can any one recomend a reliable test for head gasket falure in to the water jacket for diesels ?

for a petrol i use a gas analiser but this does not work for diesels as they do not produce HC like a petrol.

what have you got ?

thankyou.

Hello Andrew,
Blue-point do a Combustion leak detector kit .
You fit a tube/cup container in place of the rad or header cap and in the cup/tube a fluid is poured and if any combustion gases enter the coolant the fluid changes colour, different colour for petrol engine as to diesel engine.

I would guess this kit will be available by other supliers but ask if it will do petrol and diesl engines.

You could also use a coolant pressure tester and see what the pressure gauge reads like. I.e does the needle bounce up and down as the pistons pressureises the cooling system

HTH,
Ian

Never been a fan of leak detectors - had too many mis-diagnosed over the years.

As Ian says, we connect a pressure tester from cold and watch the pressure. Any more than 10 psi and the head is coming off.

Another good one is to start engine from stone cold with pressure cap off and to watch carefully for any fumes wisping out of the expansion tank.