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Do I have a blown head gasket ...

Sent to Car Experts October 06 05:31 PM

Do I have a blown head gasket?
I have a oily smelling slimey fluid in my coolant bucket
The car is lacking slightly in performance
There is no smoke in the exhaust ( yet )

 

Optional Information:
1997 Saturn SC1 1.9L

Already Tried:
copression test 2 cyl @ 90 1 at 140 1 at 150 coolant bucket filled with ???

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $8
Answer
October 6 5:52 PM (20 minutes and 49 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
Hi

Yes it sounds like a head gasket is leaking. To know 100% you can go to a parts store and pickup a tester for checking bad head gasktes. You can also remove the radiator cap and with the eng running if you see a lot of air bubbles coming up from the radiator then the head gasket is leaking.


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Red -- Auto Service Technician -- 98% Positive Feedback on 114 Car Accepts
ASE Certified with 20 Years of Automotive experience.
Reply
October 6 7:09 PM (1 hour and 17 minutes and 26 seconds later)
         
Reply to Red's Post: 1) how does a head gasket tester work?
2) this car does not have a " radiator cap on the radiator only on the collant bucket.
3) I did notice a lot of tiny bubbles in the coolant bucket while the car was running
thanks
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
October 6 7:26 PM (17 minutes and 1 second later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
To do the test, add the blue detector fluid to the (block-tester) plastic container according to the directions, and place it onto the radiator filler neck. The squeeze bulb is placed on top of the reservoir and squeezed repeatedly (Some block testers, have a tube that connects to a vacuum line instead of a squeeze bulb). Squeezing the bulb will draw air from the radiator through the test fluid. Block tester fluid is normally blue. Exhaust gases in the cooling system will change the color of the fluid to yellow, indicating a combustion leak. If the fluid remains blue, exhaust gases were not present during the test. The vehicle should be started and at operating temperature before performing the test.

The right name for the tester is Combustion Leak Tester. They can cost from 20.00 to over 50.00 Check a few parts stores to see what they have.




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Red -- Auto Service Technician -- 98% Positive Feedback on 114 Car Accepts
ASE Certified with 20 Years of Automotive experience.
Reply
October 6 7:39 PM (12 minutes and 53 seconds later)
         
Reply to Red's Post: I guess i have one more question.
based on what we know it sounds like a head gasket.
are there other ways oil could get in the coolant reservoir?
I have seen on other cars milky oil in the crankcase
and white smoke in the exhaust but i have never seen a case where oil got into the cooling system
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
October 6 7:56 PM (17 minutes and 20 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
I have seen coolant in the oil thats how it gets milky and I have seen the oil getting in to the coolant. eng oil getting into the coolant is from the head gasket. Its how the head gasket is leaking.


If you have further questions please post back. If this helps, please Accept    



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Red -- Auto Service Technician -- 98% Positive Feedback on 114 Car Accepts
ASE Certified with 20 Years of Automotive experience.
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