How to tell if you have a blown head gasket '3 Easy Test'

In this video, I will show you 3 easy ways to tell if your cars head gaskets are blown. How to tell if you have a blown head gasket. After watching this video you will be able to test for a head gasket problem and know 100% if your head gasket will need to be repaired. Here are the links to the test equipment I used in the video.

With the cost of most head gasket repairs, you always want to be sure that is the problem before spending that kind of money on any repair. A second option is always recommended. And as a reminder never open a hot radiator cap.

I don't recommend using head gasket fix in a bottle unless you plan on junking the car. It may get you by in a pinch but is know for causing other cooling system problems but the stuff will work sometimes.

But with a few easy tests, you will be able to tell if you have a head gasket problem in your car.

Connect with me:

The Flat Rate Mechanic. 25 year ASE Master Automotive Technician and Advanced level ASE certified

 :
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of The Flat Rate Mechanic, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information or improper use of this information. The Flat Rate Mechanic assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this automotive repair video. The Flat Rate Mechanic recommends safe practices when working on cars or trucks with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this repair video. Due to factors beyond the control of The Flat Rate Mechanic, no information contained in this automotive repair video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.

[FlatRateMechanic]

Here are the links to the test equipment I used in the video.

[steveofsd]

Finally someone here on Youtube can make a 5 star video. In the past few weeks I've been looking for videos that can help me on my troublesome overheating issue, most of the videos are ok but there're many not worth seeing. My first issue is Background noises, half the time I can't hear the author because of wind noise or compressor running. Sometime other people talking, the worse one was someone was trimming lawn while the author instructing on how to drain the coolant. This video is the best, the engine is running but you can't hear it. The author's voice is clear and in perfect pace. My second complaint is the other videos are moving too fast that give me a headache, half the time I can't see what the author tries to show. Lastly is slow pace and out of order instructions, one author said the word " ..it's like" and "you know" many times, not to mention his accent was in need of subtitle. So this The Flat Rate Mechanic
Video will get my Oscar award vote.

[MartinSage]

Never seen a double stacked tester. Mine is a simple single one! Lots of good advice like test warm and give a little gas if you can’t detect at idle.

[alespretor]

Actually it's more often cracked head than blown head gasket. Initial sign, in my experience is when you see vapor-like smoke coming from the coolant exp.tank, when you start the engine. Everything is fine, temperature is ok, hoses are ok, pressure inside the cooling system is ok, just there is some smoke there and you can see very thin skim, barely visible, floating on the coolant surface in the exp.tank. Be 99% sure that there is a problem with the engine's head or even a block. It is easy test to perform when you wanna buy a used car. Start the engine with the cap off the exp.tank and watch with the flashlight pointed into coolant. If you see a smoke after 3-4 minutes coming out from there, moreover, if you see that tiny skim in there, be almost sure that you are buying a huge problem. Just get away from that car.

[alexr]

Dude, I LOVE the intro it brought me back to old school Need For Speed days!

[danojames]

Good to now bud what about burnt coolent smell is that head gasket failure to or just overheating problem

[ricardoayala]

Thanks for sharing you expertise on head gasket issue.
God bless

[michaeldunagan]

Nice video.

Would not a cracked cylinder head or a cylinder liner also be capable of allowing combustuon gasses to escape in ro the cooling system?

[BhamHill]

Thanks for posting about the combustion leak tester. It is rarely mentioned in videos or in forums. Question: Do the leaks *always* go both ways, or only when there is a significant amount of damage to the head gasket? In other words, the most commonly mentioned indicators of head gasket leaks is coolant getting into the engine oil. While significant leaking can be fairly obvious, detecting leaks early can be more difficult because moisture coming from condensation (for example) can create milky coatings similar in appearance. I like that the combustion leak as a test since the gasses wouldn't come from other sources. However, before investing in such a tester, I'm curious if this symptom would be just as reliable to expect no matter how far along the damage is. In theory, it makes sense: in a closed recirculating system, if the fluid going into the engine doesn't continue out of the engine and escapes into the oil mixture, that gasses might instead be sucked into the intended path of the coolant on the other side of the leak. But I'm not a trained mechanic and many of us searching for answers here haven't broken down an engine block to understand the path that fluids and gasses take through one.

[Dougie]

Question, you said the only way combustion gas can get into the cooling system is for a failed head gasket.. would a cracked head or crack block also be able to allow combustion gas into the cooling system?

[ScatManAust]

A neat little trick is to recycle the detection fluid by moving out to fresh air and keep pumping the bulb.
The fluid turns blue again and can be reused.
Not sure how many times you can do it, but I have reused it up to about 5 times or so with reliable results.

[celticyamum]

Great video!! Thanks for sharing this with us.

I've taken the xoolant exhaust test but found it took a really, really long time the the blue liquid to change green - like 7 or 10mins. When that happens, would you say that could be a crack in the head / block? Or perhaps an incorrectly positioned headgasket? (I.e. not flat cyl head or block mating surfaces)

[pyxwbks]

Great video. I will try it. My Jeep liberty and absorbing a lot of coolant without leaks detected

[jopisano]

I did the radiator cold start up test. For the first few minutes of running the car, i did see a couple tiny bubbles appearing at the top now and then ( but not consistent ) I let it idle longer for another five minutes or so and the tiny bubbles i saw earlier stopped. 211, 600 miles on a 95 Camry. My question is, what could have caused those tiny bubbles to appear at first then stop..

[frankrizzo]

Well, i dont have bubbles but my radiator hoses get very hard right away after 1st startup... wont run but few mins till over heats.... soo guess I've got bad head or bad head gasket...brand new radiator to... 258 AMC 6 cylinder engine..sound right?? Probably so.

[Rio-byeh]

Blown head gasket ...it means that the coolant is squeezing through the gasket seal into the oil in the overhead cam right...??

[ArthurBrinkman-cz]

I have unfortunately, a 2012 Jaguar XF Supercharged V8 Portfolio Edition. The car has a blown head gasket. Due to the aluminum block I'm also told it would most likely also be damaged. Mechanic said I would need to replace the engine. This would be at a cost of 8-10 thousand dollars. For a car with a value of $13, 000 a total waste of money.
I spent about $48 at Auto Zone for a bottle of Bars Head Gasket Sealer/Repair. The gasket was leaking into the cylinder and causing the car to run poorly and white smoke out of the driver's side tailpipe.
After driving the car with the Bars in it the check engine light went out the engine is running correctly and there is no longer smoke from the tail pipe and no longer leaking engine coolant. Before you replace the head gasket try the Bars especially if like me your going to get rid of the car ASAP! Worked for me, it's supposed to last.
Good luck!

[MrArtVendelay]

You determined the head gasket is bad based on the CO test but could it not have actually been a cracked head?

[Bigjay]

I have a 99 regal white smoke out the tailpipe not overheating but resrvoir does bubble up

[doublej]

Can a blown head gasket allow water to to go into your oil, indicated by the dipstick showing you got more oil than you need ?