Blown Headgasket

[mtbrider]

I'm trying to diagnose whether or not I've blown my headgasket and aside from the usual symptoms (milky oil, oil in coolant, white smoke from exhuast, etc) what are other things you guys have noticed? Right now these are the symptoms I'm seeing:

-Occasional overheating
-Slight loss of coolant
-Occasional white smoke from tail pipes
-While cold - pressure is built up in my expansion tank, and when I open it it makes "psssh" sounds and bubbles a little.

Also on a cold start-up white smoke billows up from around my turbo but I cannot tell if its coming from my head to block or turbo. I'm wondering had I blown my headgasket, would I smoke from anywhere other than my tailpipes? Thanks.

[absolutegtr]

Compression test....

[diagnosticator]

Pressure test the cooling system.

[F16HTON]

Easiest way by far is to use a scope and look into the cylinder from the spark plug hole

[CO AVANT]

Is your reservoir overflowing while under load? You'd see white residue on the oil filter if it is... I had a combustion leak in my headgasket causing my reservoir to overpressurize. You can get a sample of coolant out of the reservoir and pour it on black asphalt. If there is rainbow hue you are getting combustion gas getting into the coolant system. I just put new bolts in and tightened to spec and it got rid of a leak for me...

[mtbrider]

CoAvant, with your combustion leak did your car ever smoke and have temporary overheating issues?

[CO AVANT]

no... have you gotten any fault codes?

[lookaught]

Leakdown test and cooling system pressure test as mentioned by diagnosticator. You should be able to isolate the cylinder that is leaking with those two tests, and a good indie mechanic can do both in an hour or two.

As Im sure you know, oil in the coolant is one thing, coolant in the oil is another. Dont drive your car around with water in the oil... it trashes the bearings and you'll be doing a bottom up rebuild and not just a top end if you continue to drive it. I suggest you hot plate test your oil for water, or send it to a lab. Blackstone is only $22 for a test.

[mtbrider]

I have not gotten any fault codes

[diagnosticator]

Leak down test and cooling system pressure test as mentioned by diagnostics. You should be able to isolate the cylinder that is leaking with those two tests, and a good indie mechanic can do both in an hour or two.

As Im sure you know, oil in the coolant is one thing, coolant in the oil is another. Dont drive your car around with water in the oil... it trashes the bearings and you'll be doing a bottom up rebuild and not just a top end if you continue to drive it. I suggest you hot plate test your oil for water, or send it to a lab. Blackstone is only $22 for a test.

2nd on the advise for a lube oil test by a lab. For commercial and industrial machinery, a lube oil analysis is a routine part of any maintenance or troubleshooting plan. Even if other means determine specific cause of the problem at hand, the analysis info often confirms the source or cause involved. And in every case, the additional info helps evaluate the situation more clearly.

[CO AVANT]

Every oil change from here on out I am getting a test done by blackstone labs. Gave me good insite last round as to how well my engine broke in... $22 is cheap insurance.