diagnosing a blown head gasket

[K-BAGZ]

Would this be what your talking about?
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=190734276084

Link doesn't work

This is the item. Many different types and manufacturers, but all perform the same task.
Engine Block Internal Combustion Leak Detector Tester | eBay

EDIT I got your original link to work, but that is in fact a compression leak down test kit. It basically accurately defines the leakage rate of a cylinder. Whether the head gasket has blown, piston/piston rings are worn, the cylinder bore being worn, and possibly the intake and exhaust valves not seating correctly. Another very handy tool.

 

[Joshp]

Hey guys,
Popped my radiator cap on my vy Calais to check fluids.... radiator cap had brown milky sludge on it and had the same **** sitting on top of the coolant in the filler neck??? We thinking fucked head gasket?

 

[Immortality]

If it's brown sludge under the cap and in the overflow reservoir it is probably just the intake gaskets. If they are real bad you might get a little bit up milky goo under the oil filler cap too but you would know you have an issue as it would be using a fair bit of coolant. On the ecotec motor 95% of the time it's the intake gaskets before it's the head gaskets. What is the oil like? Has it been seriously overheated?

 

[losh1971]

What he said ^^^^. LIM gaskets are probably the most common issue with the Eco and Buicks. Every early V6 engine will need these doing at some point, it's just a matter of when.

 

[Vin999]

if it has blown headgasket it will be running on 4 or 5 cylinders and quite obvious.
could also be a bad radiator and/or a rusted thermostat not working judging from what you posted symptons on the radiator/coolant resevoir brown sludge on gap which is more water related than compression. Take it to a radiator shop and get a pressure test on cooling system before talking major engine head problems.

 

[VPRob]

I agree with the responses above. Test it or have it tested but most likely inlet manifold gaskets which are a day job at home. Good to have a Gregory's though to walk you through it.

 

[vc commodore]

What he said ^^^^. LIM gaskets are probably the most common issue with the Eco and Buicks. Every early V6 engine will need these doing at some point, it's just a matter of when.

Agreed....Seen a fair few of them with this exact problem, with the owners thinking the worse....So this would be my first point of call

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

I never had a overheating problem with my leaking LIM gasket just sludge in the radiator, did a band-aid fix till I had the money to replace it myself, it does sound like a head gasket but maybe your leak might be in a different spot.. Good luck.

 

[losh1971]

At what point did he mention overheating? He has sludge in the rad, which 99 times out of 100 is a leaking LIM gasket.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

At what point did he mention overheating? He has sludge in the rad, which 99 times out of 100 is a leaking LIM gasket.

Cool, just took my meds all is ok, I read the old thread and had overheating in my head ok, no need to get snappy..