The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop indications of a gasket leak?

I recently was able to get my rebuilt motor started. I was told by my Dad that indications of coolant leaking into the piston chamber is white exhaust. So the other day when I fired it up, I saw what I thought looked like white exhaust for about 15 to 30 seconds and it went away. He also said that I can look into the radiator and if I see bubbles come up, then there is a leak. I don't think that is a good indication, because there is the return hose spitting water in really close to where I'm looking. The bubbles that I see (only when I rev it up) are small enough they almost look like dust. I kind of think it is the return coolant making those bubbles. I did retorque the head and got some movement out of every bolt. Just thought I'd see what everyone else thinks. Everything runs fine. I just get paranoid when something doesn't look like what I expect it to look like. There was that white exhaust one time, and the little bubbles in the radiator when I rev it hard. what other things can I look at to confirm something is wrong?

Why look if it is running good. White smoke is normal most of the time depending on starting conditions/weather. Its nothing more than a vapor or steam.
If a head gasket is blown it will bubble at the radiator but you will KNOW them when you see them. I suspect the bubbles you see is nothing more than that, water/air bubbles.

If you have a problem you should also be losing some water!! Check the level and leave it alone. Drive it awhile. It at least sounds like your worrying unnecessarily. If your getting water in the combustion chamber you can also tell that by looking at the plugs.
Drive it and keep and eye on it. If it ain't broke don't look for a reason to fix something.

I got one of the block testers that detect combustion gases in the radiator. Everything is good. You were right about the moister in the exhaust part. I only have the exhaust done back to the mufflers. yesterday I finished one side. when I started it up, The side that was finished all of the way got some water out of the pipe, which looks normal to me. The side that was just back to the muffler yet, got the white exhaust (steam) out of it. So the exhaust not going all of the way back was kind of throwing me off to make things look not normal to me.