How To Test For A Blown Head Gasket (2011-2019 1.6L Ford Fiesta)

Testing a blown head gasket, on your 1.6L Ford Fiesta, isn't difficult. In this tutorial, I'm gonna explain the 4 tests that you can perform to find out if the head gasket has failed on your Ford Fiesta.

Two of those four tests don't require any tools whatsoever and can be done under 5 minutes.

ES You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Verificar Un Empaque De Cabeza Quemado (2011-2019 1.6L Ford Fiesta) (at: autotecnico-online.com).

This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

• 1.6L Ford Fiesta: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

Symptoms Of A Blown Head Gasket

For the most part, cylinder head gasket failures fall into one of two categories.

Either the head gasket failure causes the engine to not start.

Or the engine starts, runs, but overheats within minutes due to a head gasket failure.

Here's a basic list of the symptoms you're going to see when your 1.6L Ford Fiesta suffers a head gasket failure:

• The engine overheats for no apparent reason. All engine cooling system components (like fan motor, water pump, etc.) are working fine.
• White smoke is coming out of the tail-pipe and it smells like anti-freeze being cooked.
• The engine won't start.
• The engine oil is thick and a milky white color.

TEST 1: Engine Oil The Color Of Coffee With Too Much Creamer

One of the most common issues that you're gonna see when the head gasket fails on your Ford Fiesta, is coolant entering the engine crankcase and mixing with engine oil.

When this happens, the resulting milky white mixture of engine oil and coolant looks like 'coffee with too much creamer'.

For our first test, we're going to check the color and viscosity of the oil adhering to the engine oil dipstick.

If the oil looks like coffee with too much creamer, you've got a blown head gasket on your hands.

If oil is its normal color and viscosity, then we'll move on to the next test.

Let's get started:

1. 1

   Open the hood.

2. 2

   Pull out the engine oil dipstick.

3. 3

   Check the color of the oil sticking to the engine oil dipstick.

4. 4

   You'll see one of two results:
   
   1.) The engine oil looks like coffee with too much creamer.
   
   2.) The engine oil is its usual normal color.

Alright, let's analyze your test result:

CASE 1: The engine oil has the color of coffee with too much creamer. This test result confirms that the head gasket is blown on your 1.6L Ford Fiesta.

CASE 2: The color of the engine oil is normal. This is the correct and expected test result.

The next test is to see if the engine's compression pressures are escaping into the engine's cooling system (radiator). For this test go to: TEST 2: Coolant Shooting Out From Open Radiator.

TEST 2: Coolant Shooting Out From Open Radiator

Another very common type of head gasket failure is the head gasket allowing combustion or compression pressures to escape into the engine's cooling system.

We can easily check this by removing the cap from the coolant expansion tank (with a cold engine) and cranking the engine.

If the coolant in the open expansion tank is expelled forcefully out of it, the head gasket is blown on your Ford Fiesta.

The normal test result (of this particular test) is for the coolant to remain undisturbed within the open coolant expansion tank as the engine is cranked.

IMPORTANT: Do not remove the cap from the coolant expansion tank if the engine is hot or has been running for any length of time. Let the engine cool down completely before removing the cap from the radiator.

Let's get started:

1. 1

   Remove the coolant expansion tank's cap.
   
   Check the coolant level and if necessary add some water or coolant.

2. 2

   Have your helper crank the engine while you stand at a safe distance from the open coolant expansion tank.

3. 3

   You'll see one of two results:
   
   1.) The water or coolant inside the tank will shoot out.
   
   2.) The coolant remained undisturbed. In other words, cranking the engine will have no effect on the level of the water or coolant in the coolant expansion tank.

Let's examine your test result:

CASE 1: The coolant shot out from the expansion tank as you cranked the engine. This confirms that the head gasket is blown on your 1.6L Ford Fiesta.

CASE 2: The coolant DID NOT shoot out from the expansion tank. This is the correct and expected test result.

If the engine, in your Ford Fiesta, cranks but doesn't start, then next step is to test engine compression. For this test go to: TEST 3: Engine Compression Test.

