Blowing fine bubbles in radiator

[Jonchilds]

I've been losing water from my radiator for some time, and was just assuming that its being lost through a leaky hose somewhere exotic.

At the last service, the oil was 100% brown/black, nothing milky. No oil in the water I just drained from the radiator either, and I've been unable to find a leak from a hose.

Just flushed the old coolant out of the radiator, and put some new stuff in. Let the car warm up and thermostat open, with the radiator cap off. I am now blowing very fine bubbles out of the cap which froths up fairly quickly. If I give the car some air, I get some larger bubbles come out.

I idled the car for about 10min, and still had bubbles coming out, after keeping the water level at a height I could see it. This sounds like a head gasket to me (piston to water body), but its missing the hallmarks such as milky oil, and oil in the radiator.

I've shown someone (a car salesman when I installed their ADSL network) and they said its the head gasket, but I'm after a second opinion. Also what should I do with the car? I've spent $1500 AUD on a $2700AUD car since november, and I've been quoted $800AUD to $1200AUD to have the head removed, new gasket and work done to remedy any corrosion to the head.

I'm thinking I should put some sealant through the radiator and try sell it for what I can get, and go for a different car. This one is getting a little small for me (6'7") and not the best seats for anyones back...

[Raddman]

Jonchilds-->"I'm thinking I should put some sealant through the radiator and try sell it for what I can get, and go for a different car."

Hope your not going to sell it after doing that without telling the person who's buying it about the problem.... I wouldn't do that to anyone because "what goes around comes around"...Sounds like a head gasket problem. If you do a compression check you can find out where the problem is...JMHO...Radd Guy

[Jonchilds]

I dont believe too much in that "what goes around" stuff, since I've been getting it for the last few years, and I try to be a nice guy. Especially all the crap thats happened in the last 18 months. If someone asked, I'd tell them though.

Anyway, the car had been sitting for a few days, so I took it for a quick spin down the highway to get things moving again. The bubbles are still there after adding some more anti-freeze/boil to the radiator, since the only other thing I could think of was that the water in the radiator was boiling. When the engine fan came on, the water level would drop from the top of the cap to just above the first row of radiator fins...

And the bubbles are kind of frothy.

How would I go about doing a compression test? I've only got a basic set of tools.
Exhaust pressure seems to dip about once a turn, just judged by holding my hand over the pipe.

[Flashmn]

Sounds like a headgasket failure. My headgasket was blown and I lacked all the symptoms, we only figured it was the HG because you could feel pressure escaping to the radiator.

[Jonchilds]

This is what is looks like when I open the throttle the full way when the cars at idle. This is taken about 1/2 second after I've opened the throttle, and dies down pretty quickly as the loading of the engine decreases. Car was warmed up at idle, thermostat should be open.



If I bring the revs up slowly with light loading on the pistons, this won't happen. Still look like the HG? I've been told It could be coming from a hole in the radiator or hoses, or a bad water pump gasket. But I would've thought they'd lose water, rather than add air...

[Flashmn]

Yes headgasket.

[Ukrainian102]

With a little patience and work you can get a head gasket for cheap and replace it yourself. It'll save you money.

And as Raddman said, please don't fuck anyone over by selling them a car that doesn't work well without telling them. That's an asshole thing to do man.

[Flashmn]

With a little patience and work you can get a head gasket for cheap and replace it yourself.

Its not that difficult, but you'd have to get the head machined to make sure the mating surfaces are straight.

[Jonchilds]

The fine bubbles have stopped coming out since I put new coolant in the radiator, havent been able to reproduce them under any conditions now... Perhaps it was a lack of coolant allowing the water to de-gas or boil. As for the larger bubbles
our neighbour who's maintained his late 70's gemini for years is reserved about saying its the HG, and suggested it might be a partially blocked radiator forcing coolant out the top, since the engine outlet is right next to the cap.

The bit that's going to kill is the cost of getting the head machined, which will be around the cost of 2 weeks pay, assuming I get time to fix it around work, studies and finding the right tools.

Eeesh. Why can't we just go back to small towns and a slower pace of living...

[Flashmn]

The bit that's going to kill is the cost of getting the head machined, which will be around the cost of 2 weeks pay,

Sheesh you must really work for minimum wage, its about 40bucks here to get the head shaved.

[toyotaspeed90]

i can get a head shaved around here for like $30.... and i don't eve need to disassemble it! lol

[89TCGTS]

if you leave it running with the cap on in a set position you should be able to tell where there is a leak by where the fluid is on the ground. I don't know if you even have a leak but if you do then that would tell you where it is.

[Jonchilds]

I was told that a corroded head over here costs about $400 to get done. My last pay was $505 for the fortnight. I work 2 nights during the week, and saturday night and a split shift on sunday. Around a Chemistry/Energy Studies double degree and other odd-jobs it doesnt leave me with much time to myself.

I'd probably be better off on the public welfare system in Australia ($399 a fortnight!) and have much more time to get things done.

[Flashmn]

400!!! What a ripoff!