Blown engine, or water pump?

[crawdad]

Driving home yesterday, "ol Blue," my 1986 F150, got REAL hot, stalled at red light. pulled over, let her cool down. Way low on oil, it's been dripping a bit lately, and though I check oil in my Scag on a regular basis, I sometimes let the truck go too long between checks. I let her cool down, add 4 quarts (!). Go on down the road, hot again, pull over. Engine rapping, hotter than the gates of Hades. The lower radiator hose is cold, the top one hot. Hmmmm.... I add water, go another mile or so, hotttt. Stop, remove the thermostat, try to climb hill to get home. After three tries, I get towed home by my Scag dealer, who I was coming home from seeing. The previous day, the radiator petcock blew on me. I noticed it was leaking, reached down to tighten it, it blew on my hand and arm. I was not burned. I should have been a solid blister from elbow down, figured maybe a small miracle, being in a church parking lot. God loves us fools, and ducks, thats why he made so many of us.
So I am home, today I swap my eqipment to the other truck and go back to work, but, does it sound like a water pump? When opening the radiator cap and adding water, while running, the water reaching the top, then suddenly it spurts forcibly out all over the engine. Any advise will be much appreciated. I hate to replace this truck it only has 170,000 miles on it, I thought it was only half wore out.
Crawdad

[Brickman]

HHHMMMMM.
I would say the engine got some damage, 4 quarts low means it was only running on ONE.

As for the water, it could be the pump or the thermostat. Or a plugged rad.
It might be time for a trip to your friendly mechanic. :angry:

[65hoss]

4 quarts low? I'm actually more amazed you had 4 quarts of oil with you.

I would start from the entire cooling system and work my way into the motor. But, if it got as hot as you say, you may have warped a head. Actually, between the heat and oil problem, you may be a prime candidate for a rebuild.

[MATTHEW]

'86 Ford 150? Straight six? Hard to warp solid iron, but not impossible.

Yeah, with water gushing up, do the cooling system first.

If you need another engine, you can get a used one for $350-$500. V8's are a bit more.

[crawdad]

Update; I've been using my four wheel drive truck for work. Finally had time to change the water pump on "ol' Blue." Took her for a test drive, everything seemed OK,temp and oil pressure was good, 'till she started knocking going up the hill, near where she stalled out before, glance at oil Press. guage, ZERO! Bring it home(quarter mile or less), park it. Restart, oil pressure up. Shut it down. I've been shoppimg for another, as ol' Blue really isn't worth throwing more money into, as she needs a good paint job, too. I haven't seen much in the way of trucks yet, just a lot of six-foot beds, wouldn't own one. I have all winter, I'll replace her.
Crawdad

[SCAPEASAURUSREX]

My first though was a clog in the cooling system..... And maybe a new oil pump too.... Good winter project to rebuild ol blue... I have and 85 F150 and think of tossing it evry time it breaks dwon, then I look at new trucks and used ones and the new ones are too steep and the used ones are worse than mine, So I just keep it and keep on dumping money into the pit... But from experience even with new, you keep putting money into them , that s just the way it is .. But the key is to keep them from getting as bad as you let your s go......... FIX it'''''''