Diagnosing a Bad Head Gasket: How to Spot the Telltale Signs So You're Not Ripped Off.

[@RepairGeek]

Tools used in this video: Cooling System Pressure Tester: amzn.to/3zjrWpA Combustion Gas Leak Test Kit: amzn.to/3JUX186 WiFi Borescope: amzn.to/3lS3QiF Compression Tester: amzn.to/40pVa27 My Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/repairgeek Help support the channel, buy using my Amazon links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and your cost is exactly the same.

[@alexshatner3907]

I have a 2010 Toyota Yaris 1.5 engine, my question is I have overheating problems, and bubbling when cold through the radiator cap opening, but I do not have milky oil, nor white smoke out the exhaust pipe,so based on just the bubbling on a cold start, what part of the head gasket do I have the problem with that is causing the overheating? my cylinder compression test is #1 190 lbs #2 189 lbs #3 190 lbs # 4 220 lbs as we speak.

[@Billy-w4r]

What will take to get my truck on the road what can I put to fix my blows head gasket

[@Billy-w4r]

I need to know what product I can use to take care of the problem so I use

[@franktarawa1300]

Fantastic video. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. I have just replaced the radiator in my Camry. There was no coolant left in the reservoir and I had to add two liters in the engine. I caught it just in time. Yours is the best video ever. Regards from Sydney Australia.

[@EBMproductions1]

*so i am on my third blown head gasket and this is within two months since the last fix and i babied the car(never pushed it or went over 120kph(80mph) with the car so what might be the reason it continuously blows as this is verrry frustrating right now*

[@stevenginnever5343]

I'm a little over middle age and can't believe how someone so young, can be so articulate. Your knowledge and delivery on problems are so professional. You really are a breath of fresh air on KZbin. Cheers Steve.

[@dynamicadrenalin]

Honestly, I almost skipped the video when I saw a young guy and a Honda. Glad I didn't. I'm impressed. I seldom subscribe to anything. This guy gets one.

[@SummerEaze]

It's called having a passion

[@SupraSav]

@@SummerEaze Having passion does not mean one can magically speak well.

[@arcademode2910]

Totally concur!

[@EBMproductions1]

*so i am on my third blown head gasket and this is within two months since the last fix and i babied the car(never pushed it or went over 120kph(80mph) with the car so what might be the reason it continuously blows as this is verrry frustrating right now*

[@stephencook7337]

Rule of thumb is, the longer you wait to fix a problem the worse it gets. So you should stop immediately upon discovering a problem with your car. It can mean the difference between replacing the gasket or replacing the vehicle altogether. Excellent video.

[@vincemarshall8550]

or trying different things to sort the problem until you eventually and very expensively replace the whole vehicle ....these issues never givingly present themselves

[@TM-fx5le]

@@vincemarshall8550why are you guys replacing a vehicle because the engines bad? Just drop a new motor in lol

[@vincemarshall8550]

@@TM-fx5le not a nice job in a transit mate but i get your point

[@AlmightyEvil1]

This comment is underrated

[@e47kz]

Don’t all these problems practically make the car totaled in terms of cost to repair. Requiring extensive labor. Like what’s the average cost to replace a head gasket with labor. $5k+… especially today’s rates. What’s the cost for a used engine + labor…

[@JimFatima-nb3fl]

Unbelievable how easy it is to understand the diagnosis of whatever the problem may be going on. So glad I came across this.

[@Premium_pazar_jeans]

He just explains good

[@FB1Dpresents]

Rarely do I leave comments on social media, and this will be the 1st one this year. You, sir, just taught me a very valuable lesson, and that is that you can never trust people who claim they look out for your best interests. One of the greatest explanations I've ever seen of anything in my 37 years of living.

[@pesopaid5499]

I gotta agree with this guy I got the same problem but caught it really early and I had no knowledge of my car prior to this video now I feel like an expert. You’re truly doing gods work.

