Hello all! I am very new to this form and am happy to say that I'm the proud new owner of a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0L V6 OHV.


The truck has 191k miles and so I have performed general maintenance on it including so far an Oil Change, Radiator Coolant Flush, Spark Plugs, and new Engine Air Filter.

There's some other work that needs to be done on it that's a bit more expensive, but before I commit to purchasing more expensive parts, I figured I'd test to see how the head gasket is and if it's worn or damaged.

I am only doing this as a precaution and I don't see any typical indicators. No white smoke out the exhaust, no overheating. I found out about the latex glove test and figured I'd do that, but I used a latex condom instead as I didn't have a glove handy. Sucked out some fluid to where there was about 3 inches of air between the top of the cap and the radiator fluid and turned the truck on with a cold start.

There was immediately no air or fluid coming into the condom during the cold start aka no pressure or air leaking into the condom. As the engine warmed up and the cooling system pressurized, then air and some fluid starting to get into it from the 3 inches of air that I left in between the top of the radiator, but there was no pulsing of fluid or air and no immediate air or bubbles. After about 2 minutes this happened, which I assume is pressurization from the system?





Hard for me to tell, so I got one of those combustion leak detectors and did a cold start with it on, and pumped it about 10 times and it didn't change color. I stopped when the radiator fluid was almost getting into it:



Again no over heating, no white smoke, but when I bought it noticed the radiator overflow was pretty low. Do y'all think I'm in the clear? Only thing I haven't done is the compression leak test which I don't have the equipment for. Think I should do that or not worry?

 

I'd have to say you are fine

 

I wouldn't worry about any of that. If oil gets into your cooling system, or coolant gets into your combustion chamber, there will be signs. If you don't have those signs, you're likely good to go.