That will work for diesel as well, as a professional diesel mechanic, I use this tool all the time. Gas combustion leak will be yellow and a diesel combustion leak will turn a greenish color.. however, they do make a more precise liquid formula that will tell a head gasket leak or cracked cylinder head on both diesel or gas.. but nice video man thanks for sharing bro.
my parents took us all over the north east with that exact motor home and my dad loved the thing! many fond memories in that motor home. crazy to see that they are still around
One thing you should mention is the vehicle should be thoroughly warmed up before performing this test. Years ago, I had an old Nissan that had a very small head gasket leak. It was so small that even a leak down test passed. I was seeing these tiny bubbles in my coolant and was convinced that it was a head gasket problem. I used this kit, but it didn't change color until almost 30 minutes later. It was a pinhole leak. I used one of those Steel Seal kits to seal it up and it worked well. I retested using this and even let it sit on there for almost an hour without a color change.
Makes sense that it takes 30 minutes especially if leak is very minor. That has to travel all the way through all that coolant to get to the top and be detected
It takes a while , but if it turns yellow , you can pull a few spark plug wires off . when you pull the wire off the cylinder that is the issue , the fluid will stop turning colors . Just got to wait a few min for the coolant to air out to test that way. Doing to engines with more than one head you will know which side is leaking . Good video.
That Toyota 2.4 is a SUPERB bit of engineering. My father bought his Toyota new when I started driving and my brother still drives it... just fluid changes over the years.
+sixtyfiveford I have an 1986 Toyota truck with the 22R that I bought brand new. It has pulled a heavy trailer most of its life and also a canopy loaded with tools. It now has 475,000 miles. I love those trucks. Nice video, thanks. (I did do the head gasket twice in all those miles. Those trucks are super easy to work on though)
I've used these on my Triumph and it worked great. Told me I had a blown head gasket. Another sign is pressurised cooling radiator hoses as well. Nice Vid.
I'm gonna get my car checked out later this week but i was at a drive thru waiting in line and i saw a few account of smoking coming out of my exhaust looking as if it was during the winter with my heater on so it wasn't that much smoke coming out. There are no check engine lights on and it's not overheating
That is a great test. I have not heard about that before, that would be something to use before buying a questionable truck with engine issues. Thanks for the great video.
+Superiorpowerwash It seams that no manufacturer of cars is immune from head gasket failures these days. It would be a great easy/quick inspection test for anyone looking at a used car.
my truck had a pinhole leak on the intake manifold cover, I was loosing coolant weekly and was very hard to spot. finally saw some dried up trails with a flash light and got it fixed. no more coolant leak now
sixtyfiveford my 99 4runner 3.4 smokes white smoke for first 10 - 15 minutes then dissapears! other than alittle high idle at start up motor runs pretty smooth but after warm up the idle settles at 400 to 500 RPM, and the car seems alittle underpowered to me when climbing long hills, its really struggling by the time you reach the top, im convinced i either have a cracked head or blown headgasket
my 99 4runner has the same symptoms except it doesnt smoke it just drips water or something for a long time even in hot ass weather. did you ever get yours figured out?
+Steve Rob It's very minor and may just be evaporating(water) out of the overflow bottle due to extended long run times(10-15 hours) I'm keeping the entire engine bay at high temps for prolonged times.
Thats funny that you did this I was going to make a video on the same thing in about 1 week for my Grandparents in-law. Their Cadillac is having a mystery coolant leak. Where there is a loss of coolant put no puddle. Funny thing is I bought the same exact stuff. Not to demean you but "great minds think a like "
2LateIWon I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 combustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. They use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
Thank you sir for the great vid! I was concerned for my ‘96 explorer because it was doing the white smoke thing. Thankfully it was the catalytic converter. But your vid helped my diagnose this, keep up the good vids! I subbed 👍
Lol it's you wassup dude, I think my head on mine is starting to go the exhaust smells sweet 💀I got the steering gear box out now so that's cool I just hope the head isn't bad lol but if it is I'll fix it anything for MR SNIPE!!!
So what was your issue with the coolant loss? I have a similar one myself, I loose coolant from the reservoir but it is clearly coming from the radiator cap which was replaced and still experiencing this. I can smell sweet exhaust fumes clearly but the block test kit was done twice with no color change. I'm stumped!
My water pump gasket had a very minor leak. LIke you know, sweet exhaust fumes is a definite leak into the combustion. The leak could be into the intake manifold and then pulled into the combustion chamber through normal engine running. This would give no burnt gas into the radiator and the test would be negative. You could try putting a hose from the exhaust, directing into the engine air intake and see if that puts exhaust into the radiator. But it may not as the intake manifold is generally under a vacuum and would only be sucking air instead of pushing it back out into the radiator like the head gasket.
Awesome! I was trouble shooting my 85 Toyota sunrader motorhome today with the exact same problem. super informative video! I'm not a master mechanic but definitely have not seen this method before. thanks! 4-cyl Toyota motorhomies 4-life!
The best way is to hold the probe from a smog machine by where the radiator cap goes with it running. Then you look at the screen and see if there is any hydrocarbons in it. It should not have any hydrocarbons in there. Any place that does emissions tests can do that. Thats the best test ever.
Canada is definitely the place to vacation this year. 33 cents on the dollar exchange right now and the value of the Canadian dollar just keeps dropping. That means for every 1 dollar American, you get $1.33 Canadian. Thanks for the info Moe.
sixtyfiveford Vancouver is actually ridiculously expense compared to the rest of Canada. Followed by my area around Toronto, Ontario. You want a cheap Canadian vacation go to the east coast (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island during the summer. Gas is a little more especially in Newfoundland but most tourist destinations are extremely cheap or free. Mostly scenery and outdoors type of stuff.
My old 1990 Celica is beat up with all bald tires and all the warning lights on. When I drive it's sluggish with white smoke coming out the exhaust. Engine is always hot on the temperature gage indicator.
i had both headgaskets changed in my 03 ram with the common failure 4.7 overhead cam v8 .. it was pumping the white smoke so much that i filled up the typical #1 cylinder and hydrolocked the motor ..took out the sparkplugs and shot the coolant out and drove it to the dealer to take the motor out and heads were cut and front end kit and gaskets .. 4400$.. motor runs great now
Lucky you! My Peugeot (diesel) has one, so it's sitting here, waiting for the weather to get better. Refreshing to see a small four banger in the land of the big engines :) Walkaround would be really neat!!
