Put a vacuum gauge on it and see what you get. Here'* a little sheet on using a vacuum gauge to determine engine sealing and efficiency.

Evaluating engine operation and pinpointing specific problems requires a comprehensive testing routine. Here'* how to do it.
There'* nothing more basic than the fact that an engine is just a big air pump. It draws in air by creating a low-pressure area in the intake manifold and cylinders, compresses the air, mixes in a little gasoline, lights a fire, generates heat and pressure and finally pumps out the spent exhaust. Our preoccupation today with things electronic sometimes makes us overlook old-fashioned mechanical symptoms of problems and the mechanical test equipment used to troubleshoot them. Vacuum gauges are often in this category, but the insight that a vacuum gauge can provide is as valuable today as it was 30, 40 or 50 years ago.
Remember that engine vacuum is just air pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. The starting point to evaluate engine vacuum is the intake manifold. When you connect a gauge to a tap on the intake, you're measuring manifold vacuum. Note that vacuum will vary in different areas of the engine, such as above or below the throttle valve and right at the intake and exhaust ports.
Vacuum drawn from an opening ahead of the throttle is called ported vacuum. Throttle opening affects ported vacuum opposite to the way it affects manifold vacuum. For example, at closed throttle, manifold vacuum is at its peak. But there is no significant vacuum at a port ahead of the throttle plate when the throttle is closed. Vacuum appears at such a port only when the throttle opens.
It'* important to remember that manifold vacuum is used to power vehicle systems that need a steady supply of low-pressure air under all engine operating conditions. These systems include power brake boosters, a/c vacuum motors and some emissions controls.
Ported vacuum is used to control vehicle systems in relation to engine load. These include old-fashioned distributor vacuum advance diaphragms and carburetor assist devices. They also include many emissions control devices and transmission shift points. Under some engine load conditions, ported vacuum may equal manifold vacuum, but it can never exceed it.
Get Out the Gauge
Most vacuum gauges are graduated in inches of mercury (in.-Hg) and millimeters of mercury (mm-Hg). Some also show the modern metric scale of kilopascals (kPa). For comparison, 1 in.-Hg equals 25.4mm-Hg, or about 3.4 kPa. For this review, we'll stick to in.-Hg, or simply inches of vacuum.
Because engine vacuum is based on comparison with atmospheric pressure, it varies with altitude just as atmospheric (barometric) pressure does. The following table shows that as altitude increases, vacuum decreases about 1 inch for every 1000 feet above sea level.
Inches of Altitude Vacuum
Sea level-1000 ft. 18-22
1000-2000 ft. 17-21
2000-3000 ft. 16-20
3000-4000 ft. 15-19
4000-5000 ft. 14-18
5000-6000 ft. 13-17
Normal manifold vacuum at idle for an engine in good condition is about 18 to 22 in.-Hg. Manufacturers used to publish vacuum specs in service manuals, but this isn't as common as it was years ago. Still, the physics of internal combustion haven't changed in a hundred years, so the guidelines given here are a good starting point for vacuum gauge troubleshooting. Your best analysis based on vacuum readings will come from your own experience, however. As you use a vacuum gauge on different engines, you'll learn what'* typical for one model compared to another. Some engines have reputations as low-vacuum motors; others are unusually higher than average. Experience is your best teacher.
Cranking Vacuum & Speed Tests
You can get a quick basic appraisal of engine condition by connecting a vacuum gauge to the manifold and a tachometer to the ignition to check vacuum and rpm at cranking speed. Warm up the engine first, then shut it down and connect your test equipment. Close the throttle and disable the ignition, or use a remote starter so the engine won't start. Crank the engine for 10 to 15 seconds and observe the vacuum and tach readings.
Note that different engines produce different cranking vacuum readings. Some carmakers publish specifications; others don't. Again, experience will be your best guide. What you're looking for, most importantly, is steady vacuum and cranking speed.
If the cranking speed is steady (about 200 rpm) and vacuum also is steady (around 5 inches), the engine most likely is in good mechanical condition. If rpm and vacuum are uneven, the cylinders aren't pumping equally. The engine probably has leakage past the valves, rings or head gasket. If the vacuum reading is pretty steady but cranking speed is not, you're probably looking at a damaged flywheel ring gear or starter. If the cranking speed is normal or high but vacuum is low and slightly uneven, the engine probably has low compression or retarded valve timing. A jumped timing chain or belt is a common cause here.
The cranking vacuum test also can provide a quick test for PCV restrictions. Perform the test and note the average vacuum reading. Then pinch the hose to the PCV valve closed with your pliers and repeat the test. If the PCV system is clear, vacuum should increase. If it doesn't, check the PCV system closer for restrictions.
What Idle Tests Can Reveal
You can zero in on several basic mechanical problems by taking a quick look at manifold vacuum. Warm the engine to normal temperature-get it really warm-and connect your vacuum gauge. Make sure you connect to a manifold vacuum tap and not to ported vacuum. Connecting a tachometer also is a good idea.
Just to be sure that the evaporative emissions system doesn't interfere with vacuum testing, disconnect and plug the canister purge hose and its manifold port. If you're testing an OBD II car, check for evap-related DTCs when you finish testing to be sure none set.
Run the engine at idle, low cruise (1800 to 2200 rpm) and high cruise (2500 to 3000 rpm). Note the vacuum readings, and any fluctuations, at each speed. Next, hold engine speed steady at about 2500 rpm for 15 seconds and read the gauge. Now release the throttle and watch the gauge as the speed drops. The vacuum reading should jump as the throttle closes, then drop back to its normal idle reading. If vacuum doesn't increase at least a couple of inches when you release the throttle, you may be looking at worn rings, cylinders or valves.
Idle vacuum for most engines is about 18 to 22 in.-Hg, but some may produce only 15 to 17 inches at idle. (Remember what we said about experience.) If vacuum is steady and within these ranges, the engine and fuel and ignition systems are operating normally.
If vacuum is steady at idle but lower than normal, the ignition or valve timing may be retarded. Low compression, an intake leak or tight valves also can cause low vacuum at idle.
If the vacuum reading fluctuates within the normal range-the gauge needle bounces around a lot-uneven compression (broken rings or leaking valves or head gasket in one or two cylinders) is a likely culprit. An uneven air/fuel mix, erratic ignition timing, a misfire, misadjusted valves or a manifold leak near one or two cylinders also are possible causes.
If vacuum drops intermittently at idle, one or more valves may be sticking open or dragging. Higher-than-normal vacuum at idle is a common clue to overly advanced ignition timing, while low vacuum can indicate retarded timing.
Low vacuum also can be an immediate clue to a plugged exhaust. To check further, run the engine at about 2500 rpm for about 15 seconds. If vacuum drops during this period and does not increase when you close the throttle, you're almost certainly looking at a restricted exhaust.
Vacuum Fluctuations & Power Balance
Several of the guidelines in this article have distinguished between steady vacuum gauge readings and fluctuating readings, where the gauge needle bounces up and down erratically. This may seem secondary-almost inconsequential-but it'* an important distinction. A steady but abnormal vacuum reading indicates a problem common to all cylinders. Things like incorrect ignition timing or an old, tired, high-mileage engine affect vacuum equally for all cylinders. A bouncing needle, however, usually indicates that the problem is localized to one or just a few cylinders. Here'* where power balance testing enters the picture.
Compression testing on many late-model engines is flatly impractical from a labor standpoint for a quick engine evaluation. That'* especially true on some of the weird vans for which removing and reinstalling spark plugs is a two-hour job. It'* relatively quick and easy, however, to connect a vacuum gauge to the manifold and your engine analyzer to the ignition system.
If your initial vacuum tests produce gauge fluctuations, you have a definite indication that the problem is limited to just one or a few cylinders. In these instances, a power balance test can help you pinpoint those cylinders and the condition they're in. Does the engine need a valve job (fluctuating vacuum) or a complete engine exchange due to universally worn rings and cylinders (steadily low vacuum)? Combine modern power balance testing with traditional vacuum analysis and you'll have the answer.

