commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Well, the Old Girl part was open to interpretation,
New to me 78 NYB on its way but please Don't tell my wife
- Thread starter 73 T&C
- Start date
For future reference... I refer to my wife as either:
My Honey,
My beloved,
My nubile young bride
Or
My legal first wife....
depending on circumstances and current state of relations.
But never.... the old girl...
unless I’m feeling suicidal.
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Leak test initial results.... no leak in head gasket.
Got the Napa kit and tested it after shut down and heat soak movement of coolant into the reserve tank... pumped the bulb for over a minute and saw no change in color.
This tester does a good job of aeration of the testing fluid with the sample air.
Tomorrow I will drop some of the coolant out to get a good “sniff” directly from the unpressurized radiator.
This is the first time I’ve used this system of testing for head gasket leaks.....so any advice is much appreciated.
But... so far so good.
Got the Napa kit and tested it after shut down and heat soak movement of coolant into the reserve tank... pumped the bulb for over a minute and saw no change in color.
This tester does a good job of aeration of the testing fluid with the sample air.
Tomorrow I will drop some of the coolant out to get a good “sniff” directly from the unpressurized radiator.
This is the first time I’ve used this system of testing for head gasket leaks.....so any advice is much appreciated.
But... so far so good.
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78Brougham
"Chump"
Should've got the Snapon one
Why???Should've got the Snapon one
It would maximize the dollars leaving your wallet for one thing. Didn't realize 78 was a dealer though.......
Whoops... sorry about that 78Brougham... next time Snap-On for sure!
Checkout girl, "Would you like a bag for that?"
Me, standing next to Viv "Nope, I've got one already..."
I admit, I'm an idiot... thankfully she has a sense of humor. She actually laughs when she sees the look of horror on the checkout girl's face
You're only going to catch it that way if you're lucky (unlucky)...
Think like this... A minor head gasket leak or hairline crack will usually only give a tiny bubble every so often, cylinder pressures multiply dramatically as the engine is put under load and heat moves metal enough that during a casual drive you could generate a good sized pocket of CO2 and if driving long enough could push enough coolant out with the pressure to cause an overheat.
A moderate head gasket leak can over pressurize the cooling system and will sometimes cause parts to break... a burst hose or sudden loss of coolant from something (like your heater core) could be caused by this, but also could have been the cause of the head failure.
The best test for you would be to run the car to temperature with the coolant level lowered enough to prevent it from spilling over. As soon as the thermostat opens, see if you have detectable pocket of CO2. After that, you can run the car at idle or take a quick run around the block with cap on to the first position only (it shouldn't build pressure, but use precautions removing it anyway) then execute the test again immediately... do not shut off the engine during all of this, it will only generate CO2 while running and you are trying to get it to produce a big enough pocket of the gas to set off the color change.
If after some effort to produce a failed result, nothing happens... you are probably safe. The only thing you could do after that is to send a coolant or oil sample in for lab analysis at your next service interval. That's more common for a heavy fleet to do, and IDK how common it is even then... but oil analysis could pick up traces of coolant if a very minor problem exists.
Kenny believes in his product, as do I... but in this case, he's busting your chops... I do prefer the style tester he showed, but Snappy doesn't actually make it...
You might be surprised... in my buying days, I did a lot of price checking on things like this, that could be bought from multiple sources. Many times Snappy was the best price, even against NAPA on nat'l account.
I'll leave it to the pro's to explain the cost/value thing on iron tools... I've no skin in that game.
78Brougham
"Chump"
The two part or two stage system, however you want to call it, that we have is just more accurate. You'll be fine, just proceed the way Jeff described and I think you'll be ok.
From the instruction manual...
"Combustion gas, when it enters the cooling system through any leak, accumulates in the air cushion above the radiator coolant level (in sealed coolant systems, this air cushion must be created by lowering the coolant level about an inch and a half). The Leak Tester analyzes this air: The blue fluid turns yellow when CO2 gas is detected in gasoline engines and green in diesel engines. The double-chamber feature of the Leak Tester assures a high level of accuracy. Conventional detection methods often give incorrect readings because alkaline particles present in the air cushion can cause false indications of a combustion leak. Alkaline particles are absorbed by the Leak Tester's first chamber, which acts as a filter, allowing only air and CO2 to reach the second, upper chamber. If the blue fluid in this upper chamber turns yellow or green, it is proof positive that there is a combustion gas (CO2) leak into the coolant."
