Here are the links to the test equipment I used in the video. Combustion Leak Tester: amzn.to/2u9WyLA Coolant system pressure tester: amzn.to/2ptJMlC Headgasket sealer: amzn.to/2ubs9N8
Thanks FRM. My engine is running rough, oil on radiator cap, using/losing water, and #1 plug was "gunked up". I think it's the head gasket, but no bubbles in radiator at idle. Will try your suggestions.
Finally someone here on UA-cam can make a 5 star video. In the past few weeks I've been looking for videos that can help me on my troublesome overheating issue, most of the videos are ok but there're many not worth seeing. My first issue is Background noises, half the time I can't hear the author because of wind noise or compressor running. Sometime other people talking, the worse one was someone was trimming lawn while the author instructing on how to drain the coolant. This video is the best, the engine is running but you can't hear it. The author's voice is clear and in perfect pace. My second complaint is the other videos are moving too fast that give me a headache, half the time I can't see what the author tries to show. Lastly is slow pace and out of order instructions, one author said the word " ..it's like" and "you know" many times, not to mention his accent was in need of subtitle. So this The Flat Rate Mechanic Video will get my Oscar award vote.
you forget majority of comments of people don't know any better, with little to no constructive criticism worthy is the Lamb Revelation 5:13 the fate of the unsaved 2 Esdras 7:100
Actually it's more often cracked head than blown head gasket. Initial sign, in my experience is when you see vapor-like smoke coming from the coolant exp.tank, when you start the engine. Everything is fine, temperature is ok, hoses are ok, pressure inside the cooling system is ok, just there is some smoke there and you can see very thin skim, barely visible, floating on the coolant surface in the exp.tank. Be 99% sure that there is a problem with the engine's head or even a block. It is easy test to perform when you wanna buy a used car. Start the engine with the cap off the exp.tank and watch with the flashlight pointed into coolant. If you see a smoke after 3-4 minutes coming out from there, moreover, if you see that tiny skim in there, be almost sure that you are buying a huge problem. Just get away from that car.
I've got a 2009 Dodge Grand caravan 3.3 I just changed the thermostat and rented a pressure test kit. I've been putting water in it there's no oil in coolant or vice versa but I am getting bubbles from the coolant reservoir. Does this mean mean bad head gasket?
@@mrpaytonsparks no oil in the coolant doesn't mean everything is fine. Bubbles mean there is "communication" between the combustion chamber and the cooling system, which further often means a cracked cylinder head or head gasket if you're lucky. If you have to use the car, at least don't tighten the exp.tank cap all the way, let the pressure escape the cooling system for it can damage all radiators including the cabin radiator, which is usually very difficult to replace.
Thanks for posting about the combustion leak tester. It is rarely mentioned in videos or in forums. Question: Do the leaks *always* go both ways, or only when there is a significant amount of damage to the head gasket? In other words, the most commonly mentioned indicators of head gasket leaks is coolant getting into the engine oil. While significant leaking can be fairly obvious, detecting leaks early can be more difficult because moisture coming from condensation (for example) can create milky coatings similar in appearance. I like that the combustion leak as a test since the gasses wouldn't come from other sources. However, before investing in such a tester, I'm curious if this symptom would be just as reliable to expect no matter how far along the damage is. In theory, it makes sense: in a closed recirculating system, if the fluid going into the engine doesn't continue out of the engine and escapes into the oil mixture, that gasses might instead be sucked into the intended path of the coolant on the other side of the leak. But I'm not a trained mechanic and many of us searching for answers here haven't broken down an engine block to understand the path that fluids and gasses take through one.
In the very beginning it can be a little tricky sometimes. But there will typically be fluid going into the oil, just as there are gasses into the radiator. Usually from someone with a leak in the radiator system running it hot n then filling it with water, thinking they are then ok, only to find out later the head gasket is torn, or possibly even the head it self.
A neat little trick is to recycle the detection fluid by moving out to fresh air and keep pumping the bulb. The fluid turns blue again and can be reused. Not sure how many times you can do it, but I have reused it up to about 5 times or so with reliable results.
Question, you said the only way combustion gas can get into the cooling system is for a failed head gasket.. would a cracked head or crack block also be able to allow combustion gas into the cooling system?
If it's a head gasket would it still start but have lots of smoke white coming out the back? Asking because I have a Honda oddesy and the battery light came on and then it shut off and then I got jumped off and got around the mountain for it to die. Had it towed and they replaced the alternator and I go pick it up and it started and as I pulled out the parking lot , lots of white smoke in the back. So I did a uturn and back in their office . now I'm waiting to see what they say in the morning. He said it could be a head gasket and then later in the evening he said something about the PCV valves. Any advice ? If it was a broken or cracked head gasket would it still start up and drive ? He mentioned PCV valves saying that the way it was towed in might have got oil or something in it. I'm confused 😞
Great video!! Thanks for sharing this with us. I've taken the xoolant exhaust test but found it took a really, really long time the the blue liquid to change green - like 7 or 10mins. When that happens, would you say that could be a crack in the head / block? Or perhaps an incorrectly positioned headgasket? (I.e. not flat cyl head or block mating surfaces)
I had a similiar experience with it... initially stayed blue but i did get some green appearance if left on too long BUT what was happenning after extended periods was the coolant level Rose high enough to get sucked Into the tester and That colored the fluid at that point... so make sure thats Not the case.... the color change should show very quickly if its leaking gases...would not need 8 mins to determine
Well, i dont have bubbles but my radiator hoses get very hard right away after 1st startup... wont run but few mins till over heats.... soo guess I've got bad head or bad head gasket...brand new radiator to... 258 AMC 6 cylinder engine..sound right?? Probably so.