[@stephenparris8680]

Sir, I have watched so many videos trying to get a full understanding of how to diagnose a problem with my combustion. This was by far the most thorough and succinct I’ve found. Thank you thank you.

[@josburd6429]

I drove a Nissan with a bad head gasket for 2 months and 300 miles , I just kept extra coolant and oil in my truck to top it off, but it got annoying and after 2 months I was able to save some money to put as down payment on a newer , better car, drive safe and God bless ❤

[@SineN0mine3]

2 months of driving with a bad head gasket will damage your engine badly enough that you shouldn't feel okay with selling it, except to a dealer or scrap yard. It's quite simple for a mechanic to change the gasket, if you find yourself in this situation and can't afford the repair you should probably consider selling it there and then. The mechanic, or some car enthusiast can repair the engine and you can use the funds to buy a cheaper car. It's a tough call to make since we're usually reliant on our cars to get to work, but the car's worth a lot more money with a working engine that has a bad gasket than it is once the engine itself is damaged. The gaskets themselves are usually $100 or less, it's the labour to install them which is expensive. Compared to a new engine which may cost thousands, and has an even higher labour cost you're really incentivised to act quickly once you discover a bad gasket.

[@javierreyes786]

I did the exact same thing on my Nissan except I ended up overfilling the oil after topping it up every few weeks, the engine hydrolocked and I was shopping for a used car that same week, won't make that mistake again

[@JA-rc4uy]

ASE certified master technician here. This is a great video, very well presented. But I have one correction. At 15:20, when using the engine block tester, you don’t draw coolant into the test vial. You simply use the bulb at the top of the vial to draw air from the radiator THROUGH the vial. If hydrocarbons/carbon monoxide are present in the air samples, that is what causes the test fluid to change color. Coolant being drawn into the vial and touching the test fluid can compromise the results.

[@islandbeaches395]

coolant in the oil or open the engine cover look in the hole no specials tools.

[@JA-rc4uy]

@@islandbeaches395 A head gasket can fail in more than one way. If it fails between the combustion chamber and a coolant passage, which is what happened in this video, then it won’t mix coolant with the oil. Just checking for coolant in the oil does not tell you if a gasket is good or bad And what the heck do you mean by “open the engine cover and look in the hole”??? Tell me you don’t know how an engine operates without telling me.

[@tomdude75]

I'm losing coolant with no visible leaks, and no obvious signs of head gasket failure, any ideas what it could be

[@JA-rc4uy]

⁠@@tomdude75 The cooling system is supposed to operate as a sealed system. If the coolant goes low, maybe even empty over time, then there is a leak somewhere. The leak is either external or internal. An external leak you can see if it’s large enough. But sometimes it’s small and will evaporate fairly quickly, if that is happening you can still usually tell that there is a leak because after the coolant dries it will leave a white residue wherever the leak is located.. Another way an engine can loose coolant with no other real noticeable symptoms is if the head gasket fails between the coolant jacket and the combustion chamber, but the leak is small. This is what happened to the most recent engine I repaired. The head gasket had gone bad, but the leak was small and not enough to cause white smoke out the tailpipe, not enough to cause any drivability concerns or overheating as long as the coolant was topped off. But it was still leaking into the cylinder and burning it off causing it to eventually go low. It is my brother-in-laws car and that is why he had me take a look at it, because it was loosing coolant with no noticeable leaks and no obvious head gasket issues. This COULD be what is happening, as not all head gasket failures are immediately obvious, at least not until the leak becomes large enough.

[@TheJoeman11]

Good technician who methodically covers the range of scenarios involved with head gasket issues.

[@williamfletcher4084]

I am much less car stupid now . No need to ask questions because you answered them before I had the chance. Great video man for real...much thanks

[@LuisCarlos-r5q]

I have watched dozens of videos about blown head gasket related and, by far, this is the best ever I watched. Congratulations.

