First of all this is my first visit, and first posting.
A friend has a 1997 Ranger 2wd extended cab Automatic trans, with a 3.0 V6.
She had a hole in her radiator that was patched.......she knew it was there when she got it. After months of limping it, and keeping up with it, it failed, and the engine overheated, the worst part is, that she had no idea that it was overheating, and continued to drive it until it shut off. She let it cool some, then added some water, and drove it a distance of 10-13 miles to home.
I was informed the next day of the events.
It wasn't until after replacing the radiator, that I started the engine, and found the problem was way more than a radiator. It shook and sputtered, and in peeking over the hood at the tail-pipe, I see: Steam, puffing from it in 95 degree NC summer heat. From my knowledge, and experience that is obviously a blown head-gasket.
I did the head-gasket job myself, no problems other than removing the rocker-arms without needing to, I returned them to their original locations, and tightned them, without adjusting. It started right up. NO steam, no shaking. However there was a terrible chatter from the rear of the driver side cylinder head. After changing the oil it subsided, and it purred like a kitten. I completed assembly, got it to normal operating temp, it stayed, so I drove it. I had never driven this truck, and am used to a 4.0 Jeep I-6 so it felt rather weak. It felt ok, so I released it back to her care, and told her to take it easy, and to watch her gauges, and her fluids for any further issues.
.......the current issue, according to the owner is: Severe power loss. I realize that heat can destroy an engine, but what are common things that a 3.0 will show from heat damage to this degree, and could this be terminal? I want to say yes, but know the expense in replacing an entire engine. Any help is appreciated. Where do I look now?
A friend has a 1997 Ranger 2wd extended cab Automatic trans, with a 3.0 V6.
She had a hole in her radiator that was patched.......she knew it was there when she got it. After months of limping it, and keeping up with it, it failed, and the engine overheated, the worst part is, that she had no idea that it was overheating, and continued to drive it until it shut off. She let it cool some, then added some water, and drove it a distance of 10-13 miles to home.
I was informed the next day of the events.
It wasn't until after replacing the radiator, that I started the engine, and found the problem was way more than a radiator. It shook and sputtered, and in peeking over the hood at the tail-pipe, I see: Steam, puffing from it in 95 degree NC summer heat. From my knowledge, and experience that is obviously a blown head-gasket.
I did the head-gasket job myself, no problems other than removing the rocker-arms without needing to, I returned them to their original locations, and tightned them, without adjusting. It started right up. NO steam, no shaking. However there was a terrible chatter from the rear of the driver side cylinder head. After changing the oil it subsided, and it purred like a kitten. I completed assembly, got it to normal operating temp, it stayed, so I drove it. I had never driven this truck, and am used to a 4.0 Jeep I-6 so it felt rather weak. It felt ok, so I released it back to her care, and told her to take it easy, and to watch her gauges, and her fluids for any further issues.
.......the current issue, according to the owner is: Severe power loss. I realize that heat can destroy an engine, but what are common things that a 3.0 will show from heat damage to this degree, and could this be terminal? I want to say yes, but know the expense in replacing an entire engine. Any help is appreciated. Where do I look now?
