Sniff tester

[Siluro]

I am in the horrible situation where my WRX 2.5 may have blown it's head gasket. I have no symptoms other than bubbling noises in the heater matrix. The noises only started when I had a blonde moment and opened the radiator cap. Car has since had the coolant changed twice once by Subaru badly and once by me (3 times as I ran for a few days on just water). Nothing seems to stop the bubbling noise. Sometimes it does not do it for days but then it comes back. Car never overheats and the coolant does not get pushed out of the overflow tank. The level rises and falls as expected. Coolant looks normal and I have no smoke from exhaust, oil is fine and no mixing with water. I have read many stories of the HG failing so I am ready for the bad news if it has gone.

Anyway can anyone recommend a sniff test kit that is below £40. Kits I have seen vary from £10 to >£100. Are these cheap kits worth the bother?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/273012579567

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RELD-Cylinder-Combusion-Universal-Motorcycles/dp/B07RS3N98V/ref=pd_lutyp_crtyp_simh_1_2/260-6536206-7860643?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07RS3N98V&pd_rd_r=5c62eab5-2d3b-4deb-b2e4-bcca93735b56&pd_rd_w=nCFFZ&pd_rd_wg=bkw0z&pf_rd_p=e1a45040-d2db-41e8-80fa-8f32b208956a&pf_rd_r=N1FJFN7HFBWKF8HX7ZC2&psc=1&refRID=N1FJFN7HFBWKF8HX7ZC2

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Bt-3-2x50ml-Combustion-Leak-Tester-Kit-Co2-Head-Gasket-Block-Test-Fluid-2a/11026959824?iid=283484512010&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=283484512010&targetid=594652184600&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1006959&poi=&campaignid=6619152122&mkgroupid=84510981968&rlsatarget=pla-594652184600&abcId=1140496&merchantid=116618883&gclid=CjwKCAjw9L_tBRBXEiwAOWVVCWUKvgqvAn_erkGs3o5yfhgc7OhfBBsRckUiEG6tOP5h7pZP6R_snBoCuf8QAvD_Bw

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Tidgy]

bubbling (water flowing sound behind the dash) in the heater matrix prob nothing to do with headgasket. Mines does it, did it before the rebuild, after the rebuild and has done for 2 years i've had the car, my old wrx did it as well.

 

If it's not using fluid, overheating etc etc then i suspect your worrying about nothing 🙂 By all means sniff test it but i suspect its fine.

 

[Siluro]

Double thanks. I hope you are right.

[savage bulldogs]

All my scoobies have occasionally made a "lovely bubbly" noise from behind the glove box . 

Not sure why , maybe something to do with the coolant running through the turbo core ,then expanding and cooling as it enters the heater matrix? 

Either way if it's not boiling over or losing coolant (needing to be topped up) I'd just keep a eye on it for now 

[stuartie]

Same here my classic makes that bubbling noise aswell but never use's any fluids so probs nothing to worry about 👍

[ROSSCOSM]

Both my Impreza also made/make that bubbling noise I thought it was coming from the inter cooler 

[Siluro]

Car does not use coolant I have been keeping a keen eye on it for the last few weeks. It did drop slightly but that is due to the colder weather as expected.

Annoying as it never bubbled for the first year and half of ownership. It now only does it sometimes.

Thanks guys.

[Siluro]

Happy to report that the bubbling has disappeared (bet that just cursed it). I guess eventually the air worked it way out of the system.