Blown Head Gasket - How to Verify

[rsatz28]

How to determine a blown head gasket? Any visual signs?

[Salvatore]

Maybe some water in the oil. (milky)If it is leaking out you will see it on or around the motor. Overheating? Idling rough or missing? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[DarrenX33]

How bout... What are the symptoms??

[rsatz28]

[ QUOTE ]
How bout... What are the symptoms??

[/ QUOTE ]

I've left out the symptons that I am seeing so that I get some things to look at/compare.

[427TJ]

Steam coming out of the exhaust when engine's warm, water/coolant coming out exhaust pipe(s), exhaust has slight anti-freeze smell (if you use anti-freeze), frequent need to refill/top-off cooling system (cooling system checks okay--no leaks), milky oil, increasing oil quantity as coolant enters/fills crankcase, bad compression check on one or more cylinders, or a combination of any/all of the above.

[Verne_Frantz]

It could be blown between the cylinder bores but not to a water hole. Run a compression test.

You could also pump up each cylinder with compressed air, using an adaptor in the spark plug hole, and look for bubbles in the radiator.

[rsatz28]

Thanks to the responses. Update. The symptoms were as follows:

1) The water temp seemed to run higher this summer than in the past. (I had pulled off the intake over the winter to detail the engine.) With very little "extra cooling" evident on the way home in the evening or night from a cruise.
2) This past Saturday I took a 1/2 hour round trip to get gas and the temperature slowly rose the whole time. By the time I got home the temp was @210 and rising.
3)Checked on Sunday afternoon when it was safe to take the rad cap off. Coolant level was aprox 3-4 in below the opening. Observed bubbles inside as the engine was running.
4) When I ran the engine up in RPM, the fluid level went down to about half.
5) Added some coolant, and as the tempurature approached 180, the fluid started to run out the overflow tube. (I know that water expands as the temp increases) Noticed very little movement of water through the radiator. I have an 180 deg t'stat and expected to see movement at 180 deg. Rad cap was still off. Put the cap on. Rad hoses full and could not squeeze rad hoses.

I found the problem last night http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif, but will confirm tonight when I put things back together.

Anybody like to take a guess what the problem was?

[Kim_Howie]

Stuck thermostat http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[rsatz28]

Very close, but not exactly....

[Salvatore]

Bad sending unit? Radiator need to be re-cored? Water pump, bottom rad hose,Your imagination!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[rsatz28]

OK, OK In my haste to complete my car for the summer, and several other honey do projects Memorial Day weekend I put the T'stat in upside down http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

While the t'stat kinda, sorta worked in wrong, the water flow/pressure finaly caused the t'stat to break free from the ring that holds it in place. This must have happen Saturday when going to put gas in. The coolant flow would then cause the loose t'stat to get wedged in the t'stat housing causing a restricted water flow.

I have a mechanical temp gauge so I knew that wasn't the problem.

[Kim_Howie]

WHAT DID I WIN!!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Kim_Howie]

I thought I was the only guy that did things like that!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/CharleySucks.gif

[rsatz28]

[ QUOTE ]
WHAT DID I WIN!!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Where do I send my donation to the SYC?

[rsatz28]

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I thought I was the only guy that did things like that!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/CharleySucks.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, I have one other http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif repair http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif story to pass along with pictures later tonight.

I swear I'm trying to blow up my 302 w/o being at the track!

[Salvatore]

That would not be hard! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[Kim_Howie]

My 427 nova several years ago I was changing the oil & filter before I went to the track that day. A guy stopped and we started talking, after he Left I put the hood on started the car and drove on the trailer went back in the garage and noticed the 7 Qts. of oil I hadn't put in the car!!!! DUH dumb http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[SS427]

Kim, You gotta quit being so open with all your screw ups as some of us are keeping a book. Next time we get you drunk and in a crowd, we are going to have some fun. Maybe the end of the month................ http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Verne_Frantz]

OK, so what caused the bubbles you noticed in your radiator?? (or didn't I read that right?) http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[rsatz28]

Verne, you read it right.

I think that was from the coolant coming out of the rows and bubling up when it hit the top of the coolant.

[moparts]

Guys, Lisle makes a real neat Combustion Leak Detector kit that you can get from most good parts stores. Part number 75500 and it sells for around 39 bucks. It will tell you in a hurry if you have combustion leaks into the cooling system. But I will warn you most of the one's that get it don't like the results.

[Mr70]

I've used this on a friends car,and it actually worked well.
http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=1221

[NCGuy68]

[ QUOTE ]
You could also pump up each cylinder with compressed air, using an adaptor in the spark plug hole, and look for bubbles in the radiator.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, that would have been the first thing I would have done. AKA as a leak test. Works to diagnose bad intake/exhaust valves and rings aa well.

Oh........you can send your SYC donation to my house.... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif