Over heat told probably head gasket but want to try thermostat first is it worth the time or just believe head gskt also told if it really overheated engine no good anymore

Yes it is possible there is more damage to the engine than just the head gaskets.
You could try replacing the head gaskets and having the cylinder heads checked for cracks, then see what happens. Or have the engine dismantled to check the bearings and rings.
If your engine is not worth fixing, you could buy a used engine cheaper than buying a rebuilt one. I would think the truck is worth at least $3000 which would make a used engine worth the expense.

probably a dumb question but was the engine block skimmed and on certain cars you get different thickness gaskets for different performance heads, and is the timing correct?

white smoke means coolant is getting into the combustion chamber of the engine which would mean your head gasket is bad. I would change your thermostat too. it doesnt sound like it is working properly. your thermostat is probably getting stuck closed and that is what is leading your temperature to get high. The high heat, or even if your truck over heats a few times, it ruins the integrity of your head gasket.

unfortunately this is probably correct if the car got very hot.
most new cars have alloy heads and if the car gets too hot due to cooling problem the head can warp.
a new head gasket and having the head skimmed flat again is one solution, the other is a new engine.

if you want a second opinion then most garages will be able to do a pressure test on the cooling system which would confirm a blown head gasket

The cooling system is probably "airlocked" and needs to be bled out or you have a blown head gasket. If the engine has overheated recently, the probability of a blown head gasket is very good, especially if you have the 3.0L engine. The heads on that engine are very unforgiving when it comes to overheating.

A blown head gasket is usually easy to confirm. The head gasket prevents the engine coolant and oil from mixing under the head. If you have a blown head gasket, you should be able to see bubbles of water/cooland on the dip stick when you check your oil.

I do agree that with your heater taking a while to get warm, it probably has some build-up in the system that needs to be flushed out, before it causes other issues.

Best of luck!

hi, if you are changing the head gasket then it may be worth checking the water pump and thermostat as it could have been one of these that failed causing it to over heat and then blown the head gasket so check the water pump and thermostat once you have the cylinder head off.

You may need the head checking to see if it has been warped but this is unlikely on this make of vehicle.

Once you have done the gasket make sure that when you fill the coolant up you only trickle the water in to prevent any air lock as this will cause it to over heat again, check for any bleed screws on the coolant system to let the air out whilst filling the coolant up,

Its best you check in the workshop manual for these as their may not be none as it could be self bleed system.

It also worth checking if the head bolts need changing as they do stretch and can cause the gasket not to seal properly so replacing these may be a good idea.

Let me know how you get on or if you need further assistance ok.

ps what makes you think the head gasket has gone??

Could be as simple as a bad thermostat. These are inexpensive, and usually easy to replace. It could be a bad head gasket or cracked head.

you need to first check that the water is circulating if not could be a water pump or thermostat problem also check for signs of oil in the water this could indicate a head gasket problem if your unsure this can be checked out using a special fluid

just to let u know they probably didnt plane the head (which means to make it straight again) which means they didnt straighten the warp out from where it over heated. alot of people just throw another head gasket on and dont have the head machined.its usually like 60 us dollars to 100 us dollars to have a head machined but well worth the extra effort to have it done right try a new thermostat also. usually when a shop cuts corners u end up with a car that still runs but runs hotter something to remember next time good luck