So....

they now don't believe i have a blown head gasket.

the first shop the truck was at said i had combustion gases in my antifreeze.
(they tested it by putting a clear tube into my radiator cap opening and it bubbled up and the liquid turned green) ((i sound like such a woman explaining this..haha))

now the dealership is saying they think i just need a new water pump. that all the tests they've done do not point towards a blown head gasket.


then why did they say i have combustion gases in my antifreeze and why was i throwing back white smoke??


i can't wait for this whole thing to be over with.

 

I know you posted before about a head gasket problem. Is your truck overheating? when the truck is warmed up and idling in park is the idle smooth without any missing? When you take off from a stop is there any hesitation? Do you have a friend with knowledge to perform a compression test on your 4.7?

 

Someone needs to do a leakdown test. This is where they pump compressed air into your cylinders and measure the pressure. One benefeit of this is if you are leaking into the coolant system you will see bubbles in the radiator.

Do you see white smoke when you first start your truck? This Also could be a sign of headgasket issues.

 

Do a smell and look test.
Smell; Run the vehicle to its normal temp, shut it down and let cool, re-start, run a little to let it get warm, kneel at the tail pipe and try smelling the steam. Rusty metallic or sweet coolant?
If you really feel ambitious, start pulling plugs and smell them too.
Look; Mark the reservoir fill height and see if it drops within a normal week of driving.
Good luck, what you've described, it sounds as it the goat did get too warm at some time. Have you been mudding and blocked the air flow, then drove it home?
A lot of drivers will drive their vehicles hard, get it home and walk into the house w/o lifting the hood for the heat to get away from that engine asap, the coolant continues to cook, blows the seal, no one knows the differ when it comes to start again after it cools.
There are a couple of good coolant sealers on the marker before you are talked into
doing something big. You mentioned 'white smoke', usually it's steam. If steaming that much, the sealer may not be able to do the trick.

 

If there are combustion gasses (hydrocarbons) in your coolant, it can only come from a head gasket or cracked head in most cases. Rarely a cracked block in a cylinder wall.
Yes, a leakdown test is needed.

 

that is what the test with the air changing colors in the anti-freeze was made for.... testing for head gasket leaks.

Id bet you have a bad head gasket.

 

As others have said, theres no other way for the liquid to get in the chamber other than bad gasket or cracked head. Just no other way.

 

thanks for the replies.....

even if its not what i wanted to hear. lol



Smell; Run the vehicle to its normal temp, shut it down and let cool, re-start, run a little to let it get warm, kneel at the tail pipe and try smelling the steam. Rusty metallic or sweet coolant?

when it was throwing back white smoke (at start up and while driving) it had an 'off' smell too it- metallic smell may be the best way to describe it.


I know you posted before about a head gasket problem. Is your truck overheating? when the truck is warmed up and idling in park is the idle smooth without any missing? When you take off from a stop is there any hesitation? Do you have a friend with knowledge to perform a compression test on your 4.7?

My truck overheated like helllll- had her at idle, went in the store, just a few min. later when i came back out the temp. gauge was pegged out.
the idle isn't smooth at times- seems 'jumpy' but only immediately after i start it- not when taking off once its been running. Its in the shop right now- and i'm not sure what tests have already been ran- but i will ask about the compression test.


Someone needs to do a leakdown test. This is where they pump compressed air into your cylinders and measure the pressure. One benefeit of this is if you are leaking into the coolant system you will see bubbles in the radiator.

When they did the original (color changing magic) fluid test- it was bubbling reallllly bad
the guy said i had wayyy to much pressure built up?

 

Compression test is the only way to know for sure.

BTW: Have you had the transfer case looked at yet?