I did the radiator cold start up test. For the first few minutes of running the car , i did see a couple tiny bubbles appearing at the top now and then ( but not consistent ) I let it idle longer for another five minutes or so and the tiny bubbles i saw earlier stopped. 211,600 miles on a 95 Camry. My question is , what could have caused those tiny bubbles to appear at first then stop..
i would guess small amount of air in system. if its a head gasket issue it will usually make the coolant level rise for a few moments bubbles come out an coolant level goes down a little to repeat itself , coolant reservoir will have a gunk stuck on the inside . oil cap might have a milkshake look underneath do to water vapor or after running car around the radiator hose will be rock hard, classic sweet smell from exhaust . continuous loss of coolant from the system needing to be topped off regularly . just a few things that are signs of trouble
Great video, showed me some good things to look for when I was trying to get to the bottom of there being oil in my coolant reservoir. If anyone knows differently please correct me, but I think these tests only show you if your head gasket has a crack/hole/gap from cylinder to one of the coolant pipes in the engine. On my car since I have no exhaust gas in my coolant or pressure, I think I just have a small leak between one of the oil pipes in the engine and one of the coolant pipes. Again if my understanding is mistaken here I'd like to know more. Ran a compression test and that was on the good side of the acceptable range so pretty much confirmed no leak from cylinders to coolant. Still need to replace head gasket though and will replace other seals while I'm at it, but good to know that the problem isn't catastrophic.
Exactly. This test works depending where the gasket gave out. If it's between the cylinders only, this test won't reveal that, other than not changing colors/ reaction. At that point you need a compression or leakdown test. Also look for codes. Between cylinders, it should give you a code. Based on what this video showed; bubbling on cold engine upon removing radiator cap. This is a good indication of faulty head gasket. At that point using this chemical test is the way to go.
I have unfortunately, a 2012 Jaguar XF Supercharged V8 Portfolio Edition. The car has a blown head gasket. Due to the aluminum block I'm also told it would most likely also be damaged. Mechanic said I would need to replace the engine. This would be at a cost of 8-10 thousand dollars. For a car with a value of $13,000 a total waste of money. I spent about $48 at Auto Zone for a bottle of Bars Head Gasket Sealer/Repair. The gasket was leaking into the cylinder and causing the car to run poorly and white smoke out of the driver's side tailpipe. After driving the car with the Bars in it the check engine light went out the engine is running correctly and there is no longer smoke from the tail pipe and no longer leaking engine coolant. Before you replace the head gasket try the Bars especially if like me your going to get rid of the car ASAP! Worked for me, it's supposed to last. Good luck!
not nessessarily they are several ways a head gasket can go not just mixing with oil 1 chamber to chamber 2 chamber to coolant jacket 3 chamber to oil jacket 4 coolant jacket to oil jacket and last but not least a cracked head
I have a 2000 civic. I did the head not to long ago abt 6-7k ago and noticed a crack in the radiator i took the cap off and started the car"it was still hot" and bubbles came out not like that and coolant wouldnt guah out fast but slowly
Great video man..I dig your straight to the point approach. This may sound like a dumb ? but does the combustion tester work with propylene glycol based coolant as well? My '98 Cutlass 3.1L is running great no overheating fuel trims near perfect at idle but LT goes +7 to 10 when I rev it then back down to normal at idle. I'm getting quite a bit of white smoke out the exhaust and p0420 code but I figure that is due to deleted cat. Any advice would be much appreciated.
But yes a C0 tester will work with any coolant. It is testing for combustion gases exiting the cylinder into the coolant system, though the head gasket
Got a question regarding my 2008 Chrysler T&C with the 3.8L. Replaced all hoses and rad cap, brown sludgy stuff on the bottom of cap and inside radiator. Also a gritty substance in the overflow bottle. Oil looks clean, can’t check trans fluid, no overheating. Just a weird smell when running. It uses that yellow/orange coolant. I’m suspicious of a HG problem, but I’ve never had a Chrysler or used this coolant before. 127k on the odo.
Scotty Kilmer didn't mention checking the cold engine to see if the hoses are hard, and he didn't mention checking for bubbles. He jumped right to the test kit, and his Amazon link.
I work a job, using my own vehicle, mostly just idling for 12 hours, for 3 days a week,... can this cause a blown head gasket? It's a 2003 Honda Odyssey. Thanks
I have a van thats had the radiator cap, radiator hoses, radiator and thermostat replaced. One day itll overheat after driving 3 miles, the next day I can drive all day with no overheating. Im confused and have no idea whats wrong because it happens sporadically.
1996 GMC Suburban 2500 SLT 7.4L - radiator and reservoir full of grey, thick sludge big-time.... Although the truck runs great, the two dipsticks are fine... Oil looks like oil, trans fluid looks like trans fluid.... Some say oil cooler is problem, I am STUMPED HERE iN PHOENIX ARIZONA... HELP.... Thx, JSW
on my 02 yoda cam with the standard 4cyl eng I have started to take notice of a burnt metal like smell from the exhaust. Any idea to what might cause this smell? I hate to think of the worse case such as a blown engine but.... I'm hoping my eng in not totally gone.. my teenager told me the engine over heated. I'm in the process of going over the engine with different steps via UA-cam vids
I would not recommend headgasket sealer. Can work as a bandaid in some cases but if you plan on keeping the car will only cause more problems down the road. Blocking coolant flow and plugged radiators. You will never be able to get that stuff out.
If it's blown you will have water in your oil. your dipstick will have a frothy oil on it, will look like espresso froth. Drain your sump when the engine is cold. you can drain the water in the bottom sitting below the oil. The engine will actually still work fine with over a litre of water in your sump.
thats not true you can have a bad head gasket an not have milkshake oil just like having milkshake oil doesnt mean head gasket failure 100% of the time. it depends on where the gasket failed
@@gerhardlourens7930 , again not true it can happen with a bad intake manifold gasket , oil cooler failure or at a oil cooler adapter like fords have where the oil filter is . head gasket is just 1 possibility out of a few for water n oil to contaminate each other
@@gerhardlourens7930 As Cody said, depends where the gasket failed. If it was from piston oil area to coolant area/passage, yes. If it's only between pistons, you also have a failed gasket, but since oil hasn't mixed with coolant, you won't get that milky foam effect. That's why there are multiple ways to test for bad head gaskets.
Thank you for the video! I did the chemical test on my essence car and it turns dark green, but not yellow. Do you think it means there is carbone dioxide in my coolant system (and thus probably a blown head gasket)?
I have a 2011 Ford Taurus sel. 100k miles. I checked my collant tank last night and it’s milk shake.i checked my oil it’s clean and look like regular oil. Can a tranny cooler line cause this or is fashore the engine cooler? Car doesn’t over heat or leak on the ground nor does the engine loose power.
If it's reddish in color it would be a bad tranny cooler if its more oily color it would be and oil color. Both of which are part of your radiator on that car if I'm not mistaken.
If the intake gasket is leaking you will typically see coolant on the ground or in the engine oil. intake gasket leak on its own will not cause an overheating problem until the coolant gets low. Headgasket can cause overheating even if the coolant is full.
@@FlatRateMechanic It's not overheating and there is no visible coolant. What test can I do to make sure it's the intake. The reason I say this is because I was doing maintenance on the throttle body and I removed the plenum and I saw some moisture in it. Then I checked the sparkplugs and there was visible coolant burning on the spark plugs. This is on a 2000 Accord v6. Thanks a million for talking the time to answer. God bless.
@@rudymunoz901 I have work on many of those engines over the years and have never seen any intake gasket problems. Its not uncommon to build up some moisture in intake due to blow-by from the crankcase, if there are no other symptoms and car is not using coolant or overheating I would not be too concerned.
@@FlatRateMechanic Well.. I have noticed some coolant loss in the reservoir before, it's minor, about a full reservoir in a month. And it does not give me 23mi on the gallon anymore. only 20mi on the gallon and I have Noticed Some power loss. I thought this was normal being such an old car and having 200kmi but after watching Your video and noticing the sparkplugs contaminated with burned coolant and not being able to get rid of the air in the radiator, it adds up. 🤔I was thinking I replaced the iac sensor about 3 months ago and reused the same gasket, can that leak in to the combustion chamber? I just want to discard any possibility before I commit to fixing half of an engine. Again thanks a million And God bless you.
Yes, but your car will still overheat. The coolant will all boil over and out. Having the system under pressure increases the boiling point of the coolant. With the cap off your coolant would start boiling at normal engine temp.
What if you have small little bubbles instead of big bubbles I have alot of little bubbles however I just rebuild the engine and just drove it home and starting noticing this
This was donee on a impala 3.4L if im correct, how long was the car able to run for before over heating? I have a 2004 Chevy Impala 3.4L that is over heating about 20 mins of running even after i replaced the thermostat, Bypassed heater(heater core doesnt work) replaced hoses, replaced the radiator cap, flushed the system and put new coolant in. I am not sure on how to properly bleed the system. Are you able to give me some advice ? The bottom of my oild lid isnt milkly and neither is my oil, i dont see any external leaks. When i shut the car off the resevoir starts filling up.
You mean the temperature gauge? Lower is better. If it rises much above halfway usually there is a problem. All the way to the right could mean engine damage and shutting the vehicle off is advised.
but also if it doesn't move after the car has warmed up that either means your thermostat is no longer working and is stuck open or your coolant sensor is no longer working... also if your thermostat is stuck open there's a good chance your heat doesn't blow as hot as it usually does.. either way both of them are easy fixes very easy
if it is gm 3.1/3.4/3.8 and original plastic head gasket ,you just change it,they last between 50K to 70K miles if you are lucky,the knew it and never recalled it,and no the problem is not dex cool orange coolant
I have a 94 Ford ranger with the 3.0 v6 Everytime you drive it it will push the coolant to the overflow tank but don't pull back to radiator I can't figure it out it's driving me nuts.
@@anthonyyoung7344 Is it overheating? it's possible that the cap does not seal internally for some reason. Expesily if the radiator has been replace at one point in the truck's life "aftermarket radiator" If it's not overheating Maybe try different brand cap. Or in very rare cases head gasket can be leaking combustion gas into coolant with no overheating symptoms. The extra combustion gas affects the pressure and siphoning effect that takes place.
@@FlatRateMechanic yeah I put a new factory replacement radiator and cap on the truck it doesn't get hot just pushes the coolant from the radiator to the overflow tank.
@@anthonyyoung7344 Very interesting. I would still try a second cap if you haven't already. If so then I'm afraid it must have a start of a head gasket problem. I would like to know what you find if it is something else. Keep us posted. Thanks. It would need to have some kind of leak, whether it be air or coolant. From the sounds of it, it is air. causing the system not to hold vac as is cooling off and retracts, which is what pulls the coolant back in from the overflow.
Cylinder Head Gaskets rarely FAIL! Invariably they are first damaged and then no longer can do the job they were designed for. Worn out Water Pumps a prime cause of coolant loss although there are many other reasons for coolant loss. When coolant loss reaches critical low level engine overheats. Excess heat damages engine components and one of the first to be damaged is the poor old Cylinder Head Gasket. Many modern car uses have little under the bonnet understanding, Clueless. I have known car users drive on when clearly something is wrong and not only is the CHG damaged, but the Plastic Inlet Manifolds have actually melted from excess heat and soon after the car grinds to a halt with a seized solid engine. Have rescued two work colleagues' cars suffering that demise. So check the condition and the level of the coolant on your car. As well as other checks recommended by ALL automotive manufacturers. There are many valid reasons for doing that, including serious safety issues. It aint Rocket Science.
R.L. Strange if yo watched or googled how people learn you wild know that everyone is different dumbass. Just because your knowledge is more than that if the person doesn’t mean there stupid.
