killerbox

I just picked up a 01 GT for a good price 120k miles... knowing that it might have a bad head/engine. it cranks over but no start.. i'm guessing bottom end is fine i've checked fuel , spark everything works but when i did a compression check passenger side head got no compression at all drivers side head got okay compression. i need your opinion if i should get a motor or heads re-done? Should i just replace passenger side head hopping that bottom end is fine? i don't want to waste money.

MU71L4710N

dont replace one headgasket, do both.

pull both the heads, see what everything looks like and go from there...theres no point in buying parts for a bunch of what-if scenarios right now. if it looks like the head gaskets were bad then just replace em and see what happens. if it doesnt run then your out the cost of some gaskets and labor. if things start looking sketch with either the heads or the bottom end then you can find a used 4.6 for pretty cheap on clist, forums, or a junkyards.

do you not know anything about what happened to it?

killerbox

well the guy i bought the car from said valve train started making weird noises and car wouldn't start anymore. i'm about to pull the heads off and inspect for bent valves? i can turn the crank with a ratchet any other way i can check if bottom end is good?

killerbox

Pulled the passenger side valve cover off.. the metal piece that sits on top of the valve n spring is out n lose in the head not only one but many of them.. also plastic piece that holds the chains together is shattered chain guides I believe. Driver side head looks good. Should I get both of the heads redone? I'm on a tight budget if I have to then I got no choice.

Fox466

If you're going to do one, do both. Wouldn't it be just awesome if you only do one, finally get through with it, fire it up and have bad valve guides on the one you didn't do?

And at 120K miles I would probably go ahead and do bearings and a re-ring as well, but that's just me...