The 3.0i engine has a bad habit when overheated of pulling threads on head bolts in the middle cylinders of the block... Caused by the expansion rate of the aluminum head vs the steel bolts. I wouldn't count out a head gasket as I've seen the gaskets blow in many ways, they don't always blow the same. A leakdown test would tell you which cylinder's exhaust gasses are getting in there, then just pull the valve cover and try re-torquing the head bolts around that cylinder. If they tighten properly the threads are fine, if they keep turning and don't reach proper torque the threads are pulled. In this case I've seen people including my shop foreman have good results with helicoiling the block.

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RIP 4.6is.....

2003 4.6is