Question, wouldnt you be able to hear its not running on all cylinders (blown headgasket) by simply cranking it? The cranking sound changes when a cylinder doesnt have compression
Good video, but next time you're about to shoot footage, take a bit more time to think about where and how the camera should be pointed. Quality information and just a bit more camera practice and you'll be getting loads of viewers!
Please help, 2019 mustang ecoboost 20k miles, Car runs fine, Little rough on startup, No bubbles in radiator Cylinder 4 misfire, No milky sludge on oil cap Does not overheat and there's a clear coolant leak under the reservoir and white smoke, Started out of nowhere last night after driving the car and It was sitting for a while went to start it up and got a shit ton of white smoke
That will tell you if the leak is from the coolant ways into the oilways. If the leak is only from the coolant ways into the combustion chambers then that won't affect the oil in any way, so no.
the only think i can think is head gasket is a huge scam is a nightmare for a car owner to deal with this small issue but really expensive repair this gasket should be strang enough to never be replace it
Often times the problem isn't the gasket itself, but too much heat causing the cylinder head or block to warp, and then the gasket can't do what it is designed to do.
He's telling u basically the water pumped failed which caused the engine to overheat thus warping the cylinder heads that's why it's a blown head gasket
My 99 cavalier has combustion gas coming through the overflow tank, when You rev the engine, the engine runs fine tho, you can smell the combustion gas.
Here are the links to the test equipment I used in the video.
Combustion Leak Tester: amzn.to/2u9WyLA
Coolant system pressure tester: amzn.to/2ptJMlC
Headgasket sealer: amzn.to/2ubs9N8
3
Thanks FRM. My engine is running rough, oil on radiator cap, using/losing water, and #1 plug was "gunked up". I think it's the head gasket, but no bubbles in radiator at idle. Will try your suggestions.
What about a cracked head
Finally someone here on UA-cam can make a 5 star video. In the past few weeks I've been looking for videos that can help me on my troublesome overheating issue, most of the videos are ok but there're many not worth seeing. My first issue is Background noises, half the time I can't hear the author because of wind noise or compressor running. Sometime other people talking, the worse one was someone was trimming lawn while the author instructing on how to drain the coolant. This video is the best, the engine is running but you can't hear it. The author's voice is clear and in perfect pace. My second complaint is the other videos are moving too fast that give me a headache, half the time I can't see what the author tries to show. Lastly is slow pace and out of order instructions, one author said the word " ..it's like" and "you know" many times, not to mention his accent was in need of subtitle. So this The Flat Rate Mechanic
Video will get my Oscar award vote.
Thank you very much.
Steve also check your ignition timing
It's cuz your brain dead & shouldn't be working on cars if you don't "you know"
you forget majority of comments of people don't know any better, with little to no constructive criticism
worthy is the Lamb
Revelation 5:13
the fate of the unsaved
2 Esdras 7:100
@@tomburch7117 P0175
P0172.p0446
Never seen a double stacked tester. Mine is a simple single one! Lots of good advice like test warm and give a little gas if you can’t detect at idle.
Actually it's more often cracked head than blown head gasket. Initial sign, in my experience is when you see vapor-like smoke coming from the coolant exp.tank, when you start the engine. Everything is fine, temperature is ok, hoses are ok, pressure inside the cooling system is ok, just there is some smoke there and you can see very thin skim, barely visible, floating on the coolant surface in the exp.tank. Be 99% sure that there is a problem with the engine's head or even a block. It is easy test to perform when you wanna buy a used car. Start the engine with the cap off the exp.tank and watch with the flashlight pointed into coolant. If you see a smoke after 3-4 minutes coming out from there, moreover, if you see that tiny skim in there, be almost sure that you are buying a huge problem. Just get away from that car.
2 Esdras 7:100
I've got a 2009 Dodge Grand caravan 3.3 I just changed the thermostat and rented a pressure test kit. I've been putting water in it there's no oil in coolant or vice versa but I am getting bubbles from the coolant reservoir. Does this mean mean bad head gasket?
@@mrpaytonsparks no oil in the coolant doesn't mean everything is fine. Bubbles mean there is "communication" between the combustion chamber and the cooling system, which further often means a cracked cylinder head or head gasket if you're lucky. If you have to use the car, at least don't tighten the exp.tank cap all the way, let the pressure escape the cooling system for it can damage all radiators including the cabin radiator, which is usually very difficult to replace.
Thanks for posting about the combustion leak tester. It is rarely mentioned in videos or in forums. Question: Do the leaks *always* go both ways, or only when there is a significant amount of damage to the head gasket? In other words, the most commonly mentioned indicators of head gasket leaks is coolant getting into the engine oil. While significant leaking can be fairly obvious, detecting leaks early can be more difficult because moisture coming from condensation (for example) can create milky coatings similar in appearance. I like that the combustion leak as a test since the gasses wouldn't come from other sources. However, before investing in such a tester, I'm curious if this symptom would be just as reliable to expect no matter how far along the damage is. In theory, it makes sense: in a closed recirculating system, if the fluid going into the engine doesn't continue out of the engine and escapes into the oil mixture, that gasses might instead be sucked into the intended path of the coolant on the other side of the leak. But I'm not a trained mechanic and many of us searching for answers here haven't broken down an engine block to understand the path that fluids and gasses take through one.
In the very beginning it can be a little tricky sometimes. But there will typically be fluid going into the oil, just as there are gasses into the radiator. Usually from someone with a leak in the radiator system running it hot n then filling it with water, thinking they are then ok, only to find out later the head gasket is torn, or possibly even the head it self.
the testers can be rented at most auto shops like autozone.. u need only purchase the fluid
Good to now bud what about burnt coolent smell is that head gasket failure to or just overheating problem
Nice video.
Would not a cracked cylinder head or a cylinder liner also be capable of allowing combustuon gasses to escape in ro the cooling system?
A neat little trick is to recycle the detection fluid by moving out to fresh air and keep pumping the bulb.