Thanks for the replies!
We will follow instructions and report back...

We did not take the timing cover off. We bought the car and drove it home about 80 miles. The next day we started inspecting it a bit better and discovered the crud in the radiator. After sitting idling it started smoking a little. It did not smoke during the drive home.
We then got one of the chemical combustion leak testers and checked for a blown head gasket. The test fluid turned green/yellow indicating combustion gas getting into the coolant. We repeated this test several times with the same results.
Next we dumped the engine oil and it looked fine with no sings of water in it.
Next we proceed to take the engine apart down to the cylinder heads. We took the cylinder heads to a machine shop where they were cleaned, supposedly tested, and new valve seals installed on them. Wt put everything back together including a new plastic upper intake manifold.

I think the first thing we are going to do today is flush the coolant one more time and then do the chemical test again for combustion gas in the coolant. If that comes back positive then that would probably mean the block or a cylinder head is cracked. Then we will have to go from there...

Thanks
Anna

Ok well, not so good news. We did the chemical combustion test and it failed.
When we had the cylinder heads off we looked real close at the top of the block and the cylinders and didn't see anything that appeared to be a crack.
We took the cylinders to a shop who was suppose to have checked them. He said he pressure tested them.
I personally cleaned the block deck with a razor blade, cleaner, and wire brush and didn't see any cracks on the top of the block deck.
We, nor the machine shop, could find signs of a bad head gasket by looking at the old gaskets or cylinder head.

So what to do from here?

We have ran the engine for 2 or 3 hours today as well as drove the car about 2 or 3 miles two times. originally there was no coolant in the oil and we don't see any signs now.
The engine would start smoking a little out the exhaust if it sat and idled,,, It is not smoking at all now.
SO it appears the combustion gas is only entering the coolant. The temp goes up to around 220F while idling and then the fan comes on and it cools down. It was 95F outside today.

So what to do from here? Maybe drive it till it quits?
My son has a 1992 with very bad suspension, cracked windshield, and drivers door wont open.. Perhaps swap the engine?

Thanks
Anna

You could disconnect electrical from each injector one-by-one until you find which one does not put exhaust in the coolant. That would get you closer.

You may have a false positive on the hydrocarbon test. I would drive it as is for now. If nothing is obvious after 500 or a 1000 miles I would call it good.

Thanks everybody.. An update here. We got the car completely back together and have driven it about 60 miles today with about 1/2 of that at highway speeds. The temperature is holding at about 195f which is the thermostat is. With the AC off and sitting in traffic or a drive through, the engine heats up to about 220f and then one of the cooling fans come on and it cools back down.

As to the hard starting like timing is too high, NEW battery fixed that. The old battery was showing 10.5 volts. We put the battery from my sons 92 in and it starts fine now.

I think we sill have the long start problem after the car has sat for a while. I will have to buy a fuel pressure gauge to check that.


As to the vacuum test. I was by myself and could not do the cranking vacuum test but did connect the gauge to the vacuum tree was reading 18.5 to 19. The needle was not moving rapidly between 18.5 to 19 but very slowly, you had to watch for it to move.. So I believe everything is good there. When blip-ping the throttle, the gauge dropped to 0 and then quickly jumped up past the green on the gauge then right back down to 19. I believe that is normal also.


Cathedralclub,,, Thanks for the simple idