Bubbles in the radiator with the engine running?

 

They have a kit at auto zone that uses a chemical that changes color when added to coolant thats been exposed to exhaust gases.

 

No bubbles in the coolant that I've noticed, it just spits coolant out of the spout in the overflow after I drive it. DAVID, that's exactly what I was thinking about. How much are they?

 

I don't have an Autozone nearby, so I can't tell you what they offer. My Dad used to have a "Frabo leak check" set that did just that. You would hook it uo in place of the radiator cap, run the engine, and squeeze a rubber bulb (like on a coolant checker). It would draw up the fumes above the coolant, and if exhaust gasses were present, the liquid would change from blue to yellow. Unfortunately, he loaned it out, and it hasn't been seen since.

 

Napa sells a "block leak detector kit" like what Dvid is talking about.

 

we let the car sit for a night, came back the next day, pulled the rad cap and took a wiff, 100% exhaust smell, that's all we needed

 

I feel your pain.. hope its just a head gasket!

 

That's a good idea, shaft7. I'll smell the coolant and see what it smells like. blk91gt, if it's a cracked block I don't know what I'll do as I just bought another ride and have no $$$ to replace the motor. The car will sit for a long time if it's something more then a head gasket.

 

No bubbles in the coolant that I've noticed, it just spits coolant out of the spout in the overflow after I drive it. DAVID, that's exactly what I was thinking about. How much are they?

I thing it was less than $15. Sounds like it might just be running a little hot .. Do you have a temp gauge on you're car other than the stock one.

good luck with it.

 

Napa sells the test kit as well.

 

I thing it was less than $15. Sounds like it might just be running a little hot .. Do you have a temp gauge on you're car other than the stock one.

good luck with it.

No, just the stock gauge. The stock gauge has always been pretty erratic. It goes up and down all of the time. I'm thinking the sender might be shot or something. I don't think the motor is running hot because even in the 20 degree outside temps there is never steam coming off the motor and there is never any excessive heat on the hood.

 

I think it would be a realy good idea to get a good gauge in there before you start pulling heads off. You got boost? sometimes while under boost or any exessive cylinder pressure the heads can lift and push out coolant yet be fine while idling or driving normal

 

Yeah, I don't know what I am going to do yet. I don't have the skills to pull the heads off the car so I would have to hit up my buddy for his handywork so that's an absolute last option. There's no boost now but I had an S-trim on the car about 2 years ago. I had to pull it because it was pinging hard under WOT and I could never figure out why at the time. Later on I found I had a bad fuel pump. I'm thinking I might have popped the head gasket back then and now it's starting to show itself.