I think my headgasket is blown but I don't have a compression or a radiator pressure testing cap to check it. I've had a slow loss of coolant but no leaks or exhaust smoke. I have bubbles in the radiator. I've cycled filling it a couple times with the heater on and opening the thermostat bleeder but it won't stop bubbling. There was never any lose of power. Now I have a miss at idle but it goes away if I relieve the pressure from the radiator.

Headgasket?


Any good internet how-to's on headgaskets?

Thanks.

 

if you want to do a compression test just rent one from AutoZone.

as for headgasket how-to's... check the Accord FAQ

 

ok I did a compression test and a coolant system pressure test.

cylinder 1 was 180 ..... 2 ..170 .......3 ...180 .........4.. 180.


The coolant pressure test pumped to about 25 psi leaked down really slowly to about 20 after 10 minutes. I had a small amount of water (I couldn't tell if it was coolant or condensation from the AC because my coolant is so diluted with water now) dripping off of the rear motor mount. That is the rear motor mount isn't it? I couldn't see where it was coming from though. It did seem like it was a pressure leak. When I wiped it off it would quickly reappear and drip from the same place. I felt all the heater core hoses and the thermostat housing and they were all dry.

The instructions said do the next test while the engine runs. I bled the pressure and cranked it up. The pressure slowly went to 20 and stayed there after about 10 minutes. Not satisfied, I did it again. This time I revved it up and every time I revved it .... the pressure jumped up 3-4 lbs. It got all the way up to about 25-30. The instructions said if it was the head gasket the pressure would increase really fast and the pump handle/pressure gauge would vibrate. It went up slow and only if I revved it did it go higher than 20 psi and there was no vibration in the pump.

Any ideas where that leak is coming from? head gasket? cracked head or block? Is the upper part of the rear mount anywhere near cylinder #2? I couldn't see anything. It's above the steering and below the intake where ever it's coming from..

Head gasket?

 

the head gasket is blown in the #2 cylinder

 

you dont need a radiator pressure testor but a BLOCK TESTER from auto zone to test for a blown head gasket. its part of their rent a tool program.

 

as far as how to do your head gasket i dont think there is enough room in this forum LOL its quite involved. if you dont have the right tools or a descent set of tools i would take it to a shop. make sure you or the shop has a valve job done on the head when you do the head gasket

 

your compresson loss could be from a leaking valve seat as well. the block tester will verify but youll have to take the head off either way

 

Thanks for your replies Rick. What does the Block tester test?

 

crash course in chemistry----combustion gasses enter your coolant through the blown gasket when the engine is running. the block tester is a clear tube you fill with greenish coolant. the tube has a tapered end you put in your radiator cap opening. when the engine is running the combustion gasses cause a chemical reaction in the greenish coolant turning it a different color. if the greenish fluid dont change color your head gasket is good and your compression loss is in the head....like a leaking valve or seat. your head still needs to come off for a valve job and a resurfacing. replace your head gasket too and i recomend new head bolts too. i'm just over cautious but i've never had to warranty a car for bad work i did.

 

ok, thanks. I'll do that next. ....and autozone has it?

 

yes autozne has it. its in the pictures on the plastic mats they have on the counters

 

I would do a leakdown tester before jumping to conclusions about the head gasket. Cylinder number 2 is nowhere near your motor mount, so if the gasket were leaking from #2, you'd see coolant on your oil filter. If the low compression was from the gasket being blown, you'd see airbubbles coming out of your radiator non-stop with the car running and cap off.

If it were me, I'd lift the car up, pressurize the system, and look for leaks more carefully, then do a leakdown test to determine the cause of the lower compression though a 10psi difference is hardly anything to worry about.

 

the block tester will get to the head gasket issue without lifting the car. work smarter not harder is my motto. any time i can just open the hood, remove the radiator cap. insert the block tester and start the car to diagnose something-i do. way easier than taking up space in a lift bay or crawling around under a car on my back

 

I do have bubbles non stop while it's running. I've bled it at the thermostat and through several cycles but the bubbles don't stop.

Does autozone have a leak down tester too?

 

Block tester isn't going to diagnose a leak though.

 

Understand. What you're saying is if I have combustion products in the coolant, it's either the head gasket or a crack ....for sure. ...and I WILL be tearing it down. Thanks Rick. I'll get the block tester.


If that checks out ok ..... follow through with the leak tester slomofo is suggesting. and thanks for the suggestion slomofo.

 

too bad youre so far from cali if you need a rebuild. i have engines for rebuilds and a shipping company but it would cost like 15-18 hundred plus shipping since i dont have your core here. hope its just a head gasket though

 

The car isn't worth that much. I figure I'm going to sink about 350-400 in it if it's just the head gasket including the head gasket kit, timing belt, water pump and machine shop to check it for cracks and possible plane it. .....and that's if I do all the work.

It's nice and all, has fresh paint, everything else is good, but the blue book is only about 2500, I think.

 

yeah i know what you mean about car values. a guy asked if i was selling my 90 integra GS and offered 600 bucks. the engine just had a full rebuild, theres new bushings (compete set), trans rebuilt and re sealed, new clutch, brakes, axles, shocks/struts, tires, and a few other things. point is, our cars are worth more to us than any blue book value in most cases. considering your cars age is why i said it was too bad you lived so far. it would cost like maybe 600 for the head to be done here and shipped to you. i knew that wouldnt be worth it for you LOL.

 

Block test was positive. Rick was spot on.

Now I can presume the least of my worries is a blown head gasket. Do the compression test numbers indicate more likely a cracked head or block instead of a blown headgasket?? .....just because it's only slightly lower in cylinder #2 instead of the gasket between 2 cylinders causing 2 adjacent cylinders to be lower.

After I take it apart, will I be able to see a blown head gasket area going to a water jacket?

 

most likely its just your head gasket losing 10 psi. if you had a cracked head or leaking valve seat you would most likely see more compression loss. but to be sure, i always have the head sent to a good machine shop for a full valve job. on any head i send them they also go an extra step for me and replace all the valve stem seals too. this is not required most of the time but because i like to give customers an over the top service and i dont want a little play too much in the valve guides i replace them. this is usually an extra 100 bucks on top of the valve job. like i said your valves are probably fine. i dont think your head is cracked. but i would make sure the head is not warped by having the machine shop check it. and you should do a valve job too. replace the guides if you can afford it or if you need it too

 

oh yeah, and get a factory head gasket from the dealer. if you replace the timing belt too then also use a dealer (factory) timing belt. if your car has a balancer belt (i cant remember off hand) then replace that too with a dealer part also. i dont know if you just did it any time recetly so i thought i'd add that as advise

 

ok, thanks. I'll get the factory parts too. water pump, timing and balancer belts too. So does the headgasket kit come with all the gaskets including the timing belt cover since you have to remove that too? Should I replace the tensioners? Any other seals in the timing belt area that don't come in the HG kit?

It's funny, the guys at autozone (not that they are even close to real mechanics or anything) had even heard of the block tester either because no one had ever rented it before.

Here's another thought. I might have a line on a complete running 95 f22b1 vtec for $300 with only 90,000 miles or another with 126,000 compared to the 180,000 I have on mine. I have an engine hoist and could just as easily jack something newer in, maybe easier. I've never pulled a fwd engine/trans but it doesn't look that difficult. What do ya think?

Which is more difficult, or about the same? Headgasket/timing belts/water pump OR engine swap? I'm just thinking the machine shop costs could really add up if I just fixed mine (the parts alone for the headgasket/wp/belts are almost $300) and I would have far lower mileage by just swapping engines and I also have a bad cv boot which I could replace then.