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hopefully not a headgasket

volcomsk8a

CEG'er
Joined
Apr 23, 2005
Messages
59
I just changed the gasket about three months ago and now I am getting bubbles in the coolant tank, is there anything else it could be?
 
one more thing is right before I turned the car on the antifreeze was between the min and max line, and right after the car was turned off the coolant went right up to the top of the overflow tank
 
well i do believe that when the coolant is heated it will expand a tad. ....
Correct.

Does your coolant reservoir appear to have engine oil in it? Does your engine oil level look like it is "milky" (emulsified)? Is the engine oil level on the dipstick going up? (the more miles you drive).

You should just try the el cheapo headgasket leak test.
Edit. El cheapo headgasket leak test.

1) Fill coolant to the brim on recovery tank (leave cap off).

2) Remove all spark plug wires.

3) Remove all but one spark plug and have someone crank the engine.

4) If the coolant bubbles over, there is a leak from that portion of the engine
(or cylinder). If not, go to the next cylinder, and then the next.... (removing spark plug from previous cylinder and install spark plug for this cylinder....)

5) Note, it could be more than one area or more than one cylinder.
 
Last edited:
is there a way to test for a leak in the coolant passages as a cracked head? to determine if not a headgasket. I really dont see how this could of happened, just did the gasket, got the head shaved flat, and the temp has been running smooth....maybe it'd go between N and L sometimes but never overheated.
 
i dont know, its kinda a constent. For like the first five minutes the car is on nothing will happen in the tank, and then there will be a steady stream of bubbles, like one every second. Today i drained the coolant and replaced it slowly hoping that there was air in the system but that did not help at all.
 
so anyone know if there is a way to test if it is a cracked head vs a head gasket, because i just fixed this and don know what is up
 
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