[@JessicaBarhamGonzalez]

I'm a 35 year old female many men and women have completely lost my attention and failed and left me lost and not saying they didn't have the knowledge but they sure wasn't meant to be a teacher wow this futs a really great teacher. I now understand thank you sir'

[@islandbeaches395]

Every day I learn something new.

[@MrDilley777]

This is the best video on how to tell what part of the head gasket is blown Ive seen and now I know whats wrong with my wifes car, thank you very much!!!!😊😊😊

[@anthonyiannone7618]

excellent explanation . The one thing i do is pressurize the cylinder with air and watch the cooling system for bubbles , like you said but without running the engine. Ive used this technique several times on Hondas and it worked for me

[@dihylan]

Beautiful and coherent articulation of what the head gasket's role is, and moreover, why you are leaving your engine to certain demise if not repaired in a timely manner.

[@davesmith2150]

Great explanation mine I did it 3 times and I finally found it it was a cracked head deep in the oil gally so I got a new head and problem solved...the main problem was oil in the coolant like you said the oil has more pressure then the coolant so it was blowing into the coolant. I had no coolant in the oil.

[@karlrensburg3472]

Awesome tutorial, another one I learned over the years is after the engine reaches operating temperature, one shouldn't have water dripping out the exhaust , that is a sign of coolant leaking at the head.

[@oliverqueen6587]

Yeah initially I thought my car had a Leaking radiator but the bubbling radiator (radiator cap removed and engine on idle) combined with misfire in cylinder 1 in the cold morning confirmed what the issue was. Thanks for the details 😊.

[@delva87]

What was the issue?

[@protusochieng4533]

Watchimg from 🇰🇪Kenya. Very well explained. Be blessed. Exactly the reason i abandoned the tractor at the farm today. Being i a novice in auto world..i feel empowered. Mine is damaged between 2 cylinders. Fret but now informed 😊

[@dh1380]

Mine went two weeks ago. Carbon cleaned and valves replaced, head pressure tested. New cam belt and water pump, cam follower replaced... £1250. Almost half what I paid for the car (2009 Audi TTS) 😅 If i hadn't already had the thermostat replaced and changed the PCV I wouldve got that done too. You might as well get some preventative maintenance done whilst you're in there - Saves money later down the line on the more labour intensive jobs.

[@btd-cf2000]

Excellent, thorough description. I really appreciated the distinction made between the higher pressure oil passage ways, but the fact that the coolant system stays under pressure (albeit lower) after the motor is shut off. Great points, and helpful in diagnosing different symptoms. I've done motor swaps and head gasket replacements on several motors and still learned something. Well done.

[@ThunderbirdRocket]

Tremendous tutorial ! The amount of information , and specificity , and video shots , and simple to understand terminology ; has , without any doubt , whatsoever , made the greatest impact on my learning this particular topic . Thanks mate !! 👊🏼

[@virgilgreenfield1136]

Excellent teaching! Thank you for being so detailed and covering the essentials in terms a novice could understand. Keep videos like this coming. Thank you!

[@eddkennedy6458]

Great advice, a leakdown test is also beneficial, also water entering a cylinder can end up coming out the exhaust and can also cause an engine lockup situation usually when you attempt to start up in the morning or when the engine has been off for some time.

[@otip2629]

Excellent explanation.am dealing with what l hope is a blown head gasket and not a cracked head on a sport bike.l need it this precise explanation.thanks.

[@jimtoth-p8v]

This is one of the best You Tube videos on the subject ever made. The explanations of the cause and effects are extremely well done. The way he actually shows the situation and explains it should be a model for all You Tube videos wrt automotive mechanics,

[@chriswoods3851]

absolutely the g.o.a.t explanation about blown head gaskets.

[@MarkMalone-ni5nt]

Easily one of the best explanations on the types and causes of various head gasket failure modes. Excellent approach using the removed head for the explanation.

[@abdirahmanhabib398]

Man o man if you are not a professor I don't know what you are!!!!! Explanation on point. I'm a rookie lube tech on my way to wrenching, and this was absolutely gold. Thank you.

