Reddit Reddit reviews Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector

We found 23 Reddit comments about Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

Automotive
Automotive Tools & Equipment
Fuel System Tools
Fuel Leak Detectors
Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector
Checks for combustion leaks caused by bad head gaskets, cracked blocks, and cracked or warped headsFluid changes from blue to yellow when exposed to combustion gases from the radiatorWith the engine running, the vehicle vacuum or the vacuum pump draws vapors through the indicating fluid for testingWith the engine running, the vehicle vacuum or the vacuum pump draws vapors through the indicating fluid for testing
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23 Reddit comments about Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector:

u/Transmissionmech · 6 pointsr/MechanicAdvice

You have a blown head gasket.

I'm guessing the first mechanic that showed you the turkey baster looking thing was using this: http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI

To check for combustion gasket leaks.

If you were a gallon low on anti freeze and you haven't been seeing it leak anywhere that means the head gasket has blown and is allowing anti freeze to get into the oil.

Your car has no heat because the antifreeze runs through the heater core to heat the car. Which you had none in the heater core.

The car is running hot from low coolant. Because it's all going where it's not supposed to be going.

u/LeonAquilla · 6 pointsr/MechanicAdvice

You do know there's a kit for that that costs like 30$ right

u/letmeholdadolla · 4 pointsr/infiniti

Before you go paying the dealer to check into it further there are multiple things you can check yourself before you go jumping straight to a head gasket issue. First of all, it is highly unlikely you are dealing with a head gasket failure unless you've had issues in the past with overheating or are experiencing any problems, other than smell, while driving. At 50000km your head gasket is still very much brand new. Also there is not one simple way to diagnose a head gasket problem as there are multiple different ways one can fail. Head gaskets can commonly fail in 6 different ways causing completely different symptoms. As for you and your possible coolant issue, blown head gaskets are not always followed by coolant issues and coolant issues are not always caused by head gasket failures.

Coolant, power steering, and ATF all have similar smells when they burn. With very small amounts of any fluid it's unlikely you'll see any smoke whether it's from the engine bay or exhaust, but you can still smell it of course. Smoke becomes noticeable when larger amounts are being burnt off.

The best thing to so is jack the car up and get underneath and see of you can find any evidence of leaks that could be burning off the block or exhaust itself. Check around all hoses, coolers, water pump, thermostat housing, transmission lines, etc. Also try to see if you can smell anything from the actual exhaust when you're car is idling.

Also simply pull your dipstick and check the color of your oil. Certain head gasket failures can cause coolant to get into the oil making your oil turn milky, however, this can be caused by blown intake gaskets as well.

Without evidence of any leaks, next you'll want to rule out any blockage in any fluid lines including the radiator itself. Even being a 2009, it can be simply caused by broken down coolant burning off due to it losing it's temperature resistance. Service intervals call for a coolant flush every 5 years/100k miles. Yes, typically coolant has a longer life than that but there are exceptions. The low reservoir could be signs of your coolant being "worn out".
Nissan introduced "blue" coolant in 2009 and not all vehicles came with blue so your coolant is either blue or green. A quick color check can help determine how fresh it is but is a very rough test. If it's blue, it should still have a noticeable royal blue color to it. If it's green, it should be fairly bright almost neon looking. As coolant deteriorates it gets dark and murky, so any evidence of that and that could likely be where your issue lies. The best way to test your coolant is to check it's pH level. Any pH test strips will do and can be found at most drug stores. Good coolant has a pH level of 8-10 and you want to replace coolant before it drops below 7.0 as it starts to become corrosive to your cooling system. If this is the case, a simple coolant flush and thermostat replacement will solve your problems.

If no problems are still found you can do a hydrocarbon test to check for head gasket combustion leaks. Lisle makes a tester that can be had for $30 on Amazon and is very simple to use. It uses a special fluid that reacts and changes colors due to hydrocarbon vapors from your exhaust which can bleed into the coolant system due to certain head gasket failures.

Hopefully this will give you a place to start. If you find anything else or have any questions just let me know.

u/MinnesotaTemp · 4 pointsr/cars

Have the Subaru inspected by a good mechanic for head gasket leaks (internal and external leaking signs). A leakdown test is a good test for them to do, and ask if they can try the radiator hydrocarbon test as an option, also known as a Combustion Leak Detector test.

Also, find out when the timing belt & water pump replacement was done last -- if it hasn't then you'd have to plan on it soon as the replacement schedule is at 105k miles. If the belt snaps all your valves will bend = trashed motor.

u/Engrish__Prease · 3 pointsr/Cartalk

Since you mentioned that it happens when you get off the interstate, this makes me think it's fan related since you obviously have more airflow through the radiator on the freeway....But you confirmed that the fans are operating correct.

In your previous post, you said you had the coolant tested and the head gasket tested. I assume the coolant system was pressure tested but how exactly was the head gasket tested to determine it's ok?

I've had head gaskets fail where the coolant system held pressure just fine but it was rather the cylinder combustion pressure pushing combustion gasses into the coolant system. This introduces air into the coolant system causing the overheating. A combustion leak tester like this is what I've used.

u/Dirty_Old_Town · 3 pointsr/MechanicAdvice

Agreed. Or a chemical tester.

u/cerealmodem · 2 pointsr/battlewagon

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI

Get the radiator up in the air so the gas goes to the fill neck.

u/iBody · 2 pointsr/MechanicAdvice

If your coolant level is fluctuating too much take it to a shop, or use [a kit like this](Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007ZDRUI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_Pjj-wb4XB2FSZ). It will tell you if there are any combustion gasses in your coolant. If there are, I'm sorry.

u/verbthatnoun · 2 pointsr/cars

Get yourself one of these

Don't waste your time and money on a timing belt/water pump just yet.

