Hi all,
I have a 1994 5.2 1500 with 140k miles. I bought it a year and a half ago from an older guy who only sporadically dove it the last 5-6 years. I drive it mostly on weekends or to work when my car is down.

Couple months ago I noticed a chocolate milk foam on the dipstick and a little foam floating in the coolant at the top of the radiator. I drained the oil and it looked fine. The truck runs good. I'm guessing I've probably got a small head gasket leak?

I really don't have the money to pay to have it fixed nor the space to do it myself. I have seen things to put in your radiator to seal leaks. Anyone use these and do they work? Am I screwed or can I get some more mileage out of this engine before I have to have it gone over or replaced?

Thanks.

 

I wouldn't risk it. Leak sealers are useless.

IMO, either fix it right, or sell the truck and cut your losses.

 

^^+1. They may work for awhile (if they work at all) but the leak will come back just as bad as it was to start with.

 

My dad ran an old Ford station wagon for years on stopleak but it was the radiator not the head gasket. In my experience there isn't a quick fix for a head gasket. I agree with dodge dude, have it fixed the right way or sell it.

 

The stop leak products will not work on a head gasket leak. I am going to guess that what you have is cracked heads...... replacement is about the only option on that motor. Other alternative would be to get a junkyard motor installed. Either way isn't going to be exactly cheap.

 

i'll go the other way...

lots of chocolate milk/brown crap in the oil would be coolant mixing in from a head gasket or intake gasket or cracked head. however - a small amount at the top of the dipstick on an infrequently driven car might be condensation.

i'd change the oil and watch it. when you do drive it - try to drive it enough that it gets up to operating temp and stays there long enough to evaporate off any condensation. also drain/flush the coolant. there are 2 block drain plugs hiding behind the engine mounts.

just for a good evaluation of the engine - you can rent a compression tester at your local parts store and check for major problems. a coolant leak and a compression leak sometimes go together, but be aware that they can also be completely separate.

if you determine that it is a head gasket leak, you can try a head gasket sealer. its a liquid glass type stuff you pour in the radiator and it seals up high temperature leaks. sometimes it works. if it doesn't - you're only out a few bucks and you're not any worse off than your were.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...sket+stop+leak

 

A friend of mine used this stuff on a head gasket leak and said it actually worked.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...vil#fragment-3

I have no first hand experience with it and would be skeptical myself but he used it a few years ago and is still driving his truck. I've used other products made by the same company before and had good luck with them. I think they have a $ back guarantee on it also.

 

Boy dhvaughan I hope you're right. Just drove it 200 miles today on a hunting trip and it ran fine. Had to top off the radiator before I left this morning but oil pressure and temps were good whole day. I'll see if I can get a pressure tester next weekend and see if there's any clue there.