+Koffi Banan I agree. I'm mainly curious of the weight of the vehicle loaded and his subjective view on things like Merging into traffic, climbing hills etc along with fuel mileage. It's obviously possible but I never would have imagined a 4cyl from teh 80's would have been strong enough.
i have a question that i think only someone with your level of understanding will be able to answer. So my wife now has a 2011 mazda cx7 that she let sit for 2 years and then decided to drive it pushing all the old gas through the engine. long story short it overheated and wouldn’t start backup. these are the steps i took and where i am at currently. I did a pressure test on the radiator and coolant was pushing into the engine so ok blown head gasket let’s get it fixed. i took everything apart and saw that the cylinder head needed to be taken to the machine shop. i also messed up the buckets so i had them reset the lash. after putting the entire thing back together and resetting the codes the car turns over but doesn’t start. i do a compression test in the radiator and it holds 20 psi for an hour no problem but i’m getting 60 psi a crossed each cylinder. i do a smoke test and it’s coming out the exhaust so valves weren’t sealing and must’ve gotten burnt when it overheated. i took the entire car apart again and took it back to the machine shop. why they didn’t inspect the valves in the beginning is beyond me but i paid an additional 400 dollars for them to grind valves and basically make the cylinder head brand new. after this i put everything back together again keep in mind using a brand new head gasket and bolts each time and torquing everything down in the correct pattern and torque specs. and then this is where i am at today. after resetting the codes the car starts right up but now coolant is pushing out the exhaust and a lot as soon as i start the car. i think i would’ve seen a crack in the engine block for that much coolant is to be pushing out the exhaust valves. i did another pressure test in the radiator and it heals 20 psi for two hours no problem. so i either put the head gasket on wrong which i feel is unlikely, the engine block has a crack in it, or maybe the engine block needed to be taken to the machine shop so the gasket seated correctly. i just don’t get why coolant would’ve pushed through the gasket when doing a pressure test on the radiator and then fixing the gasket and now having coolant push through the exhaust. it only took me four hours to take the entire thing apart and a day an half to put it back together with proper torque specs on everything. i’m willing to do it again because this car is in such good condition and i have put so much time and energy into it but just need some guidance on how to move forward ensuring i solve the problem this time around. so with that i thank you if you or someone takes the time to respond to this.
Is there any chance the coolant is left over in the muffler/cat and from the original pressurization. It generally takes a few hours for the engine to dry that completely out.
Good tip. Had no idea of this test kit. Glad it wasn't the head gasket. So why do you think you are loosing coolant if it's not leaking or overheating?
+Jason F Mileage is dependent on how big of jerk I want to be to others. If I push it hard it'll get 12mpg (65-75mph not always obtainable), if I go at it easy I can peak at around 15-17mpg(60mph). On average I manage 13-14mpg though which in caparison to a large motorhomes 4-6mpg, is impressive.
+sixtyfiveford That's pretty good considering the boxy aerodynamics and extra weight. My 89 4Runner had the same 22RE and usually only managed 19-22mpg freeway.
Very helpful video, trying to diagnose a 2.2 S10 and it has the same symptoms so imma get one of these and test it so i can make sense of where the coolant is going
Thanks for this video. I'm about to test my ranger tomorrow morning. When I start the truck up I can't tell if it's smoke or condensation that comes out of the exhaust pipe. Hopefully this will tell me. I will note that when I check my oil and do regular changes there is no milky/cloudiness to the oil. Nothing like peanut butter consistency or anything like that. Just black oil. I will also note that my ranger doesn't overheat at all.
Did the test this morning exactly how you did it did not turn yellow. I was thinking perhaps I did something wrong so I tested the fluid in the container like you did after the 1st test and it turned yellow holding it by the exhaust almost immediately.Ran the test one more time and it stayed blue. yay!Thank you for this video!
Fun but slow. They get around 13mpg which is double what every other motorhome on the road gets. They tap out around 65mph which if you live in the West seams painfully slow with the 70-80mph speed limits everywhere.
thanks for posting this video. i thot i had 2 cars with cracked engine blocks, using this method i was able to put my mind at ease--fluid stayed blue on both cars (up until i started sucking coolant into the tube..i probably took it further than i should LOL). but i did the test 2x on both cars, same result=#Blue! #ILoveUBlue!
I have never bought any other car than Subaru and have always enjoyed the boxer engine. However, this is kind of a shame for Subaru not spending enough on research to fix the head gaskets issues.
my best friend has owned 4 of the toyota motor homes and has loved them all with epa of 15-17 mpg its a great way to see the country . it is a little crouded in the cabover portion to sleep though !
They're a fun toy. I debated getting a large motorhome at first (back when gasoline prices were $4 gallon). Those only get 4-6mpg so that idea was killed FAST. I ended up buying this one and have really enjoyed it the last 10+ years 20,000+ miles. The stick shift models get the 15+mpg but they are almost impossible to find after 1985ish. My 87 with an auto gets around 13mpg which is still expensive(last months 2500mile trip was $650 in gas) but a heck of a lot cheaper than the alternative.
always wondered about those old Toyota RVs, if you were to sell the RV part and replace that with a truck bed? will it be cheaper and make sense? a tour video would be great
+Mr Merhtin The Toyota motorhomes are worth a lot more(3-10x) than the pickup version, which is contrary to most older motorhome makes. Occasionally you will find a rotted camper and people will throw a flat bed on them as you can't use a regular bed(dually tires) but they still have to fill in the roof/back of the cab as it was cut out for the motorhome conversion.
Hey i just finished my upload on the head gasket test. I just wanted to know if i could use some of your description that's under your video? I think you're spot on. I know i could use it but but don't want to be an ass and want your good graces and be respectful to you. Thanks buddy Which i was going to add a little. To it so it's not a direct copy lol
Isn't it normal for the water in coolant mixture to evaporate over time leaving a slightly lower level? At least that's what I've always experienced in warmer weather driving
+mrsemifixit Yes, and that is what I'm thinking. Newer stuff is less vulnerable to this but I'm keeping the engine temp/engine bay at temp for 10-15hour runs. The engine only has 40,000 original miles on it so a head gasket leak is unlikely, I just wanted to rule it out.
I haves some bubbles in my overfill tank and the coolant levels are down just a tad but the car drives great no signs of a head gasket leak. Other then what I listed Is it possible to have all those symptoms but not have a coolant leak?
It's going somewhere. Either the engine is consuming it or it is leaking externally. In my case it was weeping out the water pump gasket, slow enough to not cause a ground drip.
I chased leaks for six months until I purchased one of those and found a small combustion leak. It took about 4 minutes for the fluid to change color. After fixing the engine the leaks went away. Interestingly a garage tried a smog machine over the coolant and that did not pick it up. I always run that test before using the dreaded leak sealer. Combustion gases and leak sealer do not get along at all.
