Hello everyone. I just recently bought a 1975 244DL, it had a blown heater hose and that was the reason it was being sold. It was test driven and no overheating problem was found. Today I was checking the water level, and it was correct but found something like the milkshake that forms when the oil is mixed with water. No overheating (yet) that's the weird part. How can I diagnose if it's a blown headgasket? Might be something else.
All help and comments will be greatly appreciated.
1975 Volvo 244DL
2.1 Inline 4
Manual 4 Speed
Oil in Water Tank no overheating
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Kmaniac in California USA
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- Joined: 15 January 2005
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There are several ways to check for a blown head gasket.
If you have what looks like a mixture of water and oil in the cooling system, chances are you have the same in your crankcase. Pull the dipstick and look at the appearance of the engine oil. Water and oil in the crankcase indicates a bad head gasket.
Next, do a compression test on the engine. You will need a compression testing pressure gauge. Pull all the spark plugs at the same time and screw in the test gauge into the No. 1 spark plug hole and tighten hand tight. Next, turn the ignition key to start and let the engine crank for 10 seconds. Then write down the pressure recorded on the gauge. Repeat this for all the cylinders. Once complete, compare the values for each cylinder. Variations of more than 10% between cylinders will indicate a problem with the cylinder with the lowest pressure.
Finally, do a combustion leak test. Top quality auto parts stores sell a test kit called a "Universal Block Tester". This thing consists of a glass tube with rubber stoppers on each end, a vacuum bulb and a bottle of blue fluid. With your car fully warmed up, let it idle and remove the radiator cap. Draw off excess coolant to allow an least an inch of clearance between the top of the coolant and the cap opening. Insert the tube with the tapered rubber stopper first into the radiator cap opening, creating a seal. Pour in the premeasured amount of blue fluid in the tube. Then let the vapor in the cooling system bubble through the blue fluid. Should the fluid turn from blue to yellow during the next minute or two, you will confirm a combustion gas leak into the cooling systems, either from a bad head gasket, cracked cylinder wall or cracked cylinder head. The directions will direct you on how to isolate the problem cylinder.
Just yesterday, I diagnosed a bad head gasket in my 1991 Dodge Shadow using the "Universal Block Tester". This car ran fine without overheating. However, I kept seeing a steady stream of bubbles coming up in the overflow tank when the car was hot. The block tester confirmed a combustion gas leak.
Good luck with your car and let us know what you find.
If you have what looks like a mixture of water and oil in the cooling system, chances are you have the same in your crankcase. Pull the dipstick and look at the appearance of the engine oil. Water and oil in the crankcase indicates a bad head gasket.
Next, do a compression test on the engine. You will need a compression testing pressure gauge. Pull all the spark plugs at the same time and screw in the test gauge into the No. 1 spark plug hole and tighten hand tight. Next, turn the ignition key to start and let the engine crank for 10 seconds. Then write down the pressure recorded on the gauge. Repeat this for all the cylinders. Once complete, compare the values for each cylinder. Variations of more than 10% between cylinders will indicate a problem with the cylinder with the lowest pressure.
Finally, do a combustion leak test. Top quality auto parts stores sell a test kit called a "Universal Block Tester". This thing consists of a glass tube with rubber stoppers on each end, a vacuum bulb and a bottle of blue fluid. With your car fully warmed up, let it idle and remove the radiator cap. Draw off excess coolant to allow an least an inch of clearance between the top of the coolant and the cap opening. Insert the tube with the tapered rubber stopper first into the radiator cap opening, creating a seal. Pour in the premeasured amount of blue fluid in the tube. Then let the vapor in the cooling system bubble through the blue fluid. Should the fluid turn from blue to yellow during the next minute or two, you will confirm a combustion gas leak into the cooling systems, either from a bad head gasket, cracked cylinder wall or cracked cylinder head. The directions will direct you on how to isolate the problem cylinder.
Just yesterday, I diagnosed a bad head gasket in my 1991 Dodge Shadow using the "Universal Block Tester". This car ran fine without overheating. However, I kept seeing a steady stream of bubbles coming up in the overflow tank when the car was hot. The block tester confirmed a combustion gas leak.
Good luck with your car and let us know what you find.
Chris the "K MANIAC"
1986 740 GLE
(5) 1964 Chrysler 300-K's
1986 740 GLE
(5) 1964 Chrysler 300-K's
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