Thick creamy foam

bjdw, Dec 27, 4:53pm
I work in a parts store.A customer today asked me to check if his radiator had the correct cap because he is losing water. Cap was correct one but there is a thick creamy foam around the mouth of the radiator. The oil is clean ( at least the oil on the dipstick is ).Cracked head!Blown head gasket!Anyway to tell which without pulling it apart and testing the head!

unbeatabull, Dec 27, 4:58pm
You can use a head check (cant remember actual name) but it analyzes the gas in the cooling system and if its engine/combustion gases the liquid changes colour.

I think the product is "TK Head Check" from memory

It could also be trans fluid if it has an Auto Trans

bjdw, Dec 27, 5:07pm
TK head check is the stuff, but won't it give a positive result from the gasket been blown as well as the head being cracked!

thunderbolt, Dec 27, 5:14pm
The TK fluid will change colour when it detects combustion gases, either from a blown gasket or a cracked head.

unbeatabull, Jul 13, 3:11am
You won't know the damage of it being gasket/cracked head until it is off the car. Even if it's just the gasket, you would still want the head to be checked for hardness/cracks etc anyway