I agree I know lots of people hate it. I have used it many times and never blocked anything except for.. Many years ago I used Bars leaks on a car with a slightly blown head gasket. What a disaster everything blocked up with a brown slime.
That's cool, great test. BUT where is your coolant going? Nice Toyota. I've seen a couple good deals on those over the years, but they look like a bumble bee engineering wise like their should be issues lol. What kind of mileage do you get?
+tblbaby I'm debating high engine bay temps for long periods are evaporating the water out of the coolant in the overflow. The lose is minimal. Mileage is dependent on how big of jerk I want to be to others. If I push it hard it'll get 12mpg (65-75mph), if I go at it easy I can peak at around 15-17mpg(60mph). On average I manage 13-14mpg though which in caparison to a large motorhomes 4-6mpg, is impressive.
We have a Mercedes diesel with a cracked head It's $5k to repair and has a 2,00,000 miles +. Any thoughts on additives to seal cracked heads I worry it could cause more damage
+airkraft1 I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 cobustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. The use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
I know there might be a few of these stories, I used this on a 502 with blown head gasket and it did not show any signs of changing color. I put air pressure on the cylinder to do a leak down and sure enough i had a bad head gasket which was bubbling the coolant, thats how big of a leak it was. Just my experience with this type of tester.
Yeah, most popular engine brands have closed loop system options. It helps the prolong the life of the engine. It uses a salt or raw water to coolant heat exchanger similiar to a radiator but they use the water to cool it. They do make motors that just use the raw water and dump it back out through the exhaust. Any of your big diesels and higher end options engines have a closed coolant system with heat exchangers. By the way thanks for putting up your vids, its cool to get exposed to some stuff like the evaporative cooler that would never work in Maryland due to the humidity. Keep up the good videos man.
I had the same thing losing coolant couldn't find the leak not overheating and everyone kept telling me my head gasket was blown. I almost ordered the gasket kit when I drove the vehicle on a short 5 mile trip and I found out it was the radiator had a small leak that only leaked when the vehicle was under stress or after it sat for 10min from a hard run. I got really lucky I replaced the radiator and haven't had any trouble since.
I just bought a car. The guy changed the water pump so I know at some point they overheated. The car does not over heat and I don't have any smoke I personally can physically see. My buddy was driving behind me and when I floor the pedal he said he say a little grey smoke. Should I be worried?
Grey smoke is generally just carbon buildup blowing out the the muffler that would normally just be settled during normal operation. Most of the time a water pump goes out there's massive leaking people notice far before they overheat the engine.
Hello , thanks for the video. I am having overheating problems with my bmw e46 . I suspected a leak on the pipes and also the head tester appeared to be yellow.... Please I want to know if is the coolant leak causing the overheating or if my head gasket is actually blown.... because I am actually in doubt of the head tester results. Thank you.
Hey brother I had a question I got my first car about a week ago. About 3-4 days ago I started to notice white smoke in my rear view mirror. it only seems to happen when I’m at stop lights as I start accelerating I see the smoke in my mirror after I start accelerating it seems to go away? Any idea what it could be I’m hoping it’s not my head gasket.
If your coolant is not disappearing and is clean, and if after stopping the engine oil on the dipstick is not matte milky, brown, then it's probably not the head gasket.
Mine ended up being a minor leak on the water pump gasket. It was small enough that the engine heat would evaporate it before it could drip to the ground.
I just retired and would like to see a video walk-around of your RV. Your comments make want one like yours. If you already did the tour video, I'd like the link. Thanks
so i have a problem. The car engine light came on and gave me a code p2279. When I look up the code it is a vacuum leak however I get some white smoke in the exhaust. It does smell sweet but it doesnt overheat. can you help me
Hi, I collect about 2 Ounces of Steam / Coolant every 400 Miles.... I don't have a Tester.... Do you think that is normal ???? I recently installed an Oil Catch Can and every 400 Miles, I get about 2 Ounces of Liquid in the Can. Mostly it seems like Water / Coolant and barely Oil. Anyone knows that is a Head Gasket Problems ???? THANK YOU !!!
+57WillysCJ They did and they seam to go for a small fortune when they are 4x4. I decided 8 years ago, when I bought this I wanted something more for cross country travel than camping. But over they years I have wanted to change it to a manual transmission and 4x4 by buying a donor truck.
All oil will get some condensation in it from the oil pan and valve covers. If it only does short drives all the time and doesn't have the ability to get nice and hot for extended periods it will lead to milky residue on the oil cap or top of the dip stick. This can also be due to a too cold of thermostat or stuck open thermostat. If this isn't the case you could catching a very small leak before there is any noticeable radiator fluid level dropping.
Hey! I just got a 1986 Toyota sun land express, it's blowing white smoke until it's warm, the coolant and oil are disappearing but not visibly. I just traveled 150 miles today, turned it off to use the bathroom, went to start it two minutes later and the engine and exhaust pushed out white smoke while shaking the motor home with its rough attempt to start back up. Any ideas? Head gasket for sure? Maybe a tune up? Maybe valve seals or valve cover gasket? Anything else? Mine only has 70,000 miles on it and it was sitting with the previous owner for a bit.. I also just recently changed the oil and filter about 500 miles ago.
You need to determine if it is Smoke or Steam. Smoke and you're burning oil, Steam and it's coolant. Steam from coolant dissipates pretty fast and is sweet smelling. Smoke is thicker and said to be more blueish white or pure white without dissipating. You can also get steam from water in the gas but it won't smell sweet and generally only happens on cold days when the engine is cold.
Autozone must have paid you for advertisement as well as given you a good batch of the test fluid. I have used their fluid on 2 different occasions and can't even get it to change color next to the tailpipe.
+Matthew Korkowski As a basic rule people will talk badly about stuff like this and there is no better solution than to just replace the head gasket. But there is always a time and a place especially if the cost of the repair nears the cost of the car. I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 combustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. They use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
+sixtyfiveford Thank you for the detailed response. I'm in a situation where I think I have a blown head gasket, it's a 2004 Jeep and has 200k in miles so I don't want a thousand dollar repair when something else could just go wrong next. It's a 4.7L V8 with an overhead cam and replacing the head gasket myself to save money is bit beyond my abilities right now.
Dude, you should have check the dipstick first before buying that tester. If there is a questionable rise in the oil level then there is a huge possibility that the loss coolant is going there ; one of the symptoms of a blown head gasket [2019].