The fluid turns blue again and can be reused.
Not sure how many times you can do it, but I have reused it up to about 5 times or so with reliable results.
Good trick!
Fuck going to you to get a test....
Dude, I LOVE the intro it brought me back to old school Need For Speed days!
Haha
Question, you said the only way combustion gas can get into the cooling system is for a failed head gasket.. would a cracked head or crack block also be able to allow combustion gas into the cooling system?
If it's a head gasket would it still start but have lots of smoke white coming out the back? Asking because I have a Honda oddesy and the battery light came on and then it shut off and then I got jumped off and got around the mountain for it to die. Had it towed and they replaced the alternator and I go pick it up and it started and as I pulled out the parking lot , lots of white smoke in the back. So I did a uturn and back in their office . now I'm waiting to see what they say in the morning. He said it could be a head gasket and then later in the evening he said something about the PCV valves. Any advice ? If it was a broken or cracked head gasket would it still start up and drive ? He mentioned PCV valves saying that the way it was towed in might have got oil or something in it. I'm confused 😞
Great video!! Thanks for sharing this with us.
I've taken the xoolant exhaust test but found it took a really, really long time the the blue liquid to change green - like 7 or 10mins. When that happens, would you say that could be a crack in the head / block? Or perhaps an incorrectly positioned headgasket? (I.e. not flat cyl head or block mating surfaces)
I had a similiar experience with it... initially stayed blue but i did get some green appearance if left on too long BUT what was happenning after extended periods was the coolant level Rose high enough to get sucked Into the tester and That colored the fluid at that point... so make sure thats Not the case.... the color change should show very quickly if its leaking gases...would not need 8 mins to determine
Thanks for sharing you expertise on head gasket issue.
God bless
You determined the head gasket is bad based on the CO test but could it not have actually been a cracked head?
It could be, but there is no way to differentiate the two without taking the head off
Well, i dont have bubbles but my radiator hoses get very hard right away after 1st startup... wont run but few mins till over heats.... soo guess I've got bad head or bad head gasket...brand new radiator to... 258 AMC 6 cylinder engine..sound right?? Probably so.
I did the radiator cold start up test. For the first few minutes of running the car , i did see a couple tiny bubbles appearing at the top now and then ( but not consistent ) I let it idle longer for another five minutes or so and the tiny bubbles i saw earlier stopped. 211,600 miles on a 95 Camry. My question is , what could have caused those tiny bubbles to appear at first then stop..
i would guess small amount of air in system. if its a head gasket issue it will usually make the coolant level rise for a few moments bubbles come out an coolant level goes down a little to repeat itself , coolant reservoir will have a gunk stuck on the inside . oil cap might have a milkshake look underneath do to water vapor or after running car around the radiator hose will be rock hard, classic sweet smell from exhaust . continuous loss of coolant from the system needing to be topped off regularly . just a few things that are signs of trouble
Great video, showed me some good things to look for when I was trying to get to the bottom of there being oil in my coolant reservoir. If anyone knows differently please correct me, but I think these tests only show you if your head gasket has a crack/hole/gap from cylinder to one of the coolant pipes in the engine. On my car since I have no exhaust gas in my coolant or pressure, I think I just have a small leak between one of the oil pipes in the engine and one of the coolant pipes. Again if my understanding is mistaken here I'd like to know more. Ran a compression test and that was on the good side of the acceptable range so pretty much confirmed no leak from cylinders to coolant. Still need to replace head gasket though and will replace other seals while I'm at it, but good to know that the problem isn't catastrophic.
Exactly. This test works depending where the gasket gave out. If it's between the cylinders only, this test won't reveal that, other than not changing colors/ reaction. At that point you need a compression or leakdown test. Also look for codes. Between cylinders, it should give you a code. Based on what this video showed; bubbling on cold engine upon removing radiator cap. This is a good indication of faulty head gasket. At that point using this chemical test is the way to go.
I have unfortunately, a 2012 Jaguar XF Supercharged V8 Portfolio Edition. The car has a blown head gasket. Due to the aluminum block I'm also told it would most likely also be damaged. Mechanic said I would need to replace the engine. This would be at a cost of 8-10 thousand dollars. For a car with a value of $13,000 a total waste of money.
I spent about $48 at Auto Zone for a bottle of Bars Head Gasket Sealer/Repair. The gasket was leaking into the cylinder and causing the car to run poorly and white smoke out of the driver's side tailpipe.
After driving the car with the Bars in it the check engine light went out the engine is running correctly and there is no longer smoke from the tail pipe and no longer leaking engine coolant. Before you replace the head gasket try the Bars especially if like me your going to get rid of the car ASAP! Worked for me, it's supposed to last.
Good luck!
Hurry and trade the car in that stuff buys you a couple months probably it's not a permanent fix
Blown head gasket ...it means that the coolant is squeezing through the gasket seal into the oil in the overhead cam right...??
not nessessarily they are several ways a head gasket can go not just mixing with oil
1 chamber to chamber
2 chamber to coolant jacket
3 chamber to oil jacket
4 coolant jacket to oil jacket
and last but not least a cracked head
Thank you. Great information.
Can a blown head gasket allow water to to go into your oil , indicated by the dipstick showing you got more oil than you need ?
Indeed
I have a 2000 civic. I did the head not to long ago abt 6-7k ago and noticed a crack in the radiator i took the cap off and started the car"it was still hot" and bubbles came out not like that and coolant wouldnt guah out fast but slowly
Great video man..I dig your straight to the point approach. This may sound like a dumb ? but does the combustion tester work with propylene glycol based coolant as well? My '98 Cutlass 3.1L is running great no overheating fuel trims near perfect at idle but LT goes +7 to 10 when I rev it then back down to normal at idle. I'm getting quite a bit of white smoke out the exhaust and p0420 code but I figure that is due to deleted cat. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Not that out of the ordinary for the fuel trims the go + of idle. Hard to say
Why not try it my guess would be yes since that liquid changed color when it detects exhaust gasses I don’t think the type of coolant would matter
But yes a C0 tester will work with any coolant. It is testing for combustion gases exiting the cylinder into the coolant system, though the head gasket
Got a question regarding my 2008 Chrysler T&C with the 3.8L.
