Ford Repair: Gasket blown, blown head gasket, ohv engine

Question
I own a 2000 Ford Explorer with 53,000 miles on it. It has a 4.0 L OHV engine. I've been told that it has a blown intake valve gasket. At first the mechanic said that it was a blown head gasket. There was anti-freeze in the oil and it ran a little rough and smoked a little. Some of my friends suggested changing the gasket and changing the oil a couple of times. The mechanic said that I should tear the whole engine apart because the anti-freeze will eat away the bearings and if I don't change them they might tear themselves apart sometime down the road. Obviously there is a big difference in price. Is the mechanic trying to rip me off? The truck has been sitting in my driveway scince I found out on April 1st. Also some friends said that I may get Ford to pay for some or all of the repair cost because the milage is so low. If you can't help me could you please point me in the right direction. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.  

Answer
Mike,

Anti freeze in your oil would be a blow head gasket. Depending on how much antifreeze got into the oil and how far you drove it in that condition would determine on whether I would pull the whole motor out. You can buy engine flush at any reputable auto parts store to flush the engine out. I would have the head checked to make sure it is not warped before replacing just the gasket. You can try to see if Ford will try to help pay for repair expeses but I doubt it as their warranty is usually 3 years or 36 thousand, which ever comes first, unless you purchased an extended warranty on the vehicle. Hope that this helps, if you need further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me. Good luck.



Ken