I had a 1991 Chevrolet Eurosport that blew a head gasket at 13,000 miles (it was under warranty for 12,000 miles). I raised hell with GM, but it didn't do any good. Cost me $2,000 to fix.
ok my mom has the 97 escort I noticed this afternoon as she was backing up after the car sat overnight that there was some white smoke coming out the tailpipe how do I tell if it is just steam or you know what
That was likely just condensation built up in the exhaust overnight. Coolant will always stream and have a definite sweet smell coming out of the exhaust.
Hi,,Please,,,is a manifold gasket the same as a head gasket ?? Can you please answer this question ?? I have oil mixed in with my antifreeze in the radiator..THANK-YOU !!!
+Robin Sauls Older vehicles are more susceptible to loosing fluid through evaporation in the overflow(not sealed nearly as well as newer stuff) and I'm used to it in my 60's and 70's vehicles. The fluid can only go into the combustion chamber(this test eliminates that), into the the engine oil (easily identifiable with visual inspection of the oil), out the side of the block/hose(through a noticeable or hard to find leak) or evaporated out through the overflow tank. When I travel with this I will run 10-15hour stints so I'm holding high engine bay temps for long periods which could lead to overflow tank evaporation. I plan to do a better visual inspection of the engine block etc.
It will determine if a head gasket is leaking into a coolant passage. You could still have a head gasket leak between two cylinders or directly out the side, that will manifest itself with low compression/power. This is easily tested with a basic compression tester.
Oil in radiator resovoir but no coolant mixed w motor oil ...starts up normal and no white smoke but after a while overheats and milky goo comes out ....bad oil cooler ?? Or head gasket ??? ..01 ford lightning
Are you sure it's not transmission fluid in the coolant? It's not uncommon for the radiator/transmission cooler to spring a leak. If your Lightning has an oil cooler it is possible it has breached as well and the pressurize oil will hold back the coolant but force oil into the radiator.
That will work for diesel as well, as a professional diesel mechanic, I use this tool all the time. Gas combustion leak will be yellow and a diesel combustion leak will turn a greenish color.. however, they do make a more precise liquid formula that will tell a head gasket leak or cracked cylinder head on both diesel or gas.. but nice video man thanks for sharing bro.
my parents took us all over the north east with that exact motor home and my dad loved the thing! many fond memories in that motor home. crazy to see that they are still around
+drvnucrzy They made a huge resurgence a few years back when gas prices hit $4/gal. It gets a fair amount of attention on the road.
One thing you should mention is the vehicle should be thoroughly warmed up before performing this test. Years ago, I had an old Nissan that had a very small head gasket leak. It was so small that even a leak down test passed. I was seeing these tiny bubbles in my coolant and was convinced that it was a head gasket problem. I used this kit, but it didn't change color until almost 30 minutes later. It was a pinhole leak. I used one of those Steel Seal kits to seal it up and it worked well. I retested using this and even let it sit on there for almost an hour without a color change.
+jjenson2006 Good point.
Makes sense that it takes 30 minutes especially if leak is very minor. That has to travel all the way through all that coolant to get to the top and be detected
Tiny bubels?maybe it was pocket air or just air bubels? U didnt have ur cooling system bleeded well?u think about this in this way?
That engine runs nice and smooth for an 86. Then again it's no surprise, look who's taking care of it! Good video Moe. Thanks for sharing.
+Fireship1 Hey Thanks.. She only has around 40,000 on her.
It takes a while , but if it turns yellow , you can pull a few spark plug wires off . when you pull the wire off the cylinder that is the issue , the fluid will stop turning colors . Just got to wait a few min for the coolant to air out to test that way. Doing to engines with more than one head you will know which side is leaking . Good video.
+wtbm123 GREAT tip.. Thanks Man.
+sixtyfiveford
I agree good video and good diagnostic tip 123 for when you have multiple head engines.
Knowing which side is leaking is not useful as you would have to change the whole gasket anyway
That Toyota 2.4 is a SUPERB bit of engineering. My father bought his Toyota new when I started driving and my brother still drives it... just fluid changes over the years.
+RyeOnHam This is my first experience with one and I've been pleased.
+sixtyfiveford I have an 1986 Toyota truck with the 22R that I bought brand new. It has pulled a heavy trailer most of its life and also a canopy loaded with tools. It now has 475,000 miles. I love those trucks. Nice video, thanks. (I did do the head gasket twice in all those miles. Those trucks are super easy to work on though)
Ya buddy, glad yours is good. cheers my friend
+udizzy1969 Thanks Man.
I've used these on my Triumph and it worked great. Told me I had a blown head gasket. Another sign is pressurised cooling radiator hoses as well.
Nice Vid.
+retrorestore Yeah, it's pretty quick and definitive.
I'm gonna get my car checked out later this week but i was at a drive thru waiting in line and i saw a few account of smoking coming out of my exhaust looking as if it was during the winter with my heater on so it wasn't that much smoke coming out.
There are no check engine lights on and it's not overheating
That is a great test. I have not heard about that before, that would be something to use before buying a questionable truck with engine issues. Thanks for the great video.
+Superiorpowerwash It seams that no manufacturer of cars is immune from head gasket failures these days. It would be a great easy/quick inspection test for anyone looking at a used car.
my truck had a pinhole leak on the intake manifold cover, I was loosing coolant weekly and was very hard to spot. finally saw some dried up trails with a flash light and got it fixed. no more coolant leak now
+mikegigabyte Those can be hard leaks to diagnose.
sixtyfiveford my 99 4runner 3.4 smokes white smoke for first 10 - 15 minutes then dissapears! other than alittle high idle at start up motor runs pretty smooth but after warm up the idle settles at 400 to 500 RPM, and the car seems alittle underpowered to me when climbing long hills, its really struggling by the time you reach the top, im convinced i either have a cracked head or blown headgasket
my 99 4runner has the same symptoms except it doesnt smoke it just drips water or something for a long time even in hot ass weather. did you ever get yours figured out?
Thanks for showing us what it looks like yellow aswell
really informative and helpful experiment, i like the tail pipe exhaust test part!!
Thanks for this. I knew these kits existed but I never thought you could rent them.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked the video.
I have used the same test kit,works great. Did you find out where is the coolant leaking from .
+Steve Rob It's very minor and may just be evaporating(water) out of the overflow bottle due to extended long run times(10-15 hours) I'm keeping the entire engine bay at high temps for prolonged times.
Thats funny that you did this I was going to make a video on the same thing in about 1 week for my Grandparents in-law. Their Cadillac is having a mystery coolant leak. Where there is a loss of coolant put no puddle. Funny thing is I bought the same exact stuff. Not to demean you but "great minds think a like "
+2LateIWon I'd like to see your take on it. It gives a quick definitive answer. Like a pregnancy test....
