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Early sign of blown head gasket?


JackFletcher
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Is your coolant low? Are you having to top it up frequently? If the head gasket is leaking coolant into the engine and making a mess, that coolant has to come from somewhere. If the coolant level is stable, then the schmoo is probably just from condensation on the cap. If it's not losing coolant, and the oil on the dipstick still looks like oil, I'd chalk it up to it being cold as hell outside and just keep an eye on it.

 

One test I've seen online is to take an oil sample (could just be a few drips off the dipstick for all it matters) and heat it in a spoon or something with a lighter. If it's just oil, it'll get hot and runny and that's all. If it's got coolant in it, it should pop and spit as the moisture flashes to steam.

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36 minutes ago, Slartibartfast said:

One test I've seen online is to take an oil sample (could just be a few drips off the dipstick for all it matters) and heat it in a spoon or something with a lighter. If it's just oil, it'll get hot and runny and that's all. If it's got coolant in it, it should pop and spit as the moisture flashes to steam.

 

That's a handy trick!  Just make sure your neighbors don't see you holding a lighter under a spoon haha.

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3 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

Is your coolant low? Are you having to top it up frequently? If the head gasket is leaking coolant into the engine and making a mess, that coolant has to come from somewhere. If the coolant level is stable, then the schmoo is probably just from condensation on the cap. If it's not losing coolant, and the oil on the dipstick still looks like oil, I'd chalk it up to it being cold as hell outside and just keep an eye on it.

 

One test I've seen online is to take an oil sample (could just be a few drips off the dipstick for all it matters) and heat it in a spoon or something with a lighter. If it's just oil, it'll get hot and runny and that's all. If it's got coolant in it, it should pop and spit as the moisture flashes to steam.

Have yet to check the level of the coolant, I can do that when I get home next week, or do that test. Thanks for the help!

Edited by PathyDude17
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  • 6 months later...

Hmmmm,m

im losing coolant. My oil looks fine except for a bit of yellowish goop in the filler cap (it does NOT look like headgasket milkshake oil). On the dipstick it looks clean and normal. Oil level is consistent since camcover was tightened (WIN!)

about 90% driving is short distance.

no puddles etc underneath.

the mechanic used lucas engine flush last service. Running 100% synthetic. Also flushed the coolant.

 

 

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