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Blown Head Gasket?

11K views 57 replies 16 participants last post by  Greggory 
#1 ·
Just recently, my car has thrown a check engine light. Cylinder 2 Misfire and Cylinder Misfire on start up. It doesn't happen every time, but sometimes when I start my car, it will have a really choppy idle for 10-15 seconds, then go to normal. Also, when hitting any boost, it sounds like a misfire/cutting out. I don't have any engine mods besides some drop in filter and the catback exhaust the car came with. I also just filled up my coolant last week to the maximum line, and it's already back to the minimum line. I'm almost 99% sure it's a head gasket, but I wanted to see what others think. I've read online that when this happens to people, the shop ends up coming back and telling them that they need a new engine. I also heard that it's such a common issue with these cars that there's a law suit against Ford for this faulty engine design. I have an appointment in a couple of days to get it checked out, but won't replacing the head gasket just result in the same thing later on eventually because of the poor design?
 
#2 ·
Unfortunately, I have to agree with your assessment. Do you have anyway of monitoring misfire counts? Can you pull the plugs and check for coolant contamination?
 
#3 ·
To my understanding it was years 2017-2019 that had the issue. I believe they fixed the issue 2020 and newer. In 2017-2019 Ford used this little groove between the cylinders to cool them but little surface area for the gasket so over time the coolant leaks past the gasket into the cylinders. I took have a 2018 so I know at some point I'm going to have this issue.
 
#47 ·
To my understanding it was years 2017-2019 that had the issue. I believe they fixed the issue 2020 and newer. In 2017-2019 Ford used this little groove between the cylinders to cool them but little surface area for the gasket so over time the coolant leaks past the gasket into the cylinders. I took have a 2018 so I know at some point I'm going to have this issue.
I agree but I don't like that....I have an 18 and this comes up too often
 
#5 ·
If you have no way to look into the cylinders with the engine cold after sitting overnight with plugs removed by using a borescope camera, then you can verify if coolant is leaking into the #2 cylinder by having someone crank the engine over while you watch to see if any coolant gets blown out of cylinder #2 or any other cylinder while it's turning over. If there is coolant in a cylinder it will be very obvious when cranking over. You can make it even easier to be sure its coolant by placing some paper towels or even a piece of cardboard over the plug hole area when cranking over so it will soak up whatever gets blown out.

Sounds like classic blown gasket/head leak for sure.

BD
 
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#7 ·
I have a couple of questions and 1 comment:

1.> What year is the OP engine?
2.> What is different between the 2015-2016 and 2017 engine design? "My understanding it was years 2017-2019 that had the issue. "
3.> "I also heard that it's such a common issue with these cars that there's a law suit against Ford for this faulty engine design." (what are the sources of this information and please provide some links for others).
 
#9 ·
I have a couple of questions and 1 comment:

1.> What year is the OP engine?
2.> What is different between the 2015-2016 and 2017 engine design? "My understanding it was years 2017-2019 that had the issue. "
3.> "I also heard that it's such a common issue with these cars that there's a law suit against Ford for this faulty engine design." (what are the sources of this information and please provide some links for others).
I believe that years 2015-2016 they had a overheating issue, so Ford engineers made the modification to the engine block to cover that issue. Basically it's putting a bandaid over the problem. We'll now they had engines blowing head gaskets in years 2017-2019. So they fixed the issue on 2020 and newer Ecoboost engines.
 
#8 ·
^^^^This^^^^

BD
 
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#17 ·
You’re totally right. But Idk what happened with mine because it’s completely stock besides a mbrp catback exhaust that was on the car when I bought it. if there’s any coolant in the cylinder, does that mean it needs a new engine? I have a full warranty for another two years but I’m really just curious because I don’t want the same issue to just reoccur later if they just fix the head gasket
 
#20 ·
From all my research and parts diagram/number comparison with my local ford parts buddy there has been no update to the 2.3 block from 2019 up so to say they fixed the issue for 2020+ motors is just not true. I cannot say where the drawings the "makuloco" video come from since the current parts diagram's show the slit between the cylinders in the 2020+ blocks versus the cross drilled in the video. He does state the cross drilled block is for the 2.0L motor. It may be that the service manual diagrams used in the IDS/Oasis system that the techs use are in fact more up to date than the parts diagrams, but I cannot confirm this either. I do know the part number for the blocks is the same between 2019 and 2020+ so i do not believe there has been any revisions made.