+sixtyfiveford basically if it's blown they will sell it. if not ill get to crawl around like you till i can figure out where it's going
2LateIWon
I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 combustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. They use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
+sixtyfiveford. oh wow good to know I'll look into that thanks
sixtyfiveford When you get a chance let me know what brand did you use?
Thanks
Definitely want to see a walk around of that motor home!
Thank you sir for the great vid! I was concerned for my ‘96 explorer because it was doing the white smoke thing. Thankfully it was the catalytic converter. But your vid helped my diagnose this, keep up the good vids! I subbed 👍
Lol it's you wassup dude, I think my head on mine is starting to go the exhaust smells sweet 💀I got the steering gear box out now so that's cool I just hope the head isn't bad lol but if it is I'll fix it anything for MR SNIPE!!!
What do you mean when you say catalytic converter? Was it bad ?
Thank you so very much for this valuable tip! I have a 2006 & I know this is in my future--but not the near future, thanks to performing this test.
thanx man! I have a couple of 60's fords as well as our daily drivers... that is some fantastic info!
+tim boesel Hey Thanks.
That was cool seeing how the test is done
+not2fast4u2c Thanks Man.
A great tool for when you are buying a car with known issues. thx for the video and yeah a walk around of that 4 cyl beast would be awesome
Thanks.
Did someone say honda civic 👀
So what was your issue with the coolant loss? I have a similar one myself, I loose coolant from the reservoir but it is clearly coming from the radiator cap which was replaced and still experiencing this. I can smell sweet exhaust fumes clearly but the block test kit was done twice with no color change. I'm stumped!
My water pump gasket had a very minor leak. LIke you know, sweet exhaust fumes is a definite leak into the combustion. The leak could be into the intake manifold and then pulled into the combustion chamber through normal engine running. This would give no burnt gas into the radiator and the test would be negative. You could try putting a hose from the exhaust, directing into the engine air intake and see if that puts exhaust into the radiator. But it may not as the intake manifold is generally under a vacuum and would only be sucking air instead of pushing it back out into the radiator like the head gasket.
Awesome! I was trouble shooting my 85 Toyota sunrader motorhome today with the exact same problem. super informative video! I'm not a master mechanic but definitely have not seen this method before. thanks! 4-cyl Toyota motorhomies 4-life!
It's always great to meet another Toyota Motorhome owner.
The best way is to hold the probe from a smog machine by where the radiator cap goes with it running. Then you look at the screen and see if there is any hydrocarbons in it. It should not have any hydrocarbons in there. Any place that does emissions tests can do that. Thats the best test ever.
+1970chevelle396 Good tip.
Canada is definitely the place to vacation this year. 33 cents on the dollar exchange right now and the value of the Canadian dollar just keeps dropping. That means for every 1 dollar American, you get $1.33 Canadian.
Thanks for the info Moe.
+EdOfTheNorth I love Canada. That makes it roughly the same price as the US in reality. At least in big cities like Vancouver.
sixtyfiveford Vancouver is actually ridiculously expense compared to the rest of Canada. Followed by my area around Toronto, Ontario. You want a cheap Canadian vacation go to the east coast (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island during the summer. Gas is a little more especially in Newfoundland but most tourist destinations are extremely cheap or free. Mostly scenery and outdoors type of stuff.
I'm glad it wasn't a head gasket. Even knowing how to replace one, it's a pain in the butt. I like that product, easy use with definitive results.
+wyattoneable Yeah, it's nice to have a quick definitive answer.
My old 1990 Celica is beat up with all bald tires and all the warning lights on. When I drive it's sluggish with white smoke coming out the exhaust. Engine is always hot on the temperature gage indicator.
How bout a tour.? These things are gems..............TKS!
+BART SIMPSON Thanks.
i had both headgaskets changed in my 03 ram with the common failure 4.7 overhead cam v8 .. it was pumping the white smoke so much that i filled up the typical #1 cylinder and hydrolocked the motor ..took out the sparkplugs and shot the coolant out and drove it to the dealer to take the motor out and heads were cut and front end kit and gaskets .. 4400$.. motor runs great now
+san379 That's an expensive repair bill.
Lucky you! My Peugeot (diesel) has one, so it's sitting here, waiting for the weather to get better. Refreshing to see a small four banger in the land of the big engines :) Walkaround would be really neat!!
+Koffi Banan I agree. I'm mainly curious of the weight of the vehicle loaded and his subjective view on things like Merging into traffic, climbing hills etc along with fuel mileage. It's obviously possible but I never would have imagined a 4cyl from teh 80's would have been strong enough.
Dude you deserve more subscribers for helping us and the tips and tricks all i want to say is thank you for creating this content .
+Ahmed Adel Thanks Man...
i have a question that i think only someone with your level of understanding will be able to answer.
So my wife now has a 2011 mazda cx7 that she let sit for 2 years and then decided to drive it pushing all the old gas through the engine. long story short it overheated and wouldn’t start backup. these are the steps i took and where i am at currently.
I did a pressure test on the radiator and coolant was pushing into the engine so ok blown head gasket let’s get it fixed. i took everything apart and saw that the cylinder head needed to be taken to the machine shop. i also messed up the buckets so i had them reset the lash. after putting the entire thing back together and resetting the codes the car turns over but doesn’t start. i do a compression test in the radiator and it holds 20 psi for an hour no problem but i’m getting 60 psi a crossed each cylinder. i do a smoke test and it’s coming out the exhaust so valves weren’t sealing and must’ve gotten burnt when it overheated. i took the entire car apart again and took it back to the machine shop. why they didn’t inspect the valves in the beginning is beyond me but i paid an additional 400 dollars for them to grind valves and basically make the cylinder head brand new. after this i put everything back together again keep in mind using a brand new head gasket and bolts each time and torquing everything down in the correct pattern and torque specs. and then this is where i am at today. after resetting the codes the car starts right up but now coolant is pushing out the exhaust and a lot as soon as i start the car. i think i would’ve seen a crack in the engine block for that much coolant is to be pushing out the exhaust valves. i did another pressure test in the radiator and it heals 20 psi for two hours no problem. so i either put the head gasket on wrong which i feel is unlikely, the engine block has a crack in it, or maybe the engine block needed to be taken to the machine shop so the gasket seated correctly. i just don’t get why coolant would’ve pushed through the gasket when doing a pressure test on the radiator and then fixing the gasket and now having coolant push through the exhaust. it only took me four hours to take the entire thing apart and a day an half to put it back together with proper torque specs on everything. i’m willing to do it again because this car is in such good condition and i have put so much time and energy into it but just need some guidance on how to move forward ensuring i solve the problem this time around. so with that i thank you if you or someone takes the time to respond to this.
