Club 80-90 Forums

I bought one of those cheep block testing kits off ebay (exactly the same as the picture) and it too blew all the fluid straight out of the top. I managed to get it to work by holding it in place over the expansion tank so some of the gases passed through the tester and some could escape around the sides. I still had to cover most of the top with my thumb to stop the fluid bubbling out of the thing.
Due to the amount of gas coming out I was fairly sure it was a head gasket/cracked head but just wanted to confirm it. I used the blue liquid initially and this did nothing. I then brought some of the pink stuff which is supposed to be more sensitive and specifically designed for diesels. This changed colour instantly.

When my head gasket went the tell tell sign was when I started the van in the morning I would get water out of the exhaust then white smoke like the kettle boiling

superdes wrote:I bought one of those cheep block testing kits off ebay (exactly the same as the picture) and it too blew all the fluid straight out of the top. I managed to get it to work by holding it in place over the expansion tank so some of the gases passed through the tester and some could escape around the sides. I still had to cover most of the top with my thumb to stop the fluid bubbling out of the thing.
Due to the amount of gas coming out I was fairly sure it was a head gasket/cracked head but just wanted to confirm it. I used the blue liquid initially and this did nothing. I then brought some of the pink stuff which is supposed to be more sensitive and specifically designed for diesels. This changed colour instantly.

That's exactly what I did.....OK so I best try and get my hands on some of that then.....

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superdes wrote:I bought one of those cheep block testing kits off ebay (exactly the same as the picture) and it too blew all the fluid straight out of the top. I managed to get it to work by holding it in place over the expansion tank so some of the gases passed through the tester and some could escape around the sides. I still had to cover most of the top with my thumb to stop the fluid bubbling out of the thing.
Due to the amount of gas coming out I was fairly sure it was a head gasket/cracked head but just wanted to confirm it. I used the blue liquid initially and this did nothing. I then brought some of the pink stuff which is supposed to be more sensitive and specifically designed for diesels. This changed colour instantly.

Hi, how quickly did your pink fluid change colour + how obvious was the colour change?
Just tried the pink & tbh I can barely tell any difference it maybe slightly watered down looking, but it's definitely still pink...

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I'd say within 30 seconds the liquid had turned completely yellow.

"When it starts up loads of light grey smoke come flooding out the exhaust.....
No other diesel I've driven has done that.... "

Not abnormal for a JX to smoke any sort of colour when first starting... either bit of excess fuel(grey) or turbo dripping a bit (blue)
Its an old TD after all...
Whats important is it holding water pressure and are exhaust gases bubbling into the coolant. You could also look for signs along the head gasket line but less likely to see anything.