[Roadsters] OT: Funnel head gasket leak test?

[Eddie]

POTENTIAL Signs of a blown head gasket:

1) Air bubbles in the coolant
2) Coolant in the oil.  (looks milky due to the engine parts "stirring" 
up the mix))
3) Oil in the coolant.

4) Car overheats  (due to coolant level dropping)
5) white exhaust (water vapors in the exhaust smoke)
6) coolant level drops over time and needs to be refilled, but there are 
no external leaks.

Bubbles alone in the radiator do NOT mean it has a blown head gasket, 
but that it COULD have one.

Eddie



Paul wrote:
>   Could just be an aging water pump impeller causing cavatation?
>
> Paul
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: datsun-roadsters-bounces at autox.team.net
> [mailto:datsun-roadsters-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Pat Horne
> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 7:39 PM
> To: Joe Kinstle
> Cc: 'Datsun Roadster List'
> Subject: Re: [Roadsters] OT: Funnel head gasket leak test?
>
> Joe,
>
> I've heard of looking for bubbles in the coolant, and I used it once to 
> reject the purchase of a car. As to whether it is a real indicator of a 
> blown head gasket or not, I do not know for sure. I assume the funnel is 
> to get the water level up to where you can see the water surface, rather 
> than being down in the top tank where it isn't as easy to see.
>
> Peace,
> Pat
>
> Thusly spake Joe Kinstle, On 2/12/2009 5:44 PM:
>   
>> Sorry for the off topic post here, but I thought some here may have heard
>> about this test.  I'm selling my wife's car, and a potential buyer took it
>> to their mechanic.  He put a funnel in the radiator, filled it half up
>>     
> with
>   
>> water and saw bubbles while the car was running, and thereby determined
>>     
> that
>   
>> the car has a bad head gasket.  I've never heard this one before.  The car
>> runs great, and while it did blow a hose 2 years ago, it has shown no
>>     
> signs
>   
>> since then of any issues, no loss of coolant, no overheating.  Fact or
>> fiction?  Not that it'd matter, but the car is a Mazda MX3 4cyl.  Thanks
>>     
> for
>   
>> any responses, please reply off list.
>>
>>  
>>
>> Joe Kinstle
>>
>> '68 2L
>>
>> BLK SRL
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> 17:44:00