Is there any chance the coolant is left over in the muffler/cat and from the original pressurization. It generally takes a few hours for the engine to dry that completely out.
Good tip. Had no idea of this test kit. Glad it wasn't the head gasket. So why do you think you are loosing coolant if it's not leaking or overheating?
+MRrwmac I'm debating high engine bay temps for long periods are evaporating the water out of the coolant in the overflow.
+sixtyfiveford have you checked the radiator cap?
I have.
Thanks for the helpful videos! What kind of mpg does your RV average on long trips?
+Jason F Mileage is dependent on how big of jerk I want to be to others. If I push it hard it'll get 12mpg (65-75mph not always obtainable), if I go at it easy I can peak at around 15-17mpg(60mph). On average I manage 13-14mpg though which in caparison to a large motorhomes 4-6mpg, is impressive.
+sixtyfiveford That's pretty good considering the boxy aerodynamics and extra weight. My 89 4Runner had the same 22RE and usually only managed 19-22mpg freeway.
Very helpful video, trying to diagnose a 2.2 S10 and it has the same symptoms so imma get one of these and test it so i can make sense of where the coolant is going
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
nice small rv, you can park it anywhere...good video, i will get some of that product to check if i have a blown head gasket.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
very nice r/ v......thats old school....i havnt seen a toyota cab and Chassis in a long time... good vid....
+mikeatc33 Yeah, they're getting pretty old now. It's rare for me to even see and 80's Toyota pickup on the road anymore.
Thanks for this video. I'm about to test my ranger tomorrow morning. When I start the truck up I can't tell if it's smoke or condensation that comes out of the exhaust pipe. Hopefully this will tell me. I will note that when I check my oil and do regular changes there is no milky/cloudiness to the oil. Nothing like peanut butter consistency or anything like that. Just black oil. I will also note that my ranger doesn't overheat at all.
This will let you know for sure if antifreeze is leaking into the combustion chamber.
Did the test this morning exactly how you did it did not turn yellow. I was thinking perhaps I did something wrong so I tested the fluid in the container like you did after the 1st test and it turned yellow holding it by the exhaust almost immediately.Ran the test one more time and it stayed blue. yay!Thank you for this video!
NewShockerGuy That's awesome.
I would like a tour. A motorhome built upon an Toyota pickup is pretty intriguing.
+RickMakes It's been a fun a toy.
I really would like to learn more about those rigs :)
I have seen em several times and thought there would be really cool :)
Fun but slow. They get around 13mpg which is double what every other motorhome on the road gets. They tap out around 65mph which if you live in the West seams painfully slow with the 70-80mph speed limits everywhere.
@@sixtyfiveford
Thank you :)
Awesome dude... Thanks from the cabbies in NYC... 🤟🚕🚕🚕🚕😎🗽🇺🇸
thanks for posting this video. i thot i had 2 cars with cracked engine blocks, using this method i was able to put my mind at ease--fluid stayed blue on both cars (up until i started sucking coolant into the tube..i probably took it further than i should LOL). but i did the test 2x on both cars, same result=#Blue! #ILoveUBlue!
Thank, I'm glad you liked it.
Easiest way to know this do you drive a subie? If yes, then yes Lmaoo
I have never bought any other car than Subaru and have always enjoyed the boxer engine. However, this is kind of a shame for Subaru not spending enough on research to fix the head gaskets issues.
thank you i just ordered the kit, will be trying this on my 72 chevelle
Awesome.
my best friend has owned 4 of the toyota motor homes and has loved them all with epa of 15-17 mpg its a great way to see the country . it is a little crouded in the cabover portion to sleep though !
They're a fun toy. I debated getting a large motorhome at first (back when gasoline prices were $4 gallon). Those only get 4-6mpg so that idea was killed FAST. I ended up buying this one and have really enjoyed it the last 10+ years 20,000+ miles. The stick shift models get the 15+mpg but they are almost impossible to find after 1985ish. My 87 with an auto gets around 13mpg which is still expensive(last months 2500mile trip was $650 in gas) but a heck of a lot cheaper than the alternative.
Thanks I'm, going to have to try this since my car started smoking and making a whining. noise.
Same here.. what happened then ??
@@njoy51 your car happen to have a factory turbo? I’d check that first
thats good news! if your motor home is rocking you wont see me knockin lol
+Ozzstar Haha.....
GAY
always wondered about those old Toyota RVs, if you were to sell the RV part and replace that with a truck bed? will it be cheaper and make sense? a tour video would be great
+Mr Merhtin The Toyota motorhomes are worth a lot more(3-10x) than the pickup version, which is contrary to most older motorhome makes. Occasionally you will find a rotted camper and people will throw a flat bed on them as you can't use a regular bed(dually tires) but they still have to fill in the roof/back of the cab as it was cut out for the motorhome conversion.
Hey i just finished my upload on the head gasket test.
I just wanted to know if i could use some of your description that's under your video?
I think you're spot on. I know i could use it but but don't want to be an ass and want your good graces and be respectful to you. Thanks buddy
Which i was going to add a little. To it so it's not a direct copy lol
+2LateIWon Of course... Copy away.
Thanks i also messenged you through Facebook didn't know which one you would read first. Thanks I'll take it off of private now then
Isn't it normal for the water in coolant mixture to evaporate over time leaving a slightly lower level? At least that's what I've always experienced in warmer weather driving
+mrsemifixit Yes, and that is what I'm thinking. Newer stuff is less vulnerable to this but I'm keeping the engine temp/engine bay at temp for 10-15hour runs. The engine only has 40,000 original miles on it so a head gasket leak is unlikely, I just wanted to rule it out.
That's cool. I have never seen that test before. I like your motorhome!
+cubbeezx Hey Thanks.
I haves some bubbles in my overfill tank and the coolant levels are down just a tad but the car drives great no signs of a head gasket leak. Other then what I listed Is it possible to have all those symptoms but not have a coolant leak?
It's going somewhere. Either the engine is consuming it or it is leaking externally. In my case it was weeping out the water pump gasket, slow enough to not cause a ground drip.
I got a 97 camaro lt1 with coolant loss coolant coming out of the pipes and white smoke when engine gets warm
I chased leaks for six months until I purchased one of those and found a small combustion leak. It took about 4 minutes for the fluid to change color. After fixing the engine the leaks went away.
Interestingly a garage tried a smog machine over the coolant and that did not pick it up.