Replaced all hoses and rad cap, brown sludgy stuff on the bottom of cap and inside radiator. Also a gritty substance in the overflow bottle. Oil looks clean, can’t check trans fluid, no overheating. Just a weird smell when running. It uses that yellow/orange coolant. I’m suspicious of a HG problem, but I’ve never had a Chrysler or used this coolant before. 127k on the odo.
we never got the beginning of the story. why did you replace the hoses and cap?
excellent video
Great video. I will try it. My Jeep liberty and absorbing a lot of coolant without leaks detected
Great job dude
My cadi ct5 doesn’t have a radiator cap… can this test be done using coolant tank?
Yes
What if my radiator doesn't have a tab to open up, can I look in the coolant system and see if bubbles are forming there?
If your radiator doesn't have a cap that means that it would use a pressured exspantion bottle and yes you could look in there as well.
straight to the point! right on!
Scotty Kilmer didn't mention checking the cold engine to see if the hoses are hard, and he didn't mention checking for bubbles. He jumped right to the test kit, and his Amazon link.
I work a job, using my own vehicle, mostly just idling for 12 hours, for 3 days a week,... can this cause a blown head gasket? It's a 2003 Honda Odyssey. Thanks
I have a 99 regal white smoke out the tailpipe not overheating but resrvoir does bubble up
I have a van thats had the radiator cap, radiator hoses, radiator and thermostat replaced. One day itll overheat after driving 3 miles, the next day I can drive all day with no overheating. Im confused and have no idea whats wrong because it happens sporadically.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
1996 GMC Suburban 2500 SLT 7.4L - radiator and reservoir full of grey, thick sludge big-time.... Although the truck runs great, the two dipsticks are fine... Oil looks like oil, trans fluid looks like trans fluid.... Some say oil cooler is problem, I am STUMPED HERE iN PHOENIX ARIZONA... HELP....
Thx,
JSW
Yes, I would agree, radiator should be replaced.
alot of times those have an oil cooler or heat exchanger that leaks oil into the coolant its probably that. time to dig deeper looks like.
Cars 40 years ago and the job is easy. 2019 junk it.
what if you oil isn't discolored or your not overheating but your losing oil from the engine
Oil leak
on my 02 yoda cam with the standard 4cyl eng I have started to take notice of a burnt metal like smell from the exhaust. Any idea to what might cause this smell? I hate to think of the worse case such as a blown engine but.... I'm hoping my eng in not totally gone.. my teenager told me the engine over heated. I'm in the process of going over the engine with different steps via UA-cam vids
Not one mention of possible cracked head or cylinder?
Did you recommend any head gasket sealer?
I would not recommend headgasket sealer. Can work as a bandaid in some cases but if you plan on keeping the car will only cause more problems down the road. Blocking coolant flow and plugged radiators. You will never be able to get that stuff out.
@@FlatRateMechanic Bars fix a gasket repaired a 67 Fairlane....
Still running after 23 years!
@@artdude2823 what's the name of the sealer you used ??
@@artdude2823 must not get driven much
Blue Devil head gasket sealer is the best head gasket sealer you can buy and comes with a money-back guarantee
If it's blown you will have water in your oil. your dipstick will have a frothy oil on it, will look like espresso froth. Drain your sump when the engine is cold. you can drain the water in the bottom sitting below the oil. The engine will actually still work fine with over a litre of water in your sump.
thats not true you can have a bad head gasket an not have milkshake oil just like having milkshake oil doesnt mean head gasket failure 100% of the time. it depends on where the gasket failed
@@codyramos3200 There is only one place the oil and water can mix, that is at the head gasket.
@@gerhardlourens7930 , again not true it can happen with a bad intake manifold gasket , oil cooler failure or at a oil cooler adapter like fords have where the oil filter is . head gasket is just 1 possibility out of a few for water n oil to contaminate each other
@@gerhardlourens7930
As Cody said, depends where the gasket failed. If it was from piston oil area to coolant area/passage, yes. If it's only between pistons, you also have a failed gasket, but since oil hasn't mixed with coolant, you won't get that milky foam effect. That's why there are multiple ways to test for bad head gaskets.
thanks for the treaching of this!!!
Thank you for the video! I did the chemical test on my essence car and it turns dark green, but not yellow. Do you think it means there is carbone dioxide in my coolant system (and thus probably a blown head gasket)?
maybey the coolant is too old or broken down for the test to work.
Does the testing fluid work for testing a diesel for a blown head gasket?
Yes it does, Diesel engines also generate carbon dioxide. that is what makes the fluid go yellow
I wrecked my truck. And when i turned it on 3 weeks later it was smoking... Then it stoped smoking. But its smoking very little. Can that b the motor?
Really hard to say. Smoke can be caused by many things. Is it white, black or a blueish smoke?
@@FlatRateMechanic its white smoke
White smoke would typically mean coolant if it has a sweet smell to it.
@@FlatRateMechanic the oil has a gas smell
@@nataliearcos4349 raw fuel can cause white and smoke too. What kind of truck is it
I have a 2019 Nissan Sentra and when I run for awhile it transfer's all the antifreeze from the radiator to the coolant is that normal
What???
I have smoke that comes out alot on a cold start but when my car warms up it goes away it doesn't look normal
I have a 2011 Ford Taurus sel. 100k miles.
I checked my collant tank last night and it’s milk shake.i checked my oil it’s clean and look like regular oil. Can a tranny cooler line cause this or is fashore the engine cooler? Car doesn’t over heat or leak on the ground nor does the engine loose power.
