to have the head gaskets done so there are options.

 

I'll be checking over for a head gasket tonight, but I doubt that's it honestly. On my Subaru's, blown head gaskets usually had milky oil and dipstick from the coolant and oil mixing. Or a CEL / limp mode. Or overheating.

I'm waiting for the truck to cool down so I can check for bubbles.

 

If it’s blowing white smoke it’s just burning off and going through the exhaust, they can blow and not mix in the oil had an old 22re do that.

 

I need to check it over again. I only notice the smoke at times, usually when it's colder outside (low 60's), but not cold enough where it should be doing it after fully warmed up and driving for 30+ minutes.

Good to know though! Thank you.

 

I’m not sure if one of the leak down pressure testers you can borrow at auto parts store will show up or not, you can also smell the sweet hint of antifreeze in the exhaust. Hope it’s not for you, if mine goes I’m probably hunting a low mileage replacement always said my motor has a slight valve tap.

 

I'll put my nose to the exhaust haha. I have lifter tick/valve tap too but...eh, so far it's been just fine. We'll find out soon!

 

Well, no bubbles and exhaust smells like straight gas.

Good thing I brought a rag with me bc by the time I started the car and walked back to the front to check for bubbles, coolant was flowing from the built up pressure.

Going to deem it as no headgasket issues and just valve cover for now. I remember hearing that if you passed 150k miles with an issue, odds are you’re good.

 

Like said above, it has something to do with the difference in expansion rate when the two different metals warm up. It's a slow enough weep to trip the check engine light but if caught early enough might not cause other serious issues. Then when the motor warms up it burns away the build up from the weep. In my case, there was no milky oil. I would be cautious buying a used motor even if it is the same price or cheaper than a head gasket change out. That just means you might be chasing the same issue with a different motor in the future. The head gasket was re-designed and has fixed the design flaw. From what I've read on the internet (LOL), it is only a bad gasket design and not a bad motor design. Unlike the 3.0 that had a bad engine design. I had a 89 toyota pick up with 3.0 and went through way too many motors on that one LOL

 

Ran more tests today. No headgasket problems! Truck build date is 07/06, so I think they repaired it right before!

 

I hope you find the issue quickly. I chased mine for a while since the light would come and go. The "symptoms" never came up when I was at the mechanic.