Most of my customers use ours, and have had good luck diagnosing head gasket issues.
From the instruction manual...
"Combustion gas, when it enters the cooling system through any leak, accumulates in the air cushion above the radiator coolant level (in sealed coolant systems, this air cushion must be created by lowering the coolant level about an inch and a half). The Leak Tester analyzes this air: The blue fluid turns yellow when CO2 gas is detected in gasoline engines and green in diesel engines. The double-chamber feature of the Leak Tester assures a high level of accuracy. Conventional detection methods often give incorrect readings because alkaline particles present in the air cushion can cause false indications of a combustion leak. Alkaline particles are absorbed by the Leak Tester's first chamber, which acts as a filter, allowing only air and CO2 to reach the second, upper chamber. If the blue fluid in this upper chamber turns yellow or green, it is proof positive that there is a combustion gas (CO2) leak into the coolant."
Most of my customers use ours, and have had good luck diagnosing head gasket issues.
Thanks 78 Brougham! Here’s what the single chamber test looked like when I did it.
Brought the coolant level down to just under the level of the tubes in the radiator. I wanted to make sure not to draw in any of the coolant into the tester
Made sure I had a good seal and tested it by putting it under a little bit of vacuum. Released the vacuum and reinserted the tester.
Started the car to watch and allow any gas in the system to have to go through the tester as the system warmed up. As soon as the thermostat opened I was rewarded with a good bit of gas going through the tester.
After the test it looked ever so slightly green but still dark to me. I’m thinking this is a possible false positive and will get the two chambered tester to make sure.
One thing for sure is that head gasket leaks don’t tend to get better. I think I’m safe in driving it around town for a few hundred miles. Keep a close eye on the coolant level in the reservoir, check the radiator to make sure it’s completely topping itself off in the morning and then.... flush out the system as I try to get the system clean.
I’ve flushed out a lot of coolant and cooling systems. This car has won the dirtiest cooling system in a running engine I’ve seen yet.. hands down
As I waited to get the engine to cool a bit between tests, I did a little check of my youngest’s Mini. I went to move it yesterday and every light on the dash was on. Low tires, bad bulb and check engine were all on.
And... the engine was Low almost two quarts of oil as well.
She and I are going to have a little chat.
I told her that these cars tend to burn a little oil and that you need to check it every other fill up....
She was also very specifically shown and tested on how to check the oil on that car. No excuses.
Brought the coolant level down to just under the level of the tubes in the radiator. I wanted to make sure not to draw in any of the coolant into the tester
Made sure I had a good seal and tested it by putting it under a little bit of vacuum. Released the vacuum and reinserted the tester.
Started the car to watch and allow any gas in the system to have to go through the tester as the system warmed up. As soon as the thermostat opened I was rewarded with a good bit of gas going through the tester.
After the test it looked ever so slightly green but still dark to me. I’m thinking this is a possible false positive and will get the two chambered tester to make sure.
One thing for sure is that head gasket leaks don’t tend to get better. I think I’m safe in driving it around town for a few hundred miles. Keep a close eye on the coolant level in the reservoir, check the radiator to make sure it’s completely topping itself off in the morning and then.... flush out the system as I try to get the system clean.
I’ve flushed out a lot of coolant and cooling systems. This car has won the dirtiest cooling system in a running engine I’ve seen yet.. hands down
As I waited to get the engine to cool a bit between tests, I did a little check of my youngest’s Mini. I went to move it yesterday and every light on the dash was on. Low tires, bad bulb and check engine were all on.
And... the engine was Low almost two quarts of oil as well.
She and I are going to have a little chat.
I told her that these cars tend to burn a little oil and that you need to check it every other fill up....