This model of Honda is common for head gasket failures, in the exact same way you described. I had the very same issue happen with my 2005 Civic, which basically is the same car.

it was slowly loosing coolant because it was getting past the exhaust seal of the head gasket and blowing out the combustion chamber, the car would also misfire usually on a cold startup, then run just fine, I was able to drive the car like this for a few weeks by just bleeding the cooling system, but eventually it got so bad that the excess exhaust pressure would blow back through the cooling system and cause coolant to leak from the radiator cap. The reason why there is no puddles under the engine is because its blowing by the exhaust and going through the exhaust system, on a cold start you probably will see some coolant come out of the muffler. The longer you let this go, the more likely its going to damage the catalyst

when you get the head gasket done, make sure the water pump, and timing belt get done, its a no brainer to have this done while the head is off the engine anyway.

My indie shop did the whole shebang for about $1200, I got a deal.

u/oshaCaller · 2 pointsr/cars

It's not that hard to figure out a blown head gasket. Remove the radiator cap/resevoir cap and start the car. If you see bubbles coming out, it's probably blown. If you put your hand over the hole and it rapidly builds pressure, it's REALLY blown.

You don't want the car to run long enough to get hot and possibly burn you, when you're doing this.

We use this tool to be sure, the fluid will change colors if it's exhaust gas:

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473001356&sr=8-3&keywords=block+tester

u/brandon_najarian2 · 1 pointr/Cartalk

I just did a head gasket on a 98 Accord, and the coolant was gushing like a gyser out of the top of the radiator. Also, you could literally hear the compression leaking past the gasket and out the side where the head and block meet. Like everyone else has said, you most likely blew the head gasket, but you can't be positive over the internet. If you want to know for sure, they sell testers online, but its still a little difficult to use these if coolant is splashing out of the top of the radiator. Anyway, good luck!and remember, when in doubt, tow it out.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/Cartalk

They sell test kits like this one that you use. Here's a video to explain things.

Visually, dried antifreeze usually shows up as a white flakey residue.

u/rockytimber · 1 pointr/subaru

last time I had a head gasket failure, I could see there was water in the oil, which came from the antifreeze. of course this was final stage, though the car remained driveable for a short time. but its possible it could have been detectable chemically before it was detectable visibly.

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI

u/BajingoWhisperer · 1 pointr/Miata

Bubbling in the Reservoir points to blown head gasket. test with something like this just be happy that head gaskets are pretty easy to do in miatas

u/iamnotcreativeDET · 1 pointr/cars

sounds like the head gasket.

you probably can sniff the exhaust after driving it and smell coolant coming from there. Its also trashing the catalytic converter by running coolant through it.

The gasket fails on the exhaust side of the gasket, coolant wont leak into the oil, nor will it blow blue smoke because its usually a very slow leak, the system will hold pressure, and depending upon how bad the gasket is you may not see any major symptoms.

As the gasket fails more what you will get is a little bit of coolant will leak into the combustion chamber(s) if it sits overnight, then on cold start it will misfire or idle funny for about 2 or 3 seconds, then it will smooth itself out.

This is a good home tester, you put the chemical into the tube and hold it over the radiator cap, if the fluid changes yellow from blue that means exhaust gas is getting into the coolant. This was how I determined what was wrong with my civic.

Had the head gasket done about 12K miles ago and haven't had any issues since. The shop resurfaced the head, did the timing belt and water pump along with a fresh set of spark plugs and a new serpentine belt to the tune of about $1200.

u/Echelon64 · 1 pointr/MechanicAdvice

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI


Before you get this kit though:

-Pull out the spark plugs and see if they are wet or moist in any way. If so, you got a bad head gasket and/or a bad intake manifold gasket.

-When you run the car in normal temps (not freezing) does the exhaust come out white?

-If you got time, dump the oil and if there's water or coolant in there you got a bad gasket.

-Check for pressure in the coolant system. You can rent a coolant system pressure tester from your local autoparts store for a deposit (which is refunded to you after you return it) and test for leaks in the coolant system.

u/DJStuey · 1 pointr/subaru

You could try one of these test kits:

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI

DISCLAIMER: Never used one, not affiliated in any way, etc.

my Late '06 Forester is at the Mechanics getting Head Gaskets done right now. it's almost enough to make me not want another Subaru..... Almost.

u/imprl59 · 1 pointr/MechanicAdvice

Could be a bad radiator cap allowing the system to over pressurize. Could also be a head gasket pumping air in to the system. Could just be a poorly maintained old cooling system that's falling apart.

Something like this may help you rule out a head gasket problem.

u/nabeel_co · 0 pointsr/mechanics

Are you SURE it's not a blown headgasket? Sometimes it's really hard to tell and the only symptom is airbubbles in the cooling system.

It might be worth waiting for the car to cool down, getting a combustion leak test kit, and sampling the gasses in the rad when the car is running but cold.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI/

u/93sr20det · 0 pointsr/auto

Easiest way to bleed the cooling system is this.

If you want to check your head gasket this is an easy way.