Blown Head Gasket

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:32 am

Okay so I'm pretty sure I have a blown headgasket, but I'm gonna go to Advance and see if I can get a compression tester before I go and buy a new head gasket. My questions are these: Does anyone have the link to the thread that has the head gasket install, or can tell me how to install a head gasket, and how to compression test the cylinders?Thanks.

Post by **DjPantsSpecR** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:04 am

download the FSM

its the only thing i used and would trust when i did my first of five headgaskets.

as far as checking compression goes: warm the motor up to operating temp. then pull a spark plug and pull the harnesses to the injectors. screw in the tester and then crank the motor until the gauge wont build any higher (so record your highest value) relieve the pressure and then repeat on the next cyl.

151 psi is the lowest limit and there should be no difference greater than 15 psi between cyls

Post by **1WheelWonder** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:09 pm

What are your symptoms, is your oil milky, or is your fluid bubbling out of the radiator?

Post by **neverlift** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 1:56 pm

how bout white smoke? thats a sure sign of blown hg

Post by **DjPantsSpecR** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:50 pm

i had a warped head and the only symptoms i got were air bubbles/boiling in the overflow tank.

it never smoked, overheateed it everyday several times untl after 3 or four months it smoked out of the overflow tank

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:18 am

1WheelWonder wrote:What are your symptoms, is your oil milky, or is your fluid bubbling out of the radiator?

No, now I really don't know what's wrong. It's not the HG, because my compression is good and there is no mixing in the oil or coolant, and I can't figure out where my leak is coming from. I filled the radiator and overflow tank, and they both run low after a couple days. I think it could possibly be a hole in my radiator, because it looks as if my clutch fan is sucking the coolant in through the blades and blowing it all over the side of the block.

Post by **1WheelWonder** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:13 pm

My damn cheap *** plastic radiator blew on me on my way to a Toyota plant interview. I would check the radiator for leaks and also the rats nest of coolant lines that run under the intake manifold.

Post by **boznuttz** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:29 pm

that def sucks. i would mind if my radiator was hard to replace etc. but as of now, my tb was leakin out tons of that wonderful fluid.

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:33 am

1WheelWonder wrote:My damn cheap *** plastic radiator blew on me on my way to a Toyota plant interview. I would check the radiator for leaks and also the rats nest of coolant lines that run under the intake manifold.

Yeh, I'm prolly gonna check my radiator for leaks...if it ever stops raining...

Post by **DjPantsSpecR** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:59 am

well check and see if the weephole wasnt where you were losing coolant from.

there is a hole on the underside of the water pump that leaks when the bearing has gone bad. you'll know its bead because you'll overheat as you'll eventually lose enough coolant to develop air bubbles.

ive blown two radiators wide open during my overheating spree, so i can sympathize. Check for leaks, but then get a mirror and flashlight, and look for the hole on the water pump leaking while the motor is running and up to temp. the hole might be on top or the side for some water pumps too, you'll know though

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:23 am

DjPantsSpecR wrote:well check and see if the weephole wasnt where you were losing coolant from.

there is a hole on the underside of the water pump that leaks when the bearing has gone bad. you'll know its bead because you'll overheat as you'll eventually lose enough coolant to develop air bubbles.

ive blown two radiators wide open during my overheating spree, so i can sympathize. Check for leaks, but then get a mirror and flashlight, and look for the hole on the water pump leaking while the motor is running and up to temp. the hole might be on top or the side for some water pumps too, you'll know though

OK cool. Thanks for the advice!

Post by **Riubens** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:08 pm

You my fellow alabamian are a post whore!!!...............j/k

Post by **DjPantsSpecR** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:41 am

actually post-whoring about post whoring is actually post whoring....

however, pointing it out, is not post whoring.... so i remain post-faithful.

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:42 am

Riubens wrote:You my fellow alabamian are a post whore!!!...............j/k

I know, but I get really bored at school, so I have to have something to do...

DjPantsSpecR wrote:actually post-whoring about post whoring is actually post whoring....

however, pointing it out, is not post whoring.... so i remain post-faithful.

Really? What "posting rulebook" did you get that out of?

Post by **tonynalli** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:38 pm

ok first off there is an urban legend that says you can tell if you have a blown headgasket with a compression tester....bottom line it doenst work. the only think that you can do is use a block tester. they cost about 50-60 bucks. or you can go to any shop and give them 10 bucks and ask tehm to test it for you...you are wasting your time with a compression tester. take it back and get your money back.

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:46 pm

tonynalli wrote:ok first off there is an urban legend that says you can tell if you have a blown headgasket with a compression tester....bottom line it doenst work. the only think that you can do is use a block tester. they cost about 50-60 bucks. or you can go to any shop and give them 10 bucks and ask tehm to test it for you...you are wasting your time with a compression tester. take it back and get your money back.

Thanks, man. I needed a compression tester anyways, so I guess it was a worthwhile purchase...

I know a guy that works at a rinky-dink autoshop, so I'll see if he can check my block for free...

Post by **ka24dave** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:12 am

the best way to tell is go to a radiator repair shop. they will have what is called a "block tester" which is basically a tester with a chemical fluid, and a small bulb attached. then they put it in your radiator's *filler neck while the engine is running.

If a combustion leak is present it will show in the cooling system, and if left as is it can produce an acidic condition in the coolant itself, causing eventually a galvanizing action with the various metals in the radiator, causing what is known as electrolysis. the test is fairly inexpensive. ( i work at a radiator shop ) and easy and quick to perform.

*edited the spelling
Modified by ka24dave at 1:33 PM 10/23/2006

Post by **Shift_Alabama** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:43 pm

ka24dave wrote:the best way to tell is go to a radiator repair shop. they will have what is called a "block tester" which is basically a tester with a chemical fluid, and a small bulb attached. then they put it in your radiator's *filler neck while the engine is running.

If a combustion leak is present it will show in the cooling system, and if left as is it can produce an acidic condition in the coolant itself, causing eventually a galvanizing action with the various metals in the radiator, causing what is known as electrolysis. the test is fairly inexpensive. ( i work at a radiator shop ) and easy and quick to perform.

*edited the spelling

Thanks for the info. I'm (hopefully) off this Saturday, so I guess I'll take it to a radiator shop then.

Blown Head Gasket

Blown Head Gasket

Re: (1WheelWonder)

Re: (boznuttz)

Re: (DjPantsSpecR)

Re: (Shift_Alabama)

Re: (DjPantsSpecR)

Re: (tonynalli)

Re: (ka24dave)

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums