Warning: That cheap coolant tester cost me a $900 head gasket job

Picked up one of those $5 test strips from AutoZone last month. Tested my coolant on my 6.7 Powerstroke and it said everything was fine. Two weeks later my truck started puking coolant on I-95 outside Richmond. Took it to my guy and he said the coolant was way too acidic, ate through the gasket. That little strip saved me nothing. Has anyone else had bad luck with those cheap test kits?

2 comments

2 Comments

sagea881mo ago

Not saying this to blame you but those cheap strips only check for freeze point and basic pH. They don't measure the actual acid buildup from combustion byproducts that kills the gasket. Need a proper refractometer or send a sample to Blackstone for the real story. On a 6.7 Powerstroke especially, that's like using a tire pressure gauge to check your oil level.

coleman.karen1mo ago

Respectfully, the cheap strips caught my last leak before Blackstone would have.