Head Gasket Hydrocarbon Test

[88mjblue]

Is there a way to test a cooling system for a head gasket leak in a closed system? (with a pressure bottle, aka stock renix system)

The tests I've seen use a radiator cap adapter and I'm wondering if there's another way to perform a test like this?

[DirtyComanche]

If you want to test the head gasket, you're best to pull the rad hoses and heater hoses off and plug them.  There is kits with expandable plugs sold for doing this, and one will have the adapter with a gauge to pressurize it.

 

Any other symptoms that lead you to believe it's the headgasket?

[88mjblue]

I'm going to be buying an '88 and the previous owner (who drove it about 900 miles from a neighboring state up to my state to sell it) said it overheated on him twice, so I wanted to test the engine before I pulled the trigger on this one and make sure the PO didn't damage/warp the head by overheating it.

The first time it overheated, he stopped immediately and had it towed and then a shop replaced thermostat and pressure bottle. Then he drove it for a another couple hundred miles and then it overheated again... The cooling system is old and dirty, and I will be doing an open conversion, flush, replace radiator, new water pump, hoses, tstat -the whole nine yards- but wondering if he did any non-repairable damage to the block.

[Nofeartoys]

Yes there a kit to block test for hydrocarbons in cooling system . I'm sure a local auto parts store has it. Test should be like Start engine and let run with cap open with the kit (looks like turkey baster / test tube put together. Fill tube with special fluid and you pull air from cooling system through the tool and fluid. If the fluid changes color it means there is HC in cooling system.. Make sure not to suck coolant into mixture as it will give flash readings...kit should be called a block tester. Kit may come with test fluid there are several kits on Amazon also

[88mjblue]

Head gasket was fine, I was just being over-precautious/worried... I guess cast iron block and head holds up well to a bit of heat.

Engine runs great, plenty of power, no leaks/smoke or anything, it was just a dirty and old [see closed] cooling system. I flushed it out completely and saw what looked like mud come out of it when I hooked up the hose to backflush system and heater core.