Hi, i am trading my truck in soon for a new truck. A few weeks ago it was running pretty good and was not yet diagnosed it needed a head gasket. Now it is missing badly and i am getting worried about the trade in time.
I have a 2000 Ford Ranger XLT with a 3.0 v6 2wd , auto if that matters.
I did buy a $10 container of that silicone stuff you add the the radiator but it didn't do anything at all.
I received 4,300 trade in for this pos. Now with it running so badly i am getting scared about screwing my trade in value for it.
I need a temporary fix.
Any ideas?

There isnt any, and that stuff you poured in gums up your cooling system. The only real fix for a bad head gasket is a new head gasket.

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SOLD:'05 2wd Ranger xl with the 3.0
MODS-Alpine head unit, throttle cable mod, Black Rock wheels, FX4 lvl II axle swap, pooleo's camo painted bezel and mustang dome, painted/aftermarket headlights/tails fold-a-cover and over 100 hp in stickers

'86 AMC Eagle and '01 Grand Prix GTP

exactly.. the head gaskets arent expensive.. i bought mine for 38 bucks for the exact same truck you have.. theyre just really really labor intensive..

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00 Ford F-250...5.4L with some goodies, 4x4, Auto out of a 7.3 powerstroke w/ stage 2 TC , Crew Cab, Burnt orange, 35x12.5 MT Baja ATZ's on 20x10 Motometals, Pioneer Deck, Scanguage, Magnaflow exhaust, LED signal tow mirrors, and a Hidden hitch gooseneck

How positive are you that it is a blown head gasket? And if it is a blown head gasket then there is the chance that you need a new head which will extremely decrease the trade in value cause heads arent cheap, unless you find one in a junk yard.

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2000 XLT 4x4 EXT. CAB 4.0/Auto Trans/3.73 gears/
31x10.50 BFG Rugged Terrains on MB Motoring Wheels/Pioneer Head Unit/JBL 12"/Camo Interior/'03 black and grey 60/40 seats/ green LED's Under Dash/T-Bar Crank/Windows-20% on the front, 5% on the back/Mustang Dome Light/06 Tails/

I'd try one of those $70 bottle of head gasket fix sold at auto parts stores.

Just follow the directions and use it correctly. On most you have to remove the t-stat, flush the system, and run it with only water for a long time.

Then drain and refill with anti-freeze and add your t-stat.

I'd give it a shot if I were in your shoes.. Not much to lose except $60 or so.

thanks tommy

You think a circulating liquid in your cooling system will create a seal barrier between your coolant jacket and combustion chamber thats under compression? Don't pour junk in the radiator. It wont work and might make things worse.

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SOLD:'05 2wd Ranger xl with the 3.0
MODS-Alpine head unit, throttle cable mod, Black Rock wheels, FX4 lvl II axle swap, pooleo's camo painted bezel and mustang dome, painted/aftermarket headlights/tails fold-a-cover and over 100 hp in stickers

'86 AMC Eagle and '01 Grand Prix GTP

pour some quick fix junk in, hope it works while you over heat the truck and break something else.. sounds logical right?

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MY BUILD THREAD
1999 MAZDA 2500SE, 2.5L 4-clanger, 5 speed, Green n slow. Rangers as daily drivers since 1988.
ASE Certified Mechanic, Builder of Show Destroying Protouring and Classic cars..

Is that $4300 in writing?
If not, I say you're gonna take a hit on it - either by spending the money to get it fixed or by the trade in value dropping.

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2006 4.0 5 spd auto 4x4 Super Cab
BF Goodrich Commercial Traction T/A's
Royal Purple Throughout
Alpine Head Unit with some Infinity Noisy Stuff
NW Oregon

Don't Jew someone man because it will come back and bite you in the ass.


Fix it right.

Drain the oil and water.

Take off the head.

Clean old gasket off the block.

Put new gasket on.

Torque bolts back how they suppose to be.

Put in new oil and water. YOU MAY HAVE TO DRAIN THE OIL AND POUR IN NEW OIL BEFORE THE WATER IS ALL OUT!

You keep driving it like it is with the bad head gasket and it will eventually start making the bearings go out and then you will be up shit creek.


Don't waste $70 on that gasket fixer upper. Get the real gasket. Man up and take the head off!

Better go through all the work than come back and have a bad name about you.


BTW, what are you trading for? A CHEBBY?

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1979 Ford F150 4X4, 7.5L, C6, 38s Super Swampers TSL

1978 Ford Courier 4x4, 2.3L carbed, 5 spd manual, dry-rotted tires

1985 Ford Ranger 4x4, 2.3L FI, 5 spd manual, 29s Power Kings

1990 Ford Bronco 4x4, 4.9L, 5 spd manual, 31s Maxxis Bighorns

Wow, really? Both those comments.


I'm a Jew, and I make a LOT of parts sales at my job, never had anyone tell me they felt they got Jewwed by me. We haggle every deal too.





That being said:

Yea fix the head gasket, don't pour more crap in it that will only make it harder for whoever does change it.

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'83 Ford Ranger 2.3L 4Spd, Dual Tanks, 195/60R15's, Welded Rear End TOTALLED AT 483,211 MILES

Like a lot of people have said so far. There is no temporary fix.

Fix it right. Most places will do a mechanical inspection when you bring it in. If you fix it right, you will get a good trade in. If you do little temp fixes, you are going to wreck your trade in value and they are not going to give you anything close to $4,300.

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1992 Ford Ranger STX
-2" lift
-31" Treadwright Crawlers (yes I run retreads!)

I'm one of the guys who suggested one of the bottle fixes.

I had bad head gaskets on my 3.0 - and changed them the correct way.. But let's be honest. If you don't have a ton of mechanical knowledge..You might not want to go tearing into it - and paying a shop will probably be pretty expensive unless you know someone.

Some of the higher end/more expensive bottle fixes have decent reviews. I would research them and select one that is the most highly reviewed. I'd follow the instructions to a "T" and go for it. Even if it holds for a few months, a year or two.. That might be good enough for this guy's situation.

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SOLD:'05 2wd Ranger xl with the 3.0
MODS-Alpine head unit, throttle cable mod, Black Rock wheels, FX4 lvl II axle swap, pooleo's camo painted bezel and mustang dome, painted/aftermarket headlights/tails fold-a-cover and over 100 hp in stickers

'86 AMC Eagle and '01 Grand Prix GTP

But he isn't keeping the truck, he is trading it in.

If he was going to be keeping it, that might be alright. By doing a temp fix, he is just doing is screwing over the future owner of the truck. A temp fix is just temporary.

No matter what mayham69 is going to do. He should disclose that there is or was a problem. It is the ethical thing to do.

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1992 Ford Ranger STX
-2" lift
-31" Treadwright Crawlers (yes I run retreads!)