(Video) Head Gasket Test

[Emanuel]

I´ve been loosing coolant on my 01 Corolla, I have already replaced the radiator cap and the lower radiator plastic tank because it had a leak there. I decided to bleed the system again and accelerate the car to see if there was a presence of bubbles when doing that, wich could indicate a faulty head gasket or cracked cylinder head. I recorded a video so you can help me to determine whether it looks normal or not. Personally I would say that combustion gasses aren´t entering into the cooling system because I don´t see that much bubbles, but I would like to know your opinion. https://youtu.be/MZU7ukFwCFQ

 

[Sayjac]

One way to know for sure if you're getting combustion gases in the AF is to test it with a combustion gas leak tester. If it is shows then all likelihood you have a compromised head gasket. However, you could still have a bad head gasket even if no combustion gases. Perhaps best place to start is to pressure test the system, if there is one that should show where leak is.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Sayjac

One way to know for sure if you're getting combustion gases in the AF is to test it with a combustion gas leak tester. If it is shows then all likelihood you have a compromised head gasket. However, you could still have a bad head gasket even if no combustion gases. Perhaps best place to start is to pressure test the system, if there is one that should show where leak is.

A combustion gas leak tester isn´t avaible here, but I need to find a place that can pressure test the cooling system. This problem has been really annoying.

 

[mk378]

Bleed the system and put radiator cap on. Stop engine and wait until completely cold. Take radiator cap off and confirm it is completely full. Start engine and rev it with cap off (no funnel). There should be no action in the radiator.

 

[khittner]

You don't have to have coolant hitting the ground to have a leak in the system other than the head gasket. I had a slow loss of coolant in my '10 Hyundai, and my local dealer supposedly pressure-tested the system and found no leak. Months and several top-offs later, my regular mechanic found the tell-tale coolant staining the upper corner of the radiator, obscured by the fan shrouding. A new Denso radiator from RockAuto ($90 to my door) and I think I'll be good-to-go for many miles. Your 16-year old cooler has probably gone as far as you can reasonably expect.