Dear all,

In the morning before driving, the radiator hose is hard,

pressure in the overflow coolant tank,

Testing for exhaust gas in the coolant tank,

car is very hot on top of the hill,

not loosing coolant,

oil one quart very 1500 mils,

rough idling for three minutes ,on cold start,

than drives like a running elephant ,

When testing with the diesel test for ten minutes in the coolant tank ,

it stays red!!!????( if detects exhaust gas, turn yellow),

I try and test at the muffler pipe, Takes long to turn a bit yellow,

Anybody with experience or explanation?

thanks in advance

I can hazard a guess.

Are those kits made for gas cars?

Maybe they’re looking for CO or some combustion product that you don’t find in diesel exhaust.

Just a guess.

Try holding the solution in front of a gas car’s pipe. Maybe that won’t work either post cat? I guess it would be best to call the manufacturer and see what they’re looking for.

__________________
79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

Did clean out the cat, it is empty, (did restrict my engine)

it changes color to half yellow, at the tail pipe,

My guess is that in the coolant, the amount is so small.

No idea what you're asking for. Low on pollution? For 1986, probably. For today? Doubtful.

What should be more of a concern to you is the pressure in the cooling system when the engine is cold. On an OM603, that's a BAD sign. If you're lucky, it's a blown head gasket. If you're unlucky, it could be a cracked head.

__________________
Current stable:
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Gone but not forgotten:
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Trying to sniff the combustion gas in the coolant tank,

to verify leak in the cylinder head,

before I take the head off,

thanks for your kind replay,

A quart of oil in 1500 miles is probably a head gasket breach into #1. Cooling system pressure, gauge going straight to red, still running strong... well... for my #14 head it was terminal cracks.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

most of the loosing oil is from the turbo area,

should I spend the money?and time,

Or find a newer car,

So you didn't really answer the first question, does your tester specifically say that it works with Diesel engines on it? You need a kit that does.

__________________
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2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
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1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
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1992 BMW 525i -traded in
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1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

Lisle 75630 Special Indicator Fluid for the Lisle Combustion Leak Detector,

saw on youtube how it changes color from red to yellow in seconds,

I am looking for some strong indication, to open the cylinder head,

the pressure in the cooling system was for years,

I thought it is a good sign, that the hoses and the cooling system is good shape,

only lately I read that it could be an indication for hopeful a head gasket,

Gross polluter?

__________________
1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.

Pressure in the cooling system while running or shortly after isn’t a problem. Residual pressure overnight in a stone cold engine is a problem. My SDL had the latter.

Figure on $2500 to buy and install a good used head yourself. A new base cylinder head casting is about $2500. Dump the car instead of paying a shop to do it unless it’s in showroom condition.

But your cylinder head might be fine.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

The only reliable way to test for combustion chamber to coolant leaks is to do a cylinder leak down test. This is where you remove a injector or glow plug, install an air hose, turn the engine to piston at top , both valves closed then apply about 100 PSI air. Keep the radiator cap off and look for coolant rising or bubbles.

The chemical test you are doing is for a quick test only, doing a leak down on every cylinder is the only definitive test.

will try the leak down test, thanks

Leak down test is not to check cooling system integrity if I understand correctly. It is to check the rings and cylinder wall. Also it is only 20psi. Am I missing something? No way you will see air bubbles at 100psi, even much more.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

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