I think I have a bad head gasket

D

Deleted member 87397

Sep 19, 2006

#1

• Sep 19, 2006

• #1

So I started her up earlier in the driveway and let it idle for a while while I was working on some other parts and after it got warm I noticed a little bit of steam coming out out the bank 1 exhaust side. It's not terrible, but it's only a matter of time before it gets bad. So if the head gasket is bad there will be coolant in the oil right? Is there a good way to tell without draining the oil?

 

R

R2D2

Sep 19, 2006

#2

• Sep 19, 2006

• #2

just look on the dipstick, if it looks like a mcdonalds chocolate shake your done for.

 

TheBocSez

New Member

Feb 3, 2004

652

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0

Converse, TX

Sep 19, 2006

#3

• Sep 19, 2006

• #3

But that's not always present.

I had a head gasket issue. The symptoms I had were Overheating, loss of coolant, strong smell of exhaust in coolant.

No fluid mixing, no significant loss of compression in adjacent cylinders.

Bought one of those block testers from NAPA to test for hydrocarbons in the coolant and got a color change. Not significant like when I put it at the tail pipe, but a color change from blue to dark green.

When I got the heads off, the fire ring had separated from the gasket. Replaced the expensive 1011-1 with a less expensive set of 9333-1 and they sealed great.

 

JChalfan

Member

Nov 27, 2002

551

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Bellevue, WA

Sep 19, 2006

#4

• Sep 19, 2006

• #4

fastfox86 said:

So I started her up earlier in the driveway and let it idle for a while while I was working on some other parts and after it got warm I noticed a little bit of steam coming out out the bank 1 exhaust side. It's not terrible, but it's only a matter of time before it gets bad. So if the head gasket is bad there will be coolant in the oil right? Is there a good way to tell without draining the oil?

Click to expand...

A head gasket can blow in a few different ways. It can blow between cylinders, in which case the car may run poorly but there won't be any oil in coolant or coolant in oil. You can also blow the gasket between a cylinder and a coolant passage, in which case you will usually be blowing white smoke (steam), but still won't have any coolant in the oil.

NAPA sells block testers (like TheBocSez said), which check your coolant for combustion gasses while the engine is running. It might be worth picking one of those up.

Just because there's no coolant in the oil, doesn't mean you don't have a blown head gasket.

Stupid question, but was it a cold morning? You're sure it wasn't the normal condensation that you can see coming out of the tailpipes?

Jeff

 

D

Deleted member 87397

Sep 19, 2006

#5

• Sep 19, 2006

• #5

No it wasn't morning. Late afternoon earlly evening and temp was about 75 degrees. I started it up reved it a few times to clear out the water, and then let it idle for a few minutes to warm up. Once it warmed up is when I saw small amounts of white, which I can only assume is steam coming out the exhaust. I've suspected I have a bad valve or two on that side for a while, so a messed up head gasket wouldn't surprise me. It's the origianl 86 motor with original heads. Only has 58K on it but 20 years tends to make parts not work so good. I'll have to go get one of those block testers. How much do they run? The car runs like a champ though. Very strong and no other problems.

 

TheBocSez

New Member

Feb 3, 2004

652

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0

Converse, TX

Sep 19, 2006

#6

• Sep 19, 2006

• #6

Cost me about 50.00 at NAPA. Thats the only place I have seen them.

Comes with a big bottle of the test fluid and what looks like a giant turkey baster.

Coolant has to be 3" below neck, add fluid to the baster and place over radiator neck. Squeeze the bulb for 1min. If fluid changes color there are HC;s in the coolant which is an indicator of bad HG, Cracked Head or Block.

The fluid is a dark blue, says fluid will turn yellow if HC's are present. mine turned to a dark green color (I remember from art class that yellow and blue make green) so I figured it was an incomplete chemical reaction.

I tested it at the tail pipe for grins and it turned piss yellow instantly.

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

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39

Sep 19, 2006

#7

• Sep 19, 2006

• #7

well thats good to know but 50 bucks just to see if you have a blown head gasket? ouch..........but im cheap!

 

TheBocSez

New Member

Feb 3, 2004

652

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0

Converse, TX

Sep 20, 2006

#8

• Sep 20, 2006

• #8

Yeah, its kinda pricey. But hey, you can charge other people 10.00 a pop to tell them if they have a blown head gasket and make some of your cash back. LOL

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Sep 20, 2006

#9

• Sep 20, 2006

• #9

haha hey everyone im throwin a head gasket party at my house this weeked. tell all your friends its only 10 dollars to get in yeeeeehaaaaaawww

 

D

Deleted member 87397

Sep 20, 2006

#10

• Sep 20, 2006

• #10

ha ha. Well I've got a Trick Flow top end kit waiting to go on so maybe this will motivate me to get the job done. I was thinking about selling it, but now I might keep it an install it.