[@yamigekido9554]

This has been incredibly informative to me my head gasket just blew and this video helped me diagnose what exactly happened

[@kevinogorman6282]

Well presented and shown in detail. There are so many types of engines that require different disassembly and reassembly procedures that people need to research prior to taking on a job like this. For those that are learning or choose not to do it themselves it really helps them to understand the methods of testing and the possibilities of head gasket failure. If the symptoms are present I suggest the repair it now is the only solution, avoid extensive damage. For engines with dual timing chains and tensioners, V6 and V8 it is a task that may be above some diy capabilities as well as tools and equipment requirements.

[@sanuyapaul1759]

THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION AND THE VIDEO. I HAVE MY CAR HODA CRV - RD1 WAS UNABLE TO START AND FOUND MILKY OIL FROM YHE ENGINE. NOW I KNOW THE PROBLEM WHY OIL WENT INTO THE ENGIN SUMP, YOUR EXPLANATION WAS REALLY CLEAR. WELL DONE.

[@danielhocker6720]

I have a honda CRv 2003. And I blew the radiator .. as we changed the radaitor in 2 of the smaller hoses had oil leak out of the lines. However it starts and is idioled but no white smoke. Im hoping its just a radiator.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Rots of ruck​@@danielhocker6720

[@Dwayne-r2l]

This guy is very professional and well trained

[@virginiawilliams8947]

Thank you so much! You are an awesome instructor/teacher!!!! Even I halfway I understood how it all is working together as a wh.❤

[@boinknook]

Thank you. Great explanation! Wow, all that because a stupid gasket was leaking. Wow that gasket has an extremely important job!! But an easier question: if a head gasket is blown, eventually there should be a check engine code because if you think about it, all these symptoms are going to affect emissions.

[@RepairGeek]

You could have misfire codes for sure. Most vehicles don't monitor the physical emissions, they monitor the systems that control emissions. So if the emissions controls are in place and working the car doesn't care, regardless of how harmful the emissions actually are.

[@madb9422]

​@@RepairGeekThx. It wasn't my question but thanks for the answer.

[@AlanBurkhart-e1n]

Amazingly detailed and logical description of the head gasket issue. Im astounded at how you explained in detail but still made it so the novice could comprehend. You sir are The Maestro. And I HAD to subscribe to your channel!

[@justchris846]

This was the best “Explanation Video” I’ve watched

[@Cathlene-z1x]

You get the hero award. This video is wonderful. I learned a lot. Thank you.

[@vanrolle710]

Thanks I think this video was on point and it explained all the symptoms' and diagnoses. I live in the Bahamas and is very much appreciative of all the equipment you use to diagnose this problem. I will continue to follow you for more mechanical videos .. Again Thanks

[@andrewsweeney9470]

Best explanation of head gasket failure I have seen. Thank you!

[@stuckinmygarage6220]

I'm not sure how much practice you do, but it's working. Kudos 👍

[@RonaldDCass]

If you have a GM V-6 from the mid 1990's to present you WILL almost certainly have either a blown head gasket or a upper or lower manifold gasket after about 100K until it blows usually before 150K. GM engineers designed the gaskets using a plastic instead of laminated steel. Tens of thousands of engines have had gasket failures. If you have the symptoms of overheating or commingled fluids, replace ALL OF THOSE GASKETS in one teardown/replacement with the complete aftermarket FELPRO gasket set. In a minivan, the cost for this repair can easily be as much as an engine replacement. The parts are only about $200, but the labor can be one or two THOUSAND dollars. If your car is 10 years old it can cost less to scrap the car & buy a replacement unless you can do the work yourself.

[@dissarrae]

Very informative & well made video. My late husband was a master mechanic and i worked on cars with him for 14 yrs but he left me with a blown head gasket in one vehicle & not enough experience to confidently fix it on my own so I'll be looking for your video on the engine tear-down to help guide me through it! Thanks for making such great videos!

