dogturd21

Well, how about the obvious ? is the oil getting low? trans fluid getting low ? This might help diagnose the problem.

BajaRunner

Just bought it and dont want to drive it and make it worse. Oil and Transmission are not contaminated. There was no water in the radiator (Im assuming it all blew out) and whats left is more described as chocolate slush (not strawberry).

The previous owner changed the radiator thinking it might be busted internally, and that didnt change it.

It starts and runs great, so i was just wondering a way to check a head gasket when i probably have good compressions, just leaking oil back to the radiator.

seef158

I work as a service writer at a honda dealer in mn. I have seen this a few times. It is likely a "porous block" or a cracked block or cyl head. It is not often but i have seen a few where poor casting of the aluminum block led to this, you may not see any outward signs. If it were a head gasket you would have coolant in the oil due to the pressure of the cooling system or you would have combustion gases going into the cooling system forcing coolant out through the over flow. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this sounds expensive. As stated above, if it is reddish in color it is probably a problem with the trans cooler assuming it is an automatic. you may have coolant in the oil too, you should drain a sample of the oil and send it in to be tested for glycol. We see head gaskets all the time where you'd never know there was coolant in the oil but when testing the oil it tests positive for glycol.

BajaRunner

Turned out to be a head gasket. Milled the head and replaced the gasket and good as new.