She was also very specifically shown and tested on how to check the oil on that car. No excuses.
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You did good. The green meant nothing, unless you happened to draw in a little coolant... which ruins the fluid. If in doubt, draw your breath through the tool (exhales) and the color should change before you pass out...
I rewatched you video, and as much bubbling as she did, nothing said head failure... you could continue to pump air through it for quite a while before proving one, but I would say you look good. Drive her, watch the coolant level religiously and if you see any loss of coolant... retest for the head gaskets.
I rewatched you video, and as much bubbling as she did, nothing said head failure... you could continue to pump air through it for quite a while before proving one, but I would say you look good. Drive her, watch the coolant level religiously and if you see any loss of coolant... retest for the head gaskets.
That’s my plan.
Im going in to do a little tweaking on the tune of the engine tomorrow as I’m pretty much done for today.
Today:
I checked the cooling system for possible bad head gasket.
I verified the brake booster check valve was not leaking and...
I tightened the belt on the compressor to 1/4” play on my personal thumb scale... or about 1/2” on the adjustment bracket. Belt slap and resulting dinging sound almost completely eliminated at idle.
Tomorrow:
check basic timing and advance it if required to get a more stabilized idle at 750 rpm.
Check continuity of power circuit to the cruise control servo and set activation switch.
Today:
I checked the cooling system for possible bad head gasket.
I verified the brake booster check valve was not leaking and...
I tightened the belt on the compressor to 1/4” play on my personal thumb scale... or about 1/2” on the adjustment bracket. Belt slap and resulting dinging sound almost completely eliminated at idle.
Tomorrow:
check basic timing and advance it if required to get a more stabilized idle at 750 rpm.
Check continuity of power circuit to the cruise control servo and set activation switch.
Your car is absolutely gorgeous!
Just in case no one else mentioned it, the shiny spot under the gas tank, with no undercoating, appears to be a repair. The undercoating may have been removed by leaking gasoline, as it did on my 1977. It's probably not leaking now. Just keep an eye on it.
Just in case no one else mentioned it, the shiny spot under the gas tank, with no undercoating, appears to be a repair. The undercoating may have been removed by leaking gasoline, as it did on my 1977. It's probably not leaking now. Just keep an eye on it.
COMPLETE..... Change of plans.
Did the BIG REVEAL !!!! And lived to write about it.
My daughter was invited to spend a few days in the keys... my wife wanted me to go with her to take her down. I said sure but I had a little surprise I needed to put some miles on... She just rolled her eyes and said “another one???” Yes. I said. You’ll like it. As suspected, it was not a big surprise.
Here she is with our daughter and her blond friend Adriana Isabelle. SMILING!!!!
Drive down was good if a little rainy. Let my daughter drive after FLORIDA city. Nearly screemed in panic a few times but she’s a good driver.
Valve covers still weeping. Coolant getting dirtier. Fuel consumption getting better.
Next stop beer and wings before the drive home and back to the shop.
Did the BIG REVEAL !!!! And lived to write about it.
My daughter was invited to spend a few days in the keys... my wife wanted me to go with her to take her down. I said sure but I had a little surprise I needed to put some miles on... She just rolled her eyes and said “another one???” Yes. I said. You’ll like it. As suspected, it was not a big surprise.
Here she is with our daughter and her blond friend Adriana Isabelle. SMILING!!!!
Drive down was good if a little rainy. Let my daughter drive after FLORIDA city. Nearly screemed in panic a few times but she’s a good driver.
Valve covers still weeping. Coolant getting dirtier. Fuel consumption getting better.
Next stop beer and wings before the drive home and back to the shop.
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Forgot to mention Paco! Our dog.
Brought him along for moral support... just in case.
No issues on the drive back.
But the car’s idle is a little low.
Brought him along for moral support... just in case.
No issues on the drive back.
But the car’s idle is a little low.
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LeBaron1973
Old Man with a Hat
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Well done, but Mrs J will want a Bugatti Veyron now.
Lol
Lol
No need to screw up the collection with a VW...
Paco appears to approve of the car...
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