If the head gasket is blown it also damages the open deck block sealing surfaces, so ford is recommending complete long block replacement versus just head gasket replacement. If just the head gasket is replaced with no block or head replacement, it's pretty much a sure bet it will fail again in short order.

BD
 
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#22 ·
Xs

you’re correct all ecoboost mustsng 2.3 engines are the same the only thing is they ford/other companies made a new improved head gasket, for my built block I’m running a ford focus rs MLS head gasket sold by EMS and the ford focus rs has a 2.3 ecoboost engine from the mustang they use a different turbo and the engine is mounted side ways and awd but the engines are all the same the problem is the short block is weak for the power it makes so it cracks or exploded in my case lolll and usually the head gasket went out but I never had a head gasket issue that’s why the ford focus st has a 2.0 block which is stronger than the 2.3 short block ford made buttt the 2.3 makes more power that’s why you can put a 2.0 st block with a 2.3 cylinder head and make hella power but as the issue for OP check ur coolant do an oil change if it’s chocolate milk yea …. Also check to see if ur losing coolant or how much oil burned
 
#32 ·
I have the ford performance tune in mine and it maxs out at 24 psi boost at WOT so if ford itself feels that they can cover it under warranty for 3/36 then I feel that is the safe limit for boost. The engineers at ford have far more tools at their disposal to perform research and development on the platforms than most of the aftermarket. Mine stock was 20 psi max as well.

BD
 
#33 ·
You and your car, give me peace of mind! If it's good enough for Ford, it's OK with me! You have a good factory tune, and I have a good aftermarket tune. But there are a few guys with laptops pushing several ecoboost motors (with stock turbochargers) up to 29/30 lbs of boost, that's almost as crazy as telling someone to log thier motor while traveling at over 100 mph on a public streets!??
 
#39 · (Edited)
I would recommend getting the CFM Valve cover breather or similar to help prevent head gasket failures in the future. I have only ever used the CFM so that is the only one I can recommend.


Here is my post about the CFM breather.

 
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#40 ·
#42 ·
I am still convinced that the “issues” with our engine is confined to a select portion of Mustang purchasers, and is not really representative of the engine’s reliability as a whole. The are tens of thousands of them running around seemingly obvious to Ecoboom and head gasket issues (not to mention the LFPS).
 
#44 ·
Interesting article and wonder why the 2.0/2.3l engines are not included. What are the differences in design between the 1.6 and the bigger motors. Lots of questions needing answers.

BD
 
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#45 ·
That's what I don't like about the guys video.
He makes a bold statement without looking at the big picture.
He should have more inside information from Ford, than what is available to the average owner/builder.
But, instead of leaves his fans in the dark.
He needs to dig a little deeper and do a little investigation and post a follow up!

Check his video out, give it a thumbs down and leave a comment, asking him for another video explaining his statement!!?
 
#46 ·
I agree that his videos are informative yet lacking in good follow up info or more in-depth analysis. I am not really even sure he is an actual ford tech but possibly just an independent shop that specializes in fords.

He definitely leaves us in the dark at times for sure with many unanswered questions. I will try to leave some comments but not being a YT subscriber in the past I have not been successful.

BD
 
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#48 ·
I don't believe the groove is as much of an issue as being an open deck block the lack of support of the cylinders at the top of the bores allows for distortion and movement of the gasket between the head and block which over time gradually weakens the gasket allowing it to leak and eventually blow. Then if you over boost the engine with a big power tune you also suffer with head lift with the stock head bolts.

It is just simply a poor design for a turbo block not to have some support at the top of the cylinders to prevent their distortion. They got it right with the 2.0L TS blocks that are used to build high HP motors in the aftermarket world. It's a bean counters ultimate end decision as to what engineering can spend in production. The failure rate is obliviously not high enough to warrant the added cost for a closed deck or even semi closed deck block.

BD
 
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#54 ·
Yeah! At first I thought maybe a fuel injector is leaking down after sitting along with bad fuel pressure, but I noticed the coolant tank low . The Car is only 4 years old. My Wife doesn't drive the Car hard and very particular about service service on Her Car . If it is out of warranty, I will have
 
#55 ·
I’ve been having the same issues with my 2018 Ecoboost. I’ve had it for 4 years and have only racked 45k miles. Only driven on residential. No races no craziness. My cos plate says #bestmomever. I keep having parts replaced and I’ve been reading for hours about possible engine replacements. I’ve filed a complaint with NHTSA and also filed with the class action lawsuit. Advice?
 
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