Quote:
Originally Posted by johnlvs2run
I don't know. I am curious because they didn't check mine.
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I went back to the mantra of "test don't guess" and got a block tester to test for exhaust gasses in my coolant. Warmed the engine running some necessary errands, then let it sit in the driveway until the fan turned on automatically twice. Drained enough coolant with a dropper to prevent contaminating coolant from getting into the tester. Pumped the hand pump gently maybe 7 or 10 times, watching the bubbles run through the filter thing. Here are the results:
Blue fluid means no exhaust gasses present. My head gasket is fine.
If the head gasket were leaking, exhaust gasses would turn this blue fluid yellow. There is no head gasket leak. For the cost of $7 in testing, I saved maybe $40 on the replacement head gasket. And of course the labor. And the risk of messing up the factory job, which is apparently still very good.
EDIT: And thanks johnluvstorun for the question that made me explore whether my head gasket conclusion was warranted. It was not. Hahaha! "Test, don't guess."