If the engine starts but overheats almost immediately, then your next step is to do a 'block' test. For this test go to: TEST 4: Using A Chemical Block Tester (Combustion Leak Tester).

TEST 3: Engine Compression Test

In some cases, when the engine suffers a severe overheating issue, the head gasket will burn right between two side-by-side cylinders.

When this happens, you'll have an engine that cranks but doesn't start, since you have two out of the four cylinders not producing compression.

You and I can easily check for this condition by doing a simple compression test on all four cylinders, and that's exactly what we're going to do in this test section.

NOTE: If you need a more detailed explanation of how to perform the engine compression test, check out this tutorial: How To Test Engine Compression (2011-2019 1.6L Ford Fiesta).

These are the test steps:

1. 1

   Disable the ignition system by disconnecting the ignition coil from its engine wiring harness connector.

2. 2

   Remove all of the spark plugs.

3. 3

   Install the compression tester by hand in the spark plug hole of cylinder #1.
   
   Do not use any tools to tighten the compression tester. Hand tightening the compression tester is more than enough to get the proper results.

4. 4

   Have your helper crank the engine.
   
   The needle on the tester will climb as the engine cranks. Once the cylinder reaches its maximum compression the needle will stop climbing.
   
   Once it stops climbing have your helper stop cranking the engine.

5. 5

   Write down the reading and what cylinder it belongs to (you can use the illustration above to help you identify the cylinder).

6. 6

   Repeat steps 3 through 5 in the remaining cylinders.

Let's take a look at what your test results mean:

CASE 1: All cylinder compression readings were above 0 PSI. This is the correct and expected test result.

Your next step is to perform a block test with a block tester. For this test go to: TEST 4: Using A Chemical Block Tester (Combustion Leak Tester).

CASE 2: Two side by side cylinders had 0 PSI compression. This engine compression test result confirms that the head gasket is burned at the point between those two cylinders.

You'll need to replace the head gasket.

TEST 4: Using A Chemical Block Tester (Combustion Leak Tester)

Some head gasket failures do not produce any of the symptoms that the previous three tests are designed to look for. Typically, the head gasket failure only causes the engine to overheat within minutes of starting it and no other symptoms.

In these cases the only way to confirm that the problem is due to a head gasket failure is to perform a block test with a combustion leak detector tool.

This is the exact same test that the technician at the auto repair shop is going to perform to diagnose the issue and it's a test you can do yourself too.

A block test simply involves using a chemical combustion leak detector tool that checks to see if combustion gases are leaking into the engine cooling system.

In a nutshell, this is how a block tester works:

• A blue liquid chemical, which is blue in color, is placed in the tester (see photo above).
• The engine is started.
• The tester assembly is then placed on the open radiator neck (you may have to drain some of the coolant in the radiator since this tool needs to 'gulp' some of the air inside the radiator).
• The rubber bellow is then squeezed to suck in the air up through the two fluid-filled chambers. As the air bubbles up through the fluid, it will cause a chemical reaction.
• If the blue chemical turns yellow (for gasoline engines), then combustion gases are entering the radiator. This confirms a blown head gasket, a cracked block, or a cracked cylinder head issue.
• If the blue chemical doesn't change color, then you can conclude that you don't a blown head gasket, a cracked block, or a cracked cylinder head issue.

Where can you get the chemical and block tester? At your local auto parts store or here:

More 1.6L Ford Fiesta Test Tutorials

If this tutorial was helpful, be sure and take a look at all of the 1.6L Ford Fiesta diagnostic tutorials and wiring diagrams in this index:

• 1.6L Ford Fiesta Index of Articles.

Here's a sample of the tutorials you'll find there:

• How To Test The Ignition Coil Pack (2011-2019 1.6L Ford Fiesta).
• How To Test The Fuel Injectors (2011-2019 1.6L Ford Fiesta).
• How To Test The MAF Sensor (2011-2013 1.6L Ford Fiesta).
• Fuel Injector Circuit Wiring Diagram (2011-2013 1.6L Ford Fiesta).