| There are lots of ways to diagnose a head gasket or to check the general health of an engine, but this video is focusing on 3 major systems. 1) The coolant system 2) The combustion chamber 3) The valvetrain COOLANT SYSTEM PRESSURE TEST: The boiling point of water (coolant) RISES under pressure. It's imperative that the coolant system has NO AIR in it, no leaks, a known-good thermostat, and a good radiator cap in order to function properly. If the pressure stamped on your radiator cap is not being achieved, Boyle's law is not taking affect, and your coolant will boil when the car is being driven at it's normal operating temperature, and may exhibit signs of a blown head gasket. Many have cursed the process of burping all the air out, sometimes even taking several days and heat cycles to complete the process. COMPRESSION TEST: The point of a compression test is to diagnose the health of each combustion chamber. A compression test is a crude test to determine if a ring, valve seal, valve, or a head gasket problem exists. It will show immediately in this test because the gauge will not rise to the pressure specified for your engine. There are 3 numbers you need regarding your car's setup. High limit, Low Limit and Range. The high limit is specified by your car's manufacturer and reflects the equipment they used to build the engine. If you EXCEED the high limit, chances are it's caused by excessive carbon build-up, and a Seafoam or MCCC treatment will usually remove the carbon ... |
