Coolant shooting out of overflow reservoir.

[JayC]

are you at the nationals this week Jay?

Nope.. Im 30 miles down the road and not even going. In fact, Ill be driving right by there tomorrow going mountain biking.

 

[84sithlord]

really? i didn't realize you were in NC. Im down the road as well. I may go to piedmont drag way to watch em run. won't make it out to RC's b/c of work. Piedmont is withing 5 miles of my house. lol.

 

[JayC]

really? i didn't realize you were in NC. Im down the road as well. I may go to piedmont drag way to watch em run. won't make it out to RC's b/c of work. Piedmont is withing 5 miles of my house. lol.

Im just outside of Raleigh. Going up to Uwharrie tomorrow for some mountain biking with my wife.

 

[84sithlord]

that and i'm gonna start tearing into it. i'm tired of worrying about the dang temps!

 

[84sithlord]

that sounds fun. i've always wanted to go there for four wheelin! lol

 

[Slow91z]

Instead of one gauge and cranking pressure you put the cylinder into a position where both valves are closed (or take off the rockers) and use a leak down tester (they have 2 gauges) and an air compressor for pressure...you air up the cylinder and then watch tge gauges, one tells you how much pressure you put in and the other shows you in real time how much the cylinder leaks...also you can look around and or listen to see where the pressure is going.

 

[84sithlord]

ok. thank you!

 

[JayC]

Instead of one gauge and cranking pressure you put the cylinder into a position where both valves are closed (or take off the rockers) and use a leak down tester (they have 2 gauges) and an air compressor for pressure...you air up the cylinder and then watch tge gauges, one tells you how much pressure you put in and the other shows you in real time how much the cylinder leaks...also you can look around and or listen to see where the pressure is going.

Most people dont have leak down testers and in same cases, they wont show a head gasket failure but I do agree, it would be a good next step before tearing into it. Only thing is, if you cant keep the cylinders closed and have to remove the rockers, on a hot air car, thats half the work of changing a head gasket just about.

 

[84sithlord]

what about the chemical or gas test that lets me know if exhaust gases are getting into my coolant? where would i pick that kit up at? do you guys know of anyone who has used Odessa heads. they said call them with cast number and they will ship (remanned i guess) heads with new springs etc already pressure tested. if so, do you recommend them. I'm trying to keep mine a daily driver.

 

[JayC]

what about the chemical or gas test that lets me know if exhaust gases are getting into my coolant? where would i pick that kit up at? do you guys know of anyone who has used Odessa heads. they said call them with cast number and they will ship (remanned i guess) heads with new springs etc already pressure tested. if so, do you recommend them. I'm trying to keep mine a daily driver.

I wouldnt bother with a remanned head. Find a decent race engine machinist and have them do yours. All you should need is a surfacing unless the gasket is completely torched then they might have to deck them to get the burn marks out. A 3 angle valve job and new springs and seals and you should be all set.

I wouldnt want a set of heads from a McHead shop on my car.

 

[projectmoneypit]

what about the chemical or gas test that lets me know if exhaust gases are getting into my coolant? where would i pick that kit up at? do you guys know of anyone who has used Odessa heads. they said call them with cast number and they will ship (remanned i guess) heads with new springs etc already pressure tested. if so, do you recommend them. I'm trying to keep mine a daily driver.

got my gas tester off of amazon, like 40 something. Everyone said it is my head gaskets, i tested the fluid as described and tested fine then did the test on the truck and no change in fluid color. So for now i am just waiting, i drove it the other day and did not loose a drop but did bleed air out of system before driving with one of those adapters you put in the hose at the heater core line that has one of those removable screw on caps for flushing the system.

 

[Boost231]

i have a issue with my car similar to this problem. its always worried me but i don't think its a head gasket.

Im current going back to the stock coolant bottle, new t-stat (same one has been in for 6 years), new radiator cap.

I have a alum radiator and it always sat alittle lower then normal. Seemed like it would put coolant into the resivor (razors bottle) but never take it back in thus lowering the level of coolant. I could drive it for days and randomly the temp would go up on my autometer gauge then suddenly shoot back down like the thermostat was hanging up or i had air in the system. XFi gauge would not so much change that i remember. The autometer gauge is pluged in right next to the T-stat (hotair car) and i have the water pump bypass pluged. I could make full 28+ psi track passes with no raise in coolant temp. Well it would go up maybe 2-3 deg. Its very random, Since reading this post i just ordered a leak down tester just to test as well. Figured since im replacing all this stuff might as well check and have a clear head knowing its not a head gasket. How much pressure do you put into the cylinder with the leak down tester? whats normal leak %?

If its a head gasket, no biggy i have a set of heads and a new cam i want to install anyways

 

[84sithlord]

since they're cheap, i went ahead a grabbed another radiator cap. lol! i figure what the hell. if i do change heads, im gonna wanna new one anyway.

 

[JayC]

i have a issue with my car similar to this problem. its always worried me but i don't think its a head gasket.

Im current going back to the stock coolant bottle, new t-stat (same one has been in for 6 years), new radiator cap.

I have a alum radiator and it always sat alittle lower then normal. Seemed like it would put coolant into the resivor (razors bottle) but never take it back in thus lowering the level of coolant. I could drive it for days and randomly the temp would go up on my autometer gauge then suddenly shoot back down like the thermostat was hanging up or i had air in the system. XFi gauge would not so much change that i remember. The autometer gauge is pluged in right next to the T-stat (hotair car) and i have the water pump bypass pluged. I could make full 28+ psi track passes with no raise in coolant temp. Well it would go up maybe 2-3 deg. Its very random, Since reading this post i just ordered a leak down tester just to test as well. Figured since im replacing all this stuff might as well check and have a clear head knowing its not a head gasket. How much pressure do you put into the cylinder with the leak down tester? whats normal leak %?

If its a head gasket, no biggy i have a set of heads and a new cam i want to install anyways

I put 100 PSI in. Makes it easier to figure out the percentages of what you get back out.

The telltale thing with a headgasket is the temp gauge fluctuating crazily. One minute it might show 170 and then you can watch it climb up to 240 for a minute and then just as quick it will drop back down. I know other things will cause this but every single time its ever happened to me and I tried to delude myself that it wasnt a gasket, it ended up being a gasket.

 

[84sithlord]

mine will do that that and then take forever cooling back down...sometimes its just as quick. either way, i've got 98% of what i need to get the job done...the other 2% is brain power. lol!

 

[JayC]

mine will do that that and then take forever cooling back down...sometimes its just as quick. either way, i've got 98% of what i need to get the job done...the other 2% is brain power. lol!

If youve never taken your car apart before to this extent, I highly recommend you put parts in bags and label them and take pictures. Im not a HA expert by any means and I find taking the accessory assembly off challenging because of all the nuts and bolts and where some of them go. Im sure if I had done it the hundreds of times like I have with the 86-87s, I wouldnt feel that way but I havent so thats my words of warning.

 

[84sithlord]

i just have to make sure my buddy is ok with me keeping his garage tied up for a week or so....(probably or so since i've never done a head gasket change before) lol

 

[rmar]

since they're cheap, i went ahead a grabbed another radiator cap. lol! i figure what the hell. if i do change heads, im gonna wanna new one anyway.

since they're cheap, you ought to go ahead and grab another head gasket.........

sorry.

 

[84sithlord]

will do! sharpies and masking tape as well as baggies!!!!

 

[84sithlord]

lol! yeah, i've had those for a couple of months now.