If it's reddish in color it would be a bad tranny cooler if its more oily color it would be and oil color. Both of which are part of your radiator on that car if I'm not mistaken.
If is not maxing it just the water came back to the water bottle what is the problem
How can you tell if it's a intake gasket leak from a head gasket leak? If the bubble symptoms are the same.
If the intake gasket is leaking you will typically see coolant on the ground or in the engine oil. intake gasket leak on its own will not cause an overheating problem until the coolant gets low. Headgasket can cause overheating even if the coolant is full.
@@FlatRateMechanic
It's not overheating and there is no visible coolant. What test can I do to make sure it's the intake.
The reason I say this is because I was doing maintenance on the throttle body and I removed the plenum and I saw some moisture in it. Then I checked the sparkplugs and there was visible coolant burning on the spark plugs. This is on a 2000 Accord v6.
Thanks a million for talking the time to answer. God bless.
@@rudymunoz901 I have work on many of those engines over the years and have never seen any intake gasket problems. Its not uncommon to build up some moisture in intake due to blow-by from the crankcase, if there are no other symptoms and car is not using coolant or overheating I would not be too concerned.
@@FlatRateMechanic
Well.. I have noticed some coolant loss in the reservoir before, it's minor, about a full reservoir in a month. And it does not give me 23mi on the gallon anymore. only 20mi on the gallon and I have Noticed Some power loss. I thought this was normal being such an old car and having 200kmi but after watching
Your video and noticing the sparkplugs contaminated with burned coolant and not being able to get rid of the air in the radiator, it adds up.
🤔I was thinking I replaced the iac sensor about 3 months ago and reused the same gasket, can that leak in to the combustion chamber? I just want to discard any possibility before I commit to fixing half of an engine.
Again thanks a million
And God bless you.
Does it matter? You have to replace all the gaskets to get to any of them. You can't reuse them after disassembly anyway
I got same problem on m'y mini Cooper the liquid stay Blue is not head gasket in my case
How much did the repair cost the customer ?
Great Video
What it the coolant is rising with cold engine and the cap off but there's no bubbles
Hi i got a toyota hiace 2006 version overheated and blown the gasket after reassembly it wont start . please advice
incorrect mechanic. replace mechanic and start over.
Dose keeping water coolant lid lose stop pressure build up in head??
Yes, but your car will still overheat. The coolant will all boil over and out. Having the system under pressure increases the boiling point of the coolant. With the cap off your coolant would start boiling at normal engine temp.
How long do you have to let the car idle at cold start to notice any bubbles ? I would assume just a few minutes ?
it can bubble any time it wants to through the warmup cycle and usually its not very noticeable unless you have a helper "power brake" it a bit.
any time it will do it
What if you have small little bubbles instead of big bubbles I have alot of little bubbles however I just rebuild the engine and just drove it home and starting noticing this
Great video straightforward
Mine passed all these tests except for white smoke coming out of the tailpipe and a sweet smell
This was donee on a impala 3.4L if im correct, how long was the car able to run for before over heating? I have a 2004 Chevy Impala 3.4L that is over heating about 20 mins of running even after i replaced the thermostat, Bypassed heater(heater core doesnt work) replaced hoses, replaced the radiator cap, flushed the system and put new coolant in. I am not sure on how to properly bleed the system. Are you able to give me some advice ? The bottom of my oild lid isnt milkly and neither is my oil, i dont see any external leaks. When i shut the car off the resevoir starts filling up.
water pump wit car idling pinch radiator hose if you dont feel any thing moving thru its probably wp
0:16 if the white indicator is in the middle towards the 140, is it a bad sign?
You mean the temperature gauge? Lower is better. If it rises much above halfway usually there is a problem. All the way to the right could mean engine damage and shutting the vehicle off is advised.
but also if it doesn't move after the car has warmed up that either means your thermostat is no longer working and is stuck open or your coolant sensor is no longer working... also if your thermostat is stuck open there's a good chance your heat doesn't blow as hot as it usually does.. either way both of them are easy fixes very easy
if it is gm 3.1/3.4/3.8 and original plastic head gasket ,you just change it,they last between 50K to 70K miles if you are lucky,the knew it and never recalled it,and no the problem is not dex cool orange coolant
wrong gasket buddy
No white smoke hoses not hard no leaks change water pump and Thermostat but still getting bubbles 2013 chev Malibu
My 89 Sierra blows white smoke when I rev it how could I fix that
Blowing white smoke indicates an Oil Leak if I remember correctly. Fix the leak wherever it is and your problem should go away
I have a 94 Ford ranger with the 3.0 v6 Everytime you drive it it will push the coolant to the overflow tank but don't pull back to radiator I can't figure it out it's driving me nuts.
Bad radiator cap my freind. Not much else that can cause that.
@@FlatRateMechanic I thought the same thing so I put a new one on still dose the same thing.
@@anthonyyoung7344 Is it overheating? it's possible that the cap does not seal internally for some reason. Expesily if the radiator has been replace at one point in the truck's life "aftermarket radiator" If it's not overheating Maybe try different brand cap. Or in very rare cases head gasket can be leaking combustion gas into coolant with no overheating symptoms. The extra combustion gas affects the pressure and siphoning effect that takes place.
@@FlatRateMechanic yeah I put a new factory replacement radiator and cap on the truck it doesn't get hot just pushes the coolant from the radiator to the overflow tank.
@@anthonyyoung7344 Very interesting. I would still try a second cap if you haven't already. If so then I'm afraid it must have a start of a head gasket problem. I would like to know what you find if it is something else. Keep us posted. Thanks. It would need to have some kind of leak, whether it be air or coolant. From the sounds of it, it is air. causing the system not to hold vac as is cooling off and retracts, which is what pulls the coolant back in from the overflow.
If the temperature alert light turns on does mean absolutely the engine is damaged ?!
not absolutely, just likely. have a good pro check it out to find out.
