ittlfly

Here is a link to a vender that sells the block tester. This one works off of enginge vacuum. There is another type that that uses a rubber ball hand style pump to draw the vapors into the tube.
http://www.tooldesk.com/products/default.aspx+sid+266

Stingraynut

Thanks for the link Ittlfly.

S'nut

CFI-EFI

Although unlikely, it is possible that the gasket is blown, only to a water passage, and not from one cylinder to another. That would show up a a single cylinder with low compression, rather than an adjacent pair. Based on the observation of the shop, there is little doubt that there is a blown gasket, if not worse.

I would hold off on ordering any parts until you consult with the shop. The parts end of this job is pretty insignificant compared to the overall cost. Some (most) shops object to you bringing your own parts. They may make up for the lost profit on the parts by upping the labor. You don't take your own eggs to the restaurant, do you?

Up until this post you haven't mentioned having the heads reconditioned. Be aware that truing the heads doesn't mean reconditioning them. However, checking for true or truing would be a part of reconditioning. IF you opt to have the heads reconditioned, the valves and valve seats will be checked and ground and the valve guides will be reconditioned.

A thin slice, just for the purpose of truing the heads, does NOT require milling the intake manifold. If you are inclined to have them take a thick cut to raise the compression, it is better to have the intake surface of the head milled than the intake manifold, but no compensation to the intake alignment is necessray for a truing cut.



There is nothing really wrong with doing these additional tests, but you know you have a problem. The compression test, or really any ONE, of these tests will confirm the problem.

One thing to bear in mind, is that anything you decide to "add on" to the operation, basically has the labor "prepaid". Be sure, however, to establish that point with the shop before you ASSUME anything. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

Stingraynut

Thanks CFI-EFI, appreciate your advice, all very useful.

As for me getting parts, I do check with workshops first but in the case of the vette and living in Australia, some parts aren't available here and have to be shipped from the US, so every workshop so far has welcomed me doing all the ordering. That's part of the reason I try to research each job as much as possible, find out what I can expect to be done and so on.

I had my coolant tested today at the radiator shop, they had the vacuum bottle and fluid similar to that mentioned on the forum.

NO indications of CO in the coolant - we tested it very thoroughly at idle and then again holding 2300rpms for about 2 minutes.

The workshop added a grey powder called 'Seal leak' to the coolant when they discovered the possible blown headgasket It's also recommended to be used when fitting new head gaskets as it stops the glycol from penetrating anywhere before the gasket beds down.It doesn't clog the radiator, only sets when exposed to air. (and there was about a level teaspoon of the stuff)

I wish I'd tested it before they put the stuff in - I really believe it would still have tested negative.

I suppose this buys me some time - if it wasn't for them saying coolant gushed out of a hose , I'd say there was nothing wrong.

Rob