Possible head gasket?!!?? Need help bad, half way cross the country and it’s all bad

[Brooksie1911]

So I have 14 hours left on a 31 hour drive, the truck has had a rough idle, loss of power, and sometimes a hesitation when stepping on the gas, I went to check my fluids at the gas station and all of a sudden my coolant is black, for some insight the rough idle and other symptoms have been going on for awhile but the coolant issue just started, anyways I checked it and noticed the resivour (idk how to spell it) was full and coolant had shot out of it also it is a very dark brown color but it doesn’t smell like oil and it just tastes like coolant, when I poured water on the puddle of it on the ground it didn’t seem to separate at all, the radiator was empty and it doesn’t seem to be sucking any coolant back into the radiator just pushing it out into the res, coolant was always clean until all at once it was brown, also I always had coolant in it but recently topped it off with water, it has not overheated and the only time coolant shoots out is right when I turn the truck off so I’ve just been topping off the radiator at that point, also today it was idling in park for maybe 30 seconds and it just shut off on its own, it was like when u turn the fuel valve off on a dirt bike to let the carb run out like it just cut off, no sputter or anything. I think that’s everything, idk, but I feel like I may be looking at a lot of different things going bad and maybe that’s why I’m struggling to categorize is under one thing. Also the fuel pump sounded louder then usual maybe not idk, but yeah I’m back on the road tomorrow, so hoping to find some assistance tonight so I can work on it in the morning or when I get where I’m going depending on how the trucks feeling.

 

[Brooksie1911]

I’m not sure if it says it but it’s a 1989 2.9l

 

[Uncle Gump]

What does the oil look like?

Over heating one of these 2.9L is rarely good.

 

[Brooksie1911]

What does the oil look like?

Over heating one of these 2.9L is rarely good.

It has never overheated, oil is clear as day smells great

 

[Uncle Gump]

If it's pushing out coolant... it's been getting hot.

Perhaps the thermostat is stuck. Coolant discolored brown would indicate rust most likely.

 

[Brooksie1911]

Ahh gotcha, maybe I’ll see if I can find a shop with the thermostat and I can throw it on real quick, I think the rough idle and power loss is the TPS, from this point should I not be trusting temp gauge?

 

[Brooksie1911]

If it's pushing out coolant... it's been getting hot.

Perhaps the thermostat is stuck. Coolant discolored brown would indicate rust most likely.

Also odd to me that it’s only pushing out when I turn the truck off, and I think my first response I posted wrong

 

[Brooksie1911]

Also odd to me that it’s only pushing out when I turn the truck off, and I think my first response I posted wrong

Ahh gotcha, maybe I’ll see if I can find a shop with the thermostat and I can throw it on real quick, I think the rough idle and power loss is the TPS, from this point should I not be trusting temp gauge?, yeah just copied it to here

 

[Uncle Gump]

I don't think I would trust it unless you can keep coolant in it.

 

[JerryC]

Taking wild guesses...
Coolant issues:
1. overflow and coolant loss, bad radiator cap.
2. color, rust but why suddenly brown? How did/does your heater work? Maybe it finally broke loos a bunch of gunk that accumulated in the heater core.

Stalling, TFI module.