What if it keeps bubbling when burping and passes the test
Cylinder Head Gaskets rarely FAIL! Invariably they are first damaged and then no longer can do the job they were designed for. Worn out Water Pumps a prime cause of coolant loss although there are many other reasons for coolant loss.
When coolant loss reaches critical low level engine overheats. Excess heat damages engine components and one of the first to be damaged is the poor old Cylinder Head Gasket.
Many modern car uses have little under the bonnet understanding, Clueless. I have known car users drive on when clearly something is wrong and not only is the CHG damaged, but the Plastic Inlet Manifolds have actually melted from excess heat and soon after the car grinds to a halt with a seized solid engine. Have rescued two work colleagues' cars suffering that demise.
So check the condition and the level of the coolant on your car. As well as other checks recommended by ALL automotive manufacturers. There are many valid reasons for doing that, including serious safety issues. It aint Rocket Science.
If u have a blown head gasket does it over heat ?
Yes
Yes
Duh
If you watched the video or googled one time you would know, fuckin tool
R.L. Strange if yo watched or googled how people learn you wild know that everyone is different dumbass. Just because your knowledge is more than that if the person doesn’t mean there stupid.
The bubbles coming from the radiator cap could just mean air is escaping. that's how you burp the system, to get the air out. It could just be air.
Very informative
Those engines 3.4 have plastic intake gaskets that leak oil and coolant as well....
BULLSHIT. That is the 3.8 L V6 made by Buick that has the plastic intake that one is aluminum and it's a piece of shit I wouldn't own a 3/4 or 3-1
You are wrong 3.8 L V6 made by Buick has plastic intake that is aluminum biggest piece of shit GM ever built don't buy one
Question, wouldnt you be able to hear its not running on all cylinders (blown headgasket) by simply cranking it? The cranking sound changes when a cylinder doesnt have compression
Nope, mine runs great except bubbling and getting hot when not moving. Just got the kit to test combustion leak
@@MartinSage yes it depends on the size of the leak
cool graphic in the beginning
I feel like I’m going crazy. My car passed all these tests, yet I’m losing coolant with no drip. I also don’t have any overheating
Radiator cap?
I don't have bubbles but don't have pressure
Pressure is normal on a hot engine. Not on a cold on.
I used to own a 1994 Ford Ranger with a 3.0l v6 and the head gaskets took a shit in that truck my engine oil was like a milkshake !!!! 😠😠😠😠
Good video, but next time you're about to shoot footage, take a bit more time to think about where and how the camera should be pointed. Quality information and just a bit more camera practice and you'll be getting loads of viewers!
Thanks a lot man. Appreciate the feed back!
I don’t think it will change viewers but maybe like and dislikes. People looking Up this info are trying to absorb as much as possible.
@@JohnDoe-mp1zk nice
What does it mean if all the coolant leaks out
You have a leak somewhere
Possibly a bad thermostat or heater core if coolant leaks into the floor/carpet in the car
Please help, 2019 mustang ecoboost 20k miles, Car runs fine, Little rough on startup, No bubbles in radiator Cylinder 4 misfire, No milky sludge on oil cap Does not overheat and there's a clear coolant leak under the reservoir and white smoke, Started out of nowhere last night after driving the car and It was sitting for a while went to start it up and got a shit ton of white smoke
Can't you just look at the dipstick to see if there's water in the oil?
That will tell you if the leak is from the coolant ways into the oilways. If the leak is only from the coolant ways into the combustion chambers then that won't affect the oil in any way, so no.
Not always, my oil is clean but bubbles in radiator
the only think i can think is head gasket is a huge scam is a nightmare for a car owner to deal with this small issue but really expensive repair this gasket should be strang enough to never be replace it
Often times the problem isn't the gasket itself, but too much heat causing the cylinder head or block to warp, and then the gasket can't do what it is designed to do.
My car isn't running hot but my top hose has to much pressure on it
when? after its cold?
If there is pressure on a cold engine you definitely got a problem. Nermal for a hot engine.
@@FlatRateMechanic when it warms up the radiator hose gets tight
@@shakeen583 normal
So u don't want to open radiator when motor is hot ? Oh shit I've been doing that tY
Exhaust test against a blue car didn't exactly help your case. Until you zoomed in there.....
And to think all this time I checked the dipstick to see if the oil is milky I'm such a dumbass
Atomatic blowing black smoke at top gear
What if car won't start
he said "sucking apparatus " lol
Blown head gasket or not. All vehices can create bubbles, even new vehicles! Duh..
He did say he was doing the CO test to see if it was just air bubbles or combustion gasses causing the bubbles.
Let's see if you can do a better video Jeff nations you prick
thats why good mechanics are worth money. they can tell the difference
Thats koo man I lile that they made the tester like that
Awesome, glad video helped out!
That's why I love about Chevys you can blow the head gaskets and they still run until they overheat again lol
Literally any car can do that. Just depends on how bad it’s popped.
slamdeathgrindmachine I love piles of shit too, but I won’t roll in it
Buy a used Pontiac and you will know right away.
Testing for Carbon Monoxide at the exhaust pipe???? Funny
guy wasnt testing the exhaust he was doing that to show what the blue fluid in tester is reacting with
thats an old trick too use the sniffer form the gas analyzer in the area of the radiator filler neck to pick up co or hc or co2
@6:30 he states for anyone doubting the test kit then shows testing of the fluid to confirm it's legit n not past the expiration date 8]
But at first u said it was the water pump...which is it?
He's telling u basically the water pumped failed which caused the engine to overheat thus warping the cylinder heads that's why it's a blown head gasket
Who has rusty shit in their radiator
I thought that was the orange Dex Cool coolant that GM vehicles use.
Chevy cars are such shit now
My 99 cavalier has combustion gas coming through the overflow tank, when You rev the engine, the engine runs fine tho, you can smell the combustion gas.