[@ioannaotinanai]

I'm looking to buy a used car and your explanation gave me some incredible pointers on what to be aware of when checking the car, thank you so much!

[@IOwnCalculus]

15:25 you don't actually want to suck coolant into the tester, it will give you a false positive. Ideally you'd lower the coolant level in the radiator enough to give you an air gap so you just sample the gases coming out of the coolant.

[@fallenone6]

Exactly you dont suck coolant you suck in the air to detect gases. One question, the tester fluid is blue and mine turned a slightly lighter shade of blue after doing the test but not green or yellow like the instructions say. What would that mean?

[@rollerlondon5259]

Same here.Turned greenish..not yellow,not original blue. Preasure is rising in the cooling system.... Head gasket????¿😢

[@JA-rc4uy]

ASE certified master tech here. If the fluid turns any shade of green, it means you have a small combustion leak into the cooling system. If the tester is left on the radiator long enough, it will eventually turn yellow. If it goes from blue, to green to yellow fairly quickly, then it is a larger combustion leak into the cooling system.

[@adrellwilliams4754]

I have low compression on side by side cylinders. But not exchange of coolant and oil in engine or radiator. Car is basically running on two cylinders out of 4. Before it gets worse I'm gonna put it in the shop and replace the head gasket. Hopefully it's the only issue. Thanks for your vlog.

[@Glenn_123]

Great video! This has always been a fear of mine.... I have an 04 Accord. I know this day is coming. Thanks for doing a great video.

[@ExitVelocity]

Very intelligent dude and great at explaining things. Videos are very informative. Thanks

[@kj8687]

Of all the videos I've watched on head gasket failure, this video does great job of explaining this problem. Thanks for this great video

[@ct3049]

Gone through many related content but this was the best, answered almost every question in mind!❤

[@ferdinandcuevas8457]

You can also end up with a hydrostatic locked engine because of a blown head gasket . Great content , Thank You . 🇺🇸🇵🇷🦊👍

[@RepairGeek]

And you will have the other symptoms that I described long before you hydrolock something.

[@Acidalley]

Excellent indepth analysis. This video couldnt be better. Thanks for sharing

[@1mw4tch1ng]

when checking the air bubble to show on the radiator cap after starting the engine, I would wait for a few minutes before assuming you have a blown head. once the rad cap is removed and the engine running I would squeeze the upper rad hose to remove air bubbles trapped in the cooling system. Then watch for more air to show and will be persistent while the engine running. You can

[@paulstrangers2943]

Very methodically detailed video on this topic. My tacoma has bubbles in the radiator.

[@chrisphilhower6029]

I have a 22 Kona 2L. I have been having Low Coolant Issues. I check the Coolant Level when Cold. The car sat for 20 hours. Went to check the radiator. The Cap was Hissing. The Dealer replaced the ITM. A week later needed at least 1 Qt to top up.

[@richardpowles-brown2775]

Excellent video thanks. There's another possible scenario which wouldn't happen on your Honda but it seems to be happening on a friend's M-B with the OM601 2 litre diesel. Oil is coming out the exhaust, without affecting the coolant. I haven't actually got the head off yet but there's a place on the head gasket which could lead directly from the oil supply to the cylinder. Symptoms are white smoke, rough idling and eventually oil spray from the exhaust.

[@kristalynnmertz]

Sounds like he overfilled his oil.

[@SuperDave227D]

THE BEST EVER COMPLETE BREAK DOWN!!! Thank you!

[@jeffdavis1458]

This is an excellent video. You tell the "whats", "whys", & "hows". I learned so much. Thank you!

[@johnselekta]

Perfect man thank you. Just about to check out my old overheating VW T4 camper and found a proper blockage so hoping it doesn't go this far. Pressure test kit is here so I'll try it if symptoms persist. Great vid.

