# Blown headgasket? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** toyota, camry\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 5:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226 "2011-04-30T05:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wcdman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e274bd/32.png) [@wcdman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wcdman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 5:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226/1 "2011-04-30T05:41:27Z")
I was told by a mechanic that I have a blown head gasket. What happened is that when I went to have my oil changed a few days ago - the service folks noticed that I had a cracked radiator. I took the car to have the radiator replaced - I got the new radiator installed and when I started it up - coolant started bubbling up - a bad sign, which led the mechanic to tell me that I have a blown head gasket - now, I have blown a head gasket once before - at that time the car overheated, ran rough and had white steam coming out of the tailpipe - this time around - no nothing other than a small crack in the radiator - the temperature never rose past normal, no steam from the tailpipe, does not run rough, no visual signs of oil mixing with coolant - could it be something else other than the head gasket? If exhaust was being blown back into my radiator, why did not my thermostat register such extreme heat - a stuck thermostat? Any assistance would be helpful? I guess the mechanic needs to run a compression test, look for hydrocarbons to be 100% sure, or having coolant bubbling out of the radiator upon ignition definitive proof of a blown head gasket/ ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226/2 "2011-04-30T07:00:42Z")
The hydracarbon test is only a few bucks and only takes a few minutes. It is strange that it was left for you to notice the coolant bubbling and not reported by the mechanic who installed the radiator. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226/3 "2011-04-30T11:39:13Z")
Are you sure the bubbles are exhaust gases? You can get bubbles of air that is being purged from the cooling system. With the radiator repair comes a complete drain of coolant and pockets of air can take a while to work out of the system. You might have a bad head gasket, but I’m not certain of it given what you’ve posted. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226/4 "2011-04-30T11:56:18Z")
I agree. I’d be suprized if it were more than simply air bleeding out from the radiator replacement. I simply don’t see in the post any sign of a blown headgasket, and air pockets bleeding out would not be unusual for the work done. ---
**Author:** ![wcdman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e274bd/32.png) [@wcdman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wcdman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blown-headgasket/64226/5 "2011-04-30T19:26:10Z")
The mechanic who did install the radiator did point out to me the coolant bubbling up and the and one more thing - the radiator hose was hot and firm immediately after ignition - but will certainly do a hydrocarbon test - thanks for the advice. I really appreciate your comments.