can someone please tell me what the symptoms of a blown head gasket are and how to you check this ?

thanks again

 

compression test at the local garage
oil in coolant or coolant in oil (white sludge under oil cap)
white smoke (as far as i remember) from exhaust
solid coolant hoses
rough idle on start up

canny think of much else........

 

loss of water, oil turned a milky colour on the dip stick large bubbles in the water header tank when given a rev compression down between two cylinders or on one cylinder overheating.waterleak between head and block(if its a cosworth usually at the aft drivers side corner area which evaporates when giving it large so may not be spotted enging locking up on starter due to water in the bore.
hope its none of the above

 

oh dear i have a few of those symptoms and bursting hoses too

 

me too
emuilsified oil in cap and breather system, hoses hare goin hard but no water loss??
thanks
oriont

 

oriont emuilsified oil in cap and breather system may be just condensation as can be the case,but if the oil in the sump is milky it a sure sign but if not u may be ok also hoses going hard will happen as the water in the cooling system expands under heat and can make the hoses fairly hard

 

veloctiy cheers mate
have wondered for a while now if emul oil in breather system is condensation as i only go 7 mile to work and car has only just got warm by then, but i would like to stop it if i can any ideas???
thanks
oriont