I always run that test before using the dreaded leak sealer. Combustion gases and leak sealer do not get along at all.
+Andrew Thompson This is a great way of finding out. I've had really good luck with radiator leak sealer(Bars Pellets) over the past 20years.
I agree I know lots of people hate it. I have used it many times and never blocked anything except for.. Many years ago I used Bars leaks on a car with a slightly blown head gasket. What a disaster everything blocked up with a brown slime.
I don't have direct access to the radiator. The only access I have is through the coolant reservoir. Will this gismo work in my instance?
+moncorp1 Yes, as the coolant reservoir shouldn't have any combustion gases in it under normal circumstances but will if the head gasket is blown.
I had coolant going into the oil. I used GM coolant stop leak, so far it is working.
+tfp777 Those stop leaks work surprising good. I've sealed up many busted radiators.
Lets see a Walk Around Video Moe. I would love to see inside out and history or something.
Check your freeze plugs sometimes they can seep a little
+2LateIWon My next step was to crawl around the underside and make sure there isn't any weeping anywhere. Freeze plugs are a good place to look.
+sixtyfiveford. i know you already know this. preacher preaching to the choir. good luck my friend
Hi! I have a Toyota also, what was the cause of the slow coolant leak?
Water pump gasket.
That's cool, great test. BUT where is your coolant going? Nice Toyota. I've seen a couple good deals on those over the years, but they look like a bumble bee engineering wise like their should be issues lol. What kind of mileage do you get?
+tblbaby I'm debating high engine bay temps for long periods are evaporating the water out of the coolant in the overflow. The lose is minimal. Mileage is dependent on how big of jerk I want to be to others. If I push it hard it'll get 12mpg (65-75mph), if I go at it easy I can peak at around 15-17mpg(60mph). On average I manage 13-14mpg though which in caparison to a large motorhomes 4-6mpg, is impressive.
We have a Mercedes diesel with a cracked head
It's $5k to repair and has a 2,00,000 miles +. Any thoughts on additives to seal cracked heads I worry it could cause more damage
+airkraft1 I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 cobustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. The use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
+sixtyfiveford
I may just have to give it a try. Thanks
I know there might be a few of these stories, I used this on a 502 with blown head gasket and it did not show any signs of changing color. I put air pressure on the cylinder to do a leak down and sure enough i had a bad head gasket which was bubbling the coolant, thats how big of a leak it was. Just my experience with this type of tester.
+kdknitro Interesting..
Yeah, i found it really wierd. It was on a marine engine. I doubt that makes a difference.
It didn't have an open coolant system? It actually has a radiator?
Yeah, most popular engine brands have closed loop system options. It helps the prolong the life of the engine. It uses a salt or raw water to coolant heat exchanger similiar to a radiator but they use the water to cool it. They do make motors that just use the raw water and dump it back out through the exhaust. Any of your big diesels and higher end options engines have a closed coolant system with heat exchangers. By the way thanks for putting up your vids, its cool to get exposed to some stuff like the evaporative cooler that would never work in Maryland due to the humidity. Keep up the good videos man.
Thanks for sharing this video
I had the same thing losing coolant couldn't find the leak not overheating and everyone kept telling me my head gasket was blown. I almost ordered the gasket kit when I drove the vehicle on a short 5 mile trip and I found out it was the radiator had a small leak that only leaked when the vehicle was under stress or after it sat for 10min from a hard run. I got really lucky I replaced the radiator and haven't had any trouble since.
Mine ended up being a small water pump gasket leak. I'm glad yours was also not a head gasket.
@@sixtyfiveford yeah I went through that last year also. I'm glad yours wasn't a head gasket also. I'd much rather replace the water pump any day lol.
will a leak coolant into gasket cause engine to blow?
If coolant leaks into crankcase, probably.
Thanks for sharing this video with us.
I just bought a car. The guy changed the water pump so I know at some point they overheated. The car does not over heat and I don't have any smoke I personally can physically see. My buddy was driving behind me and when I floor the pedal he said he say a little grey smoke. Should I be worried?
Grey smoke is generally just carbon buildup blowing out the the muffler that would normally just be settled during normal operation. Most of the time a water pump goes out there's massive leaking people notice far before they overheat the engine.
Hello , thanks for the video. I am having overheating problems with my bmw e46 . I suspected a leak on the pipes and also the head tester appeared to be yellow.... Please I want to know if is the coolant leak causing the overheating or if my head gasket is actually blown.... because I am actually in doubt of the head tester results. Thank you.
A blown head gasket will cause overheating.
did you have to turn on AC or heater when you are doing the test?
No.
Hey brother I had a question I got my first car about a week ago. About 3-4 days ago I started to notice white smoke in my rear view mirror. it only seems to happen when I’m at stop lights as I start accelerating I see the smoke in my mirror after I start accelerating it seems to go away? Any idea what it could be I’m hoping it’s not my head gasket.
If your coolant is not disappearing and is clean, and if after stopping the engine oil on the dipstick is not matte milky, brown, then it's probably not the head gasket.
I’m having the same problem you had on yours i don’t think it’s the head gasket, what did you do to fix the problem?
Mine ended up being a minor leak on the water pump gasket. It was small enough that the engine heat would evaporate it before it could drip to the ground.
Just found your channel, you've got some interesting content, subscribed :)
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
I just retired and would like to see a video walk-around of your RV. Your comments make want one like yours. If you already did the tour video, I'd like the link. Thanks
I haven't done a walk around yet. I should be pulling it out of winterization in the next week or so.
Why do car looses coolant
Hi, I've ford e350, I'm looking for video to change head gasket.. thanks..
so i have a problem. The car engine light came on and gave me a code p2279. When I look up the code it is a vacuum leak however I get some white smoke in the exhaust. It does smell sweet but it doesnt overheat. can you help me
HA! I recognize the TIMMAY plate in the video preview from sitting in traffic in and around Norfolk, Va.
Hi, I collect about 2 Ounces of Steam / Coolant every 400 Miles.... I don't have a Tester.... Do you think that is normal ???? I recently installed an Oil Catch Can and every 400 Miles, I get about 2 Ounces of Liquid in the Can. Mostly it seems like Water / Coolant and barely Oil. Anyone knows that is a Head Gasket Problems ???? THANK YOU !!!
If you live in a humid area, this can just be condensation on the inside of the engine block.
so then where was your coolant going if your head gasket wasnt blown? i have the same problem- coolant level drops but no signs of leaks
Small leak on the water pump gasket.
Good video. I always wanted one of those motor homes and make it 4wd. I know they made a few but not enough.
