my truck is still running like crap i put a new coil, plugs, wires, cap,and rotor. plus a heater core cause i was losing coolant but the old core wasn't leaking and everything else is dry so iam thinking maybe a head gasket cause when i put new plugs in it the number 8 plug and rusted and all junky looking does anyone no if this is a common problem for a 5.2 any info will be appreciated because i don't no where else the coolant would be going.

 

does it blow white smoke? if enough water is getting in the combustion chamber to cause rusty plugs you'd likely see white smoke out the exhaust. Test compression

 

some times but it hard to tell with as cold as it been i have to fill up my coolant tank about once a month i no my plenum gasket is bad so it could explain some of the poor performance but iam starting to think the head gasket is to blame for the coolant loss all the other plugs was burning great just the number 8 was all rusted and my heater core is still making a gurgling sound but the coolant is full and all the hoses are new i checked the freeze plugs, water pump, all hoses, and radiator and everything is bone dry

 

symptoms of a blown head gasket are water in oil, low compression, coolant loss, air in coolant, overheating.

other causes of coolant loss are water pump seal, freeze plugs, various leaks.

one other unspeakable thought is that it might be a cracked head, but they're more likely to crack across the valve seats and leak compression but not coolant.

have you done a compression check. if not you should.

 

i did a compression test and the lowest psi i got was 135 and the highest was 145 there is no water in oil nothing is leaking from what i see it does not over heat Is it possible to have a leak and it not get in the combustion chamber

 

IIRC ive seen some compression results from other trucks, and those seem low

 

i kinda got the same problem.... been thinking about getting "steel seal" to fix that problem.....

 

whats steel seal? and if you're thinking of getting Restore: engine treatment...dont, i have lots of infomation thanks to cmckenna on the oil additives, just dont use them trust me.

 

steel seal is "supposed" to fix the headgaskets.... like filling them up or something.... check it on youtube.... sounds too good to be true tho....

 

From what many may say to that...."Its only hiding the Problem" I dont think the head gaskets are that difficult to change honestly, but if i were you,id go all out, and get new heads, and new gaskets