Blown head gasket or maybe something else?

Hi Joe, I wanted to provide some information that may or may not be significant to my situation.
As you mentioned I poured some water into the lower radiator hose to see if it came out of the oil filter connection/port. No water came out of the oil filter connection, but still came out of the oil pan. What I've just noticed is that there is still water in the oil cooler housing right there where the lower radiator hose connect, so water can't be draining into the pan from the oil cooler housing because, as you know, if it were draining into the pan then water wouldn't be present at the lower hose connection. Obviously i'm not a seasoned mechanic, but since water is still present at that connection that would mean the leak causing water to run directly to the oil pan has to come from somewhere higher than that oil cooler housing hose connection, right? Now water, I'm guessing, fills directly to the water pump when filling the radiator. If I may ask do you know whether water/coolant fills any water jackets prior to water getting to the water pump that, if cracked, would allow water to dump into the pan? Thanks for the help.

Also wanted to mention that I took the thermostat out and I poured about 3 pints of water in before water started coming out of the pan. Also, if I lift up the opposite end of the lower radiator hose and put water in it, it doesn't leak until water gets to about the height of the water pump, then it starts coming out of the pan. This info may or may not be relevant. Thanks

Hi,

I removed the water pump and didn't see any issues with the pump itself, so the leak is definitely somewhere shortly after where the water pump pushes the water. I'm guessing it goes to the manifold.

Hi,

I should also mention that if there was a blown head gasket causing this then it would be on the #4 plug on the opposite, rear plug. I just can't fathom that a blown head gasket would cause this amount of water to dump into the pan. It's a stream as if you turned your sink faucet on about 1/3 of the way. Its stream is literally like the photo
I'm attaching. I ran the water through the thermostat "housing" with the oil drain plug out and it produced a stream like this?
Thanks, Crazy

Hi, a bunch of corrosion at the water pump. I inspected it as best as I could and could find any visible holes. The oil cooler. I also checked that as best I could but have not removed it. With the filter off, no water comes out of the oil filter hole. I read on a forum somewhere that some early 4.6 engines had a ruptured manifold crossover that caused this. I know what a manifold is, but I'm not certain what is meant by "crossover" they mentioned that this was covered under warranty but very few found out about the issue until after the warranty expired. Just random talk in a Ford forum. Nothing from a seasoned mechanic.
Thanks

Hi. I didn't get the chance to pinch off the oil cooler hoses today because of the weather, but I'll do it tomorrow. In the meantime, I was looking for used motors in case I need to change the motor. I know my 1997 is a 4.6L Windsor, but evidentially the 97 Windsor's could have either a 6-bolt flywheel or an 8-bolt flywheel? If I may ask, how am I supposed to know which? Mine has a manual transmission if that makes a difference. Thanks

Hi,

The VIX is 1FTDX1860VNA40830
Engine part number is 6G871AA
Production date 3/96
Evidentially the 6 bolt flywheels were in the early produced 4.6 Windsor engines and then at some point during the production year they were superseded by the 8 bolt flywheels on the Windsor 4.6. I think the Romeo engines are strictly 8 bolt flywheels for the 4.6.
If my truck is a 1997 model and the truck was produced in 3/96 then I would think that would be one of the earlier produced Windsor engines although I don't know for certain. Thanks

Also, if I may ask, what would one have to do to be able to swap out an engine with an 8-bolt flywheel pattern from one that has a 6-bolt flywheel pattern and vice versa? I know the engines are identical other than the flywheel bolt pattern. Thanks

Good afternoon. Hope you had a nice holiday with your family. It's virtually impossible to reach the hoses that connect to the oil cooler to pinch them off so I'm guessing I'm going to have to remove the oil pan. Also I've located another motor same yesr, description, same 8th digit VIN number. The only difference is that my truck is a four-wheel drive manual and the donor truck is a two-wheel drive manual, yet when looking at the picture of the donor truck the oil filter is pointing down, or perpendicular to the ground whereas the oil filter on my engine is pointing to the side, or parallel to the ground. Would you happen to be familiar with this? Supposedly the engines are the exact same except for the fact that one flywheel might have eight bolts and another 6 bolts. Thanks

Terrible. Hope you feel better.

Good morning.
Evidentially some 1997 4.6 Windsor engines come with an oil cooler, and some without an oil cooler. My truck has an oil cooler, but the engine I'm looking at, based on the pictures, do not have an oil cooler. The VIN number's 8th digit matches. The oil pans, from what I've gathered, are the same. Amazed there are so many little differences in these engines that are supposed to be the same. Any idea if the engines without the oil cooler would be able to be swapped out for an engine with an oil cooler? Thanks
My VIN 1FTDX1860VNA40830
Donor engine VIN 1FTDX1761VNB31784

Sorry, bad pic of non oil cooler.

Yes, I got the same impression. If I may ask how difficult is it to remove the oil cooler housing? I really just want to take a look in the inside of the housing before I spring for a replacement motor. Just a gut feeling that that may reveal the source of the issue I'm having. Thanks