head gasket and coolant streaming into expansion tank

rayray · Post by **rayray** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:58 am

I think I know the answer to this one... but wanted to check it with you first.
My friend had a coolant hose burst recently. After replacing the hose the car starts very rough. If you pull the coolant expansion tank cap, coolant is streaming out of the little expansion hose from the radiator. It is doing this immediately after startup and coolant is cold to the touch.

So... my conclusion is: busted hose caused overheating. Head gasket is now blown/ leaking. Leak is between one or more cylinders and one or more water jacket passages. Compression leaks through the cracks in head gasket and pressurizes the coolant system. Thus, pressurized (cold) coolant streams out the little hose into the expansion tank.

Solution: head gasket replacement (and everything that goes with it.)

So, how'd I do??

Post by **Fatmobile** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:28 am

When you say streaming do you mean a solid stream or;
intermitant with chunks of air in it?

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:20 am

A steady stream from that hose is what you should see whenever the waterpump is spinning. If there are significant bits of air as Fatmobile said, or bubbles coming up the bottom hose, then the headgasket would likely be blown.

Andrew

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:48 am

Release coolant pressure when cold.
Retighten cap.
Crank engine over for say 10 seconds and stop.
If engine starts then stop immediately.
Put ear next to cap and release cap.
If you hear a pssst then you need a new gasket.

No psst then start engine and run (idle) for about 1 minute.
Do you get a large psst?