+57WillysCJ They did and they seam to go for a small fortune when they are 4x4. I decided 8 years ago, when I bought this I wanted something more for cross country travel than camping. But over they years I have wanted to change it to a manual transmission and 4x4 by buying a donor truck.
2002 dodge ram 1500 4.7 v8 no lose of coolant or overheating or white smoke coming from exhaust but grey stuff on the dipstick and oil cap
All oil will get some condensation in it from the oil pan and valve covers. If it only does short drives all the time and doesn't have the ability to get nice and hot for extended periods it will lead to milky residue on the oil cap or top of the dip stick. This can also be due to a too cold of thermostat or stuck open thermostat. If this isn't the case you could catching a very small leak before there is any noticeable radiator fluid level dropping.
I haven't did the test yet,don't think I'm loosing antifreeze either but I smell it from time to time and hear gurgling in my dash
Hey! I just got a 1986 Toyota sun land express, it's blowing white smoke until it's warm, the coolant and oil are disappearing but not visibly. I just traveled 150 miles today, turned it off to use the bathroom, went to start it two minutes later and the engine and exhaust pushed out white smoke while shaking the motor home with its rough attempt to start back up. Any ideas? Head gasket for sure? Maybe a tune up? Maybe valve seals or valve cover gasket? Anything else? Mine only has 70,000 miles on it and it was sitting with the previous owner for a bit.. I also just recently changed the oil and filter about 500 miles ago.
You need to determine if it is Smoke or Steam. Smoke and you're burning oil, Steam and it's coolant. Steam from coolant dissipates pretty fast and is sweet smelling. Smoke is thicker and said to be more blueish white or pure white without dissipating. You can also get steam from water in the gas but it won't smell sweet and generally only happens on cold days when the engine is cold.
Great vid brother, gonna order em a kit right now.
I'm glad the video was helpful.
Autozone must have paid you for advertisement as well as given you a good batch of the test fluid. I have used their fluid on 2 different occasions and can't even get it to change color next to the tailpipe.
Hey I have a 22r with the same symptoms. Did you ever find out what was causing the steam on start up and the slow coolant loss?
Weeping gasket on the water pump.
Your thoughts on the head gasket sealant in a bottle stuff? Any particular brand you'd recommend such as Blue Devil?
+Matthew Korkowski As a basic rule people will talk badly about stuff like this and there is no better solution than to just replace the head gasket. But there is always a time and a place especially if the cost of the repair nears the cost of the car. I have used Head Gasket Sealer before. It is basically sodium silicate, which has the nick name of water glass. You drain the radiator, fill it with water, add the Head Gasket Sealer, run it, drain it all out, and refill with antifreeze. The sodium silicate hardens when it comes in contact with CO2 combustion gases(the leak) and forms a hard, permanent seal. It won't clog up the system and will only harden where it contacts combustion gases. They use the same stuff in metal casting to harden the sand molds and make so it holds up to molten metal. I did it on an old gasoline car that the price to fix was more than it was worth. Last I heard, years later the car was still going strong.
+sixtyfiveford Thank you for the detailed response. I'm in a situation where I think I have a blown head gasket, it's a 2004 Jeep and has 200k in miles so I don't want a thousand dollar repair when something else could just go wrong next. It's a 4.7L V8 with an overhead cam and replacing the head gasket myself to save money is bit beyond my abilities right now.
Dude, you should have check the dipstick first before buying that tester. If there is a questionable rise in the oil level then there is a huge possibility that the loss coolant is going there ; one of the symptoms of a blown head gasket [2019].
Checking the oil is obvious and will turn to milky foam in minutes of running with only a small amount of coolant.
Nice camper.................Lookin for one of those...............TKS for the headgasket info.......CHEERS!
So what does the yellow at the tail pipe mean ?
I had a 1991 Chevrolet Eurosport that blew a head gasket at 13,000 miles (it was under warranty for 12,000 miles). I raised hell with GM, but it didn't do any good. Cost me $2,000 to fix.
That'll ruin your day.
In this same instant
What did make the coolant level go down???
Small leak on the water pump gasket. Engine heat was evaporating the coolant before it could drip into the ground.
So if you do have a head gasket leak you can put the liquid near the tail pipe to test it?
No. You need to use the tester/fluid on the radiator. I only showed it by the tailpipe to show the color it turns when you do have a leak.
So why do you think you've been losing coolant then?
Small leak on water pump gasket.
ok my mom has the 97 escort I noticed this afternoon as she was backing up after the car sat overnight that there was some white smoke coming out the tailpipe how do I tell if it is just steam or you know what
That was likely just condensation built up in the exhaust overnight. Coolant will always stream and have a definite sweet smell coming out of the exhaust.
Hi,,Please,,,is a manifold gasket the same as a head gasket ?? Can you please answer this question ?? I have oil mixed in with my antifreeze in the radiator..THANK-YOU !!!
They are not the same thing. But you can have intake manifold gaskets that mixes oil&coolant and need replacing.
Thanks for the info 65ford !!
HOLD one-you still have the situation of the loss of fluid. SO-could that mean a crack in the block or head-even though you gasket is fine?
+Robin Sauls Older vehicles are more susceptible to loosing fluid through evaporation in the overflow(not sealed nearly as well as newer stuff) and I'm used to it in my 60's and 70's vehicles. The fluid can only go into the combustion chamber(this test eliminates that), into the the engine oil (easily identifiable with visual inspection of the oil), out the side of the block/hose(through a noticeable or hard to find leak) or evaporated out through the overflow tank. When I travel with this I will run 10-15hour stints so I'm holding high engine bay temps for long periods which could lead to overflow tank evaporation. I plan to do a better visual inspection of the engine block etc.
But what if its blown toward the outside of the block. Seems this test would still come up negative.
It would be very obvious if the head gasket was blown outwards.
Great video
I like how you really explain everything
Thank you
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Will this test absolutely determine if the head gasket is bad ?
It will determine if a head gasket is leaking into a coolant passage. You could still have a head gasket leak between two cylinders or directly out the side, that will manifest itself with low compression/power. This is easily tested with a basic compression tester.
sixtyfiveford Thanks for the information,
I appreciate it.
Oil in radiator resovoir but no coolant mixed w motor oil ...starts up normal and no white smoke but after a while overheats and milky goo comes out ....bad oil cooler ?? Or head gasket ??? ..01 ford lightning
Are you sure it's not transmission fluid in the coolant? It's not uncommon for the radiator/transmission cooler to spring a leak. If your Lightning has an oil cooler it is possible it has breached as well and the pressurize oil will hold back the coolant but force oil into the radiator.