gripit

Is their anyway to test if there is a crack in a head besides a compression test?

merlyn1965

I'd suggest a drug test for a crack head. But if you meant for a cylinder head, a few questions here. Are they still on the engine? There's a few way to do it but all of them require their removal. Cos sometimes a blown headgasket will give the same symptoms. (lost of power, lower compression, water in oil and oil in the expansion cooling reservoir.
When they're off, I cleaned them and do a visual check around the valves seats. Sometimes you can easily see them, if not take the valves off and check again. Then a dye penetrant test (NDT) is the next one on my list ($45). That's easy to work with and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to do it. That's about where a do-it-yourselfer can bring it up to.
After all this if still in doubts, bring them in to your engine shop and get them magnaflux. Around $120-$150 for this but money well invested. This will ensure that there no crack anywhere in the assembly.
I got a few more test if you want to hear them but You shouldn't have to go above the magnaflux unless you're running a gas turbine engine.
Josh