head gasket check: detect exhaust gas in the coolant tank

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My Name: vicolodo

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Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:43 pm
Model: C3 Pluriel - with or without roof
Year: 2004 (04)
Engine Size: 1.4
Fuel Type: Diesel
Mileage: 250000
Gearbox: Manual 5 speed
DPF: No
LHD or RHD: LHD (Europe)
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Hello,
i would like to check my head gasket,
i saw there are some kits that should detect if there is CO2 into the coolant tank.

These kits are composed by two parts:
- the detector liquid
- the pipe with bulb

The liquid is normally cheap, with 10$ you can buy it.

Instead, the pipe with bulb is a little bit expensive:
it seems only a plastic transparent pipe with a bulb on the top, so i dont understand why it should cost so much.

I wonder if i can do the check in some way buying only the liquid.
Any suggestion?

Thank you!!
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My Name: C3CAR

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Posts: 2741
Joined: Wed May 04, 2011 10:01 am
Model: C3 2002-2005, Original shape model
Year: 2002 (02)
Engine Size: 1.4 (16v)
Fuel Type: Diesel
Mileage: 140000
Trim Level: Exclusive
Gearbox: Manual 5 speed
DPF: No
LHD or RHD: RHD (UK)
Engine name: DV4 16-valve diesel (90 PS)
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Been thanked: 106 times

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vicolodo wrote:These kits are composed by two parts:
- the detector liquid
- the pipe with bulb

The liquid is normally cheap, with 10$ you can buy it.
There are two types of liquid, the blue for petrols and an improved red one for diesels (here).

I think the kit costs a bit is because its designed to be used many times in a garage which means it could be dropped, and generally mishandled.

I would think if you could get the gasses from the expansion bubbled through the liquid without loosing the liquid into the coolant, you have a solution.

I would bite the bullet and buy the kit and sell it on if you ever give up fixing cars ;)
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