As of the past 8 or so months I've noticed that I've had to keep refilling the antifreeze in my 97 ford explorer (4.0 liter v6, 92 thousand miles). The first time I noticed I needed antifreeze was when my engine overheated while on the highway...the temp gauge was all the way up in the red. I pulled into a gas station, popped the hood and noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty. I filled it and when the engine was cooler, I started it and noticed the car pulling antifreeze from the reservoir. All good I thought. Well since that time, the truck has overheated one more time under the same circumstances. Since then I've been very good on keeping that antifreeze filled to the top.
Fast forward to yesterday, I go t get my oil changed and ask the guy to look at the engine, see why I keep needing antifreeze. He comes back and says I have a leaking head gasket. I go to my main mechanic who gets the truck on the lift and shows me antifreeze encrustations underneath the exhaust manifolds where the cylinder heads meet the block. And on both sides. So we know know its 2 bad head gaskets.
The real question: He goes on to say that he would like to do a valve job since the heads are going to be off the engine anyway. He keeps saying its beneficial and it should be done bah blah blah given the age of the truck. I told him I would think about it. He says since the engine has been pushed to overheat, he might have to shave the cylinder heads.
So what do u guys think? I plan to run this truck into the ground before buying somethgn new. The body still looks great, no rust at all and so far this is the first major problem I have had with this truck. Hopefully if I can run this truck for 2 or 3 more years, maybe to 150 thou miles I'll be satisfied. I don't want to spend more than I have to and I know the heads must come off the engine anyway. But what about the valve job and shaving the heads? Is this really needed?
Cliff notes:
Engine leaks antifreeze due to 2 blown head gaskets and overheats.
I keep adding antifreeze to stay on top of it.
Get car checked out and confirms 2 bad head gaskets
Mechanic wants to do a valve job and shaving cylinder heads
Do I need this extra stuff?
Fast forward to yesterday, I go t get my oil changed and ask the guy to look at the engine, see why I keep needing antifreeze. He comes back and says I have a leaking head gasket. I go to my main mechanic who gets the truck on the lift and shows me antifreeze encrustations underneath the exhaust manifolds where the cylinder heads meet the block. And on both sides. So we know know its 2 bad head gaskets.
The real question: He goes on to say that he would like to do a valve job since the heads are going to be off the engine anyway. He keeps saying its beneficial and it should be done bah blah blah given the age of the truck. I told him I would think about it. He says since the engine has been pushed to overheat, he might have to shave the cylinder heads.
So what do u guys think? I plan to run this truck into the ground before buying somethgn new. The body still looks great, no rust at all and so far this is the first major problem I have had with this truck. Hopefully if I can run this truck for 2 or 3 more years, maybe to 150 thou miles I'll be satisfied. I don't want to spend more than I have to and I know the heads must come off the engine anyway. But what about the valve job and shaving the heads? Is this really needed?
Cliff notes:
Engine leaks antifreeze due to 2 blown head gaskets and overheats.
I keep adding antifreeze to stay on top of it.
Get car checked out and confirms 2 bad head gaskets
Mechanic wants to do a valve job and shaving cylinder heads
Do I need this extra stuff?
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