[@hoatrojan]

Thanks for a great video. I have Nissan frontier 2008, the mechanic also told me that I may have a bad head gasket (just a guess). The car still runs and I do not have overheat during running. When I stop the car for about 15-20 minutes, I get an overheating. I also have a bubble from radiator. So, is it 90% that I have a bad head gasket? Thank you.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Yep

[@thetwogardens6048]

I have oil going into the coolant . But not the other way around . Does this still mean a blown Head Gasket . the Engine runs ok ?

[@garyvalto1854]

By far the best video on KZbin about this topic! congrats!

[@mickeybecraft5965]

Hats off to you , not only your thorough explanation of how each Port meets and does what it does to create a symptom that you can practically diagnose, with no tools in your hands. Simple scenario, you break down on the side of the roadl. You at least know whether to grab the tag or not an start walking. Which leads me to the other side of the coin, your presentation an everything was great, not a flaw! Then I read the comments. Some people had statements some people had questions.

[@mickeybecraft5965]

You didn't answer anybody

[@mickeybecraft5965]

Not to mention your time in video productions ctc. Tear down engine, fix, repair and or replace. Assemble. Do try to find the time to talk to your fans , subscribers, ... Great job otherwise.

[@RepairGeek]

I have a hard time answering questions that were covered in the video. I try to talk to some people but, you need to be willing to help yourself at a certain point.

[@702HGA]

Amazing f**** video. Best, most detailed informational video I’ve yet to see online on this topic. Covered all the basis and made it easy to understand. Really needed the help figuring out my 636 leaky gasket issue & this def did it for me. Excellent job, much appreciated.

[@mowski9]

Best video I've watched on KZbin? Just might be. I wish America valued education. You should be educating our children

[@jswap1]

A lot of good info here, but one mistake I noticed is that you should not draw coolant into the block tester vial: "7. Draw AIR from radiator (not coolant!) through test fluid by squeezing bulb repeatedly for about 1 minute." This is straight from the block tester instructions. Also, I believe 75% of head gasket problems can be fixed and last for tens of thousands of miles by using a $30 bottle of sealant like Bar's. Not trying that first is a huge waste of time and money.

[@TonyJanes-p2o]

Jacob

[@roberxl]

Best class on blown head gaskets

[@marouaneahdadouch7219]

I wish I had more free time in my life to watch all your videos

[@thomasmastersen3709]

Outstanding and informative overview of the whole diagnostic!! Smart guy. Very smart indeed

[@clivemullings1754]

This was a first class tutorial. Excellent!

[@naturemacro]

Hands down the best vid ive seen on head gasket issue explanation.Thank u very much for taking the time to make this.

[@johncampbell500]

I live in Stark County and work in Cuyahoga Falls. I also have a 2001 mustang gt in mineral gray. I really liked your series on the mustang and getting it ready for your trip. Hopefully we cross paths once the weather breaks and can swap mustang stories 👍

[@jeffreyhines2709]

This guy is very informative. We need more of this on this site. Great job 👏

[@sagewhite5776]

Amazing video. Thanks for saving me so much headache and money on diagnosis

[@bobdeengineer7396]

Great video. My chevy sonic 1.8L is a very similar design/layout. at 263,000, it blew a HG sending combustion into the cooling system (no oil/coolant mixing) . Technically, didnt blew the HG, the head and block actually warped and HG just lost its partner sealing contact surfaces, but HG was apparently not damaged. Decided to do a complete engine rebuild because it was in my bucket list.I had the machinist inspect the block and head for cracks (none detected). Did a 20 thousandth oversize pistons and rings (I recommend getting the special ring gapping file tool). Car in in the breaking in process now to seat the rings. I noticed that the area you pointed out the problem may be an area of relatively higher heat. would be good to have a fan in that area with an independent cooling wrap to try and cool it a little.

[@k1ll3runa]

Drove a diesel with a leak to the cooling system, it leaked out the hoses. Then unknowingly fixed up the hoses and started to burn coolant at a small rate. Drove it like that for almost a year. Tore it apart and 2 cylinders were slightly rusted due to that. To top it off had a bad expansion tank cap that would not open.

[@theneonskymusic]

Stumbled upon this video while suspecting my car's head gasket is gone. I was told there'd be overheating, car running rough, and white smoke that smells like burn coolant. My car only blows white smoke sometimes, doesn't overheat, and runs really well. No signs of any coolant mixture with the oil, nor oil in the coolant. The white smoke smells like plain vapor with a hint of "burned" smell. That's why I was puzzled but after this video I think I have coolant leaking into the combustion chamber. still.. no Coolant smell. weird.. When you insert the camera, where do you exactly insert it through?

[@Mr572u]

If someone would invent a lubricant that is also a coolant, we’d be all set! Get after it Elon!

[@michaelknorr6825]

Overheating, loss of coolant, smoke out the tail pipe. Lower power. Milky , off color oil. You can also run a cylinder leak down test and with that going, listen to the 4 areas of interest. Air filter housing means the intake valve is not seated. Exhaust, same issue, with the exhaust valve. Through where the oil cap goes, the rings have failed. Past the head gasket, bubbles in the radiator.

[@PeaceChanel]

Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤

[@kawai99100]

2012 camry. Nephew driving, noticed a lot of white smoke and a little stumble. Took it to shop, ZERO coolant in radiator and cracked radiator. Any possibility the head gasket may be damaged?. You are smart man!!!!

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Very likely

[@sherylm.franks4536]

You are an awesome teacher! Thank you for this video.

[@gilbertocharpentier6391]

Thanks for the great step by step explanation on your video. I am having coolant lost on a 2015 V60. When the coolant is low, a sensor in the dash is coming on telling to pull over and re-fill it. No overheating. No oil in the coolant tank. No visible water in the oil. No external leaks. I noticed in the morning when test starting the car, small white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. After a second test by a different shop (second opinion), it appears that there is a combustion leak. I think they did the blue liquid test. I have parked the car after the second test looking for a good rated mechanic which I found 100km away. Do you think it would be too much risk for me to drive this distance to drop the car for repair?

[@jamesforler6897]

I just completed an intro to engines course at my local community college. You basically condensed the entire course into this video. Thank you sooo much.

[@mike75479]

Exactly that’s what is happening with my Camry now. Hard radiator hose and smell of coolant leak and thin exhaust smoke on idle after starting

[@RandyWells24]

i dont what the point of WHERE the leak is.... the repair is the SAME...no? dont get me wrong GREAT video! where? its the same part to fix the head where EVER its leaking from.

[@marcussweat1924]

Very Nice! Your delivery on this topic was top knotch and right On Point! Keep those videos a coming. I am sharing this... Thank you...

[@hittz8331]

First, I want to thank you MUCH for taking your time to share such detailed content!!!!!As many will agree, we appreciate your work and respect your knowledge. Subscribed and Liked! Thank You.

[@plugg440]

Very detailed explanation! Probably the best video I’ve found. Subscribed.

[@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn]

Damn. Made it to work, but some white smoke was coming out my engine. Coolant was pretty low and temp gauge was all the way up. I just refilled it and will start it again later. Is it safe to drive back? I've had to refill the coolant like every 2 weeks or so prior to all this. It's a 2007 charger rt. To call this stressful is an understatement.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Don't drive til fix, or get cracked head or block, new engine in future

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Doubt u know how to successfully weld crack in head or block, I dont

[@raymondhandboy4730]

Dude this is the best breakdown and Informative video I’ve ever seen on KZbin. Amazing job and I learned Alot! Thank you!

[@justsomeguy4941]

Hey Geek, excellent video. I was searching KZbin for HG leak & radiator vids when I came across yours. I have a bit of a puzzle...I think. I have a 1997 Toyota truck. Because my radiator "looked old," I replaced with a new OEM. That's the only reason for the change. No leaks. Upon removing radiator hose and bypass hose, I noticed a small amount of that dreaded "milky" substance on bypass nipple. Also, what appeared to be dried milky substance on upper radiator hose nipple. Finally, the drain pan for coolant has some fine granular material. I have no leaks. No white smoke. No oil in coolant and no coolant in the oil. Does not overheat...has never overheated, no misfires, etc. No bubbling in radiator when bleeding system. There were a few bubbles when the radiator cap is removed and fluid is flowing. So, I did a chemical gas test with the blue fluid and the fluid stayed blue and did not change colors. So, IF there is a HG leak, it is tiny. Is there a way to identify such a small leak? I want to be able to identify with some level of certainty that the gasket is bad. Your thoughts....or thoughts of the KZbin community?

[@bigdfig6083]

I wouldn't sweat it. Sounds like po(s) may have not been on the ball over maintenance. Keep up on the coolant replacement interval n you'll be fine.

[@justsomeguy4941]

@@bigdfig6083 Thanks bigdfig. I just took a 60o mile trip and no problems, no overheating, etc. I think you are correct. Thanks for the feedback.

[@timrozman8941]

Hello there, Volvo 340, 1.4l, 1986. Only simptom is white smoke when car is warmed up. Coolant and oil are not mixing. It is using coolant. Could it be anything else than a head gasket?

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Oil cooler as he said

[@BrandonAaskov]

This video is incredible, but one error: you don't suck up coolant into the block tester tube. It's the exhaust gases bubbling up through the coolant that will change the fluid color if there's a gasket leak.

[@mg8718]

Ive blown 2 head gaskets on high miliage cars and i replaced both and was back on the road just fine.

[@birdmanohyes]

Great video! Thank you for breaking things down, and explaining things.

[@Tomas.X]

First, a prayer for us Subaru guys. I bought my college kid a very clean, low mileage, Texas owned 2006 Impreza 2.5i six mos ago. I just sold my 2006 Outback I owned 17 years and the Impreza qas replacing a nightmare Sonic. Now tge Impreza is a nightmare...string of problems... 1) DTC for 2 bad O2 sensors. Replaced, went away. 2) Son (not at all a car guy) reports a loud ticking noise but he's not no more specifix. (Rod knock...or loose heat shield..ugh.) 3) Infamous P0420 DTC....and I just bought a full OEM timing belt, PC & AC belt, water pump, idler, etc kit!. 4) He's back in town, runs to the store, returns to car ans theres coolant visible (small amount but he smells it.) Pops hood. Its sprayed everywhere. Zero additional problems. Drove 5 miles home, fine. Coolant losss a quart or less. No bubbles. 5) I put Bars Leak HG sealer in the radiator, run the engine 30 min. Drove car around amall town today, 10 miles, to work it through. Now that ticking? Certain its an exhaust leak. The upstream O2 sensor is reading 0 volts. So here it is. Needs a repair (exhaust leak) whuch is hopefully not a cracked manifold. Needa a big service (belts) but may ultimately need head gaskets. If the HG job is done, the other two are tremendously cheaper with everything out. OR...do that wor and pray on the HG. Ughhhhhhh!

[@Alohahomeautorepair]

Great vid. But what is causing the top of my NEW radiator to blow? The head or a clogged heater core?

[@RepairGeek]

Head gasket, bad cap, crap radiator.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

​@@RepairGeekI hope u make more$ from utube than as mechanic, lots of mechanics, few can articulate n film to teach like u, more valuable as teacher, keep it up

[@curtisjackson3010]

So I've been having to replace coolant in the reservoir for a couple weeks. I finally tried to diagnose. Did the easy stuff first. Replaced the radiator cap becus the seal and spring was gone. Possibly in radiator. After changing radiator cap, car started to overheat and spray coolant on the engine. Hose now has obvious hole. Can this still be head gasket?

[@akgocrazzzy4580]

I’ve been looking at hella head gasket vids this guy explained it best