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Old 10-13-2013, 10:22 PM   #1
31 Woody
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Default Ugh, blown head gasket?

There are 3 to 4 bubbles per minute coming out the radiator neck while idling with the cap off-- I'm guessing that isn't supposed to happen. Therefore, I am guessing the head gasket blew on the Woody. We were on our way to Dana Point today and badly overheated. Not sure if we overheated and as a result blew a head gasket OR if we'd blew a head gasket which caused overheating.
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Old 10-14-2013, 12:07 AM   #2
H. L. Chauvin
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Hi woody,

Just blowing a head gasket will not cause overheating; however, if one looses too much water after blowing a head gasket, lack of water & lack of proper water flow can causes severe overheating.

A radiator which has plenty of flowing boiling water, (212 degrees) is not nearly as bad as not having water flow where the engine begins to get towards & upwards of 500 degrees.

If it were mine, I would remove the head to investigate rather than go out on another trip.

Is the oil looking milky, i.e., water mixed with the oil, or a few bubbles of water showing up on the dip stick.

Let us know what you find.
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Old 10-14-2013, 12:19 AM   #3
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

HL, I have to differ. I diagnosed 6 blown head gaskets this summer. Most of them did cause overheating, since the exhaust gases are way hotter than 212 thus making the coolant hotter than the rad. can handle. The 2 that didn't were miniscule, just enough to lose 1-2 Qts of coolant over a 2-3 week period of constant driving.

Since the A cooling system is not a closed system, you will constantly loose coolant as vapor out the overflow tube. The usual sequence is that if the coolant level is not checked often enough, it gets low enough to cause overheating, which can blow the gasket, through warping of the head if nothing else. You said it overheated 'badly'. Be sure to get the head decked. Of course a head gasket can fail on its own for a bunch of reasons and then THAT will cause overheating. So it can be either way.
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Old 10-14-2013, 06:35 AM   #4
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

a blown head gasket can cause overheating the combustions gases introduced into the system causes aeration. but have found many head gaskets faults are from restricted radiators which are overlooked
you can also invest into a hydrocarbon tester they do come in handy
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Old 10-14-2013, 10:32 AM   #5
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

A cylinder leak down test will help to find a combustion chamber leaking into the cooling system.
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Old 10-14-2013, 10:45 AM   #6
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

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A comment on checking the oil, it will only be brown if the motor has recently been run. Otherwise the oil floats above the water, and can fool you in a dip stick test. If the dipstick reads above full, be cautious for coolant in the oilpan. In a blown head gasket coolant can go down and open valve, and get to the oil.
In any doubt, drain the pan sooner rather than later. It can cause a lot of damage in a short period of time.
If you are running a high compression head, consider using a steel Model B head gasket.
Have you pulled the plugs and tested by touching a q-tip looking for moisture?
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Old 10-14-2013, 11:15 AM   #7
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Is it worth trying retorquing the head?
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Old 10-14-2013, 11:35 AM   #8
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Prolly....
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Old 10-14-2013, 08:25 PM   #9
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Quote:
Originally Posted by steve s View Post
Is it worth trying retorquing the head?
Tried that already, still bubbles... Thank for the replies thus far.
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Old 10-14-2013, 11:39 PM   #10
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Well, I dont want to be too much a contrarian, and a blown gasket sure could be the problem, but a worn pump shaft and/or seal could also be a cause of bubbles in the system. I think that 3-4 bubbles a minute are not much for a head gasket, which tend to be more or less continuous as the engine runs, depending on how bad it may be. Head gasket bubbles (combustion) tend to be white on the surface of the bubble. If they are noticeable white, not just foam, it is the gasket. If they are clear, or foam, it is inconclusive. Milky oil is a head gasket. But I would check the pump before pulling the head. Just tighten the seal, add some grease, and see what happens.
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Old 10-15-2013, 01:17 AM   #11
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mitch//pa View Post
a blown head gasket can cause overheating the combustions gases introduced into the system causes aeration. but have found many head gaskets faults are from restricted radiators which are overlooked
you can also invest into a hydrocarbon tester they do come in handy
In lieu of a hydrocarbon tester, get used to what your filler neck odor is, get yo' nose down in & SNIFF, deeply, with engine warmed up & running. THEN, IF you get a combustion leak, you CAN smell the difference! And if you sniff a combustion leak long enough, you can almost get "GIDDY"! Sometimes, a FEW bubbles can be misleading. Maybe I'll train the Dog to be my "SNIFF-O-METER" (That's a registered trade mark!)
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Old 10-15-2013, 05:41 AM   #12
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

Also would do a leak down and or retorque
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Old 10-15-2013, 08:54 AM   #13
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Default Re: Ugh, blown head gasket?

I have had a bad head gasket in the past. Every time you take the car out, the water gets a little lower, bubbles coming in the tank. I even noticed the drops in the street while driving! Note that when you are driving, RPMs are over 1000, there are a lot of bubbles in the radiator, lifting the water level. I would remove the head, have it surfaced (about $50.00), clean everything up, look for cracks in both block & head, use Permatex Head Gasket sealer on the block, both sides of the gasket and the cylinder head and torque to 50-55 ft-lbs. On first start, run only for five minutes and re-torque. Torque values can be down dramatically initially. Run again for 10 minutes and retorque. Run again for 15-20 minutes and re-torque. Repeat the procedure until there are no changes in torque values. Then go out on the road and have some fun, letting all your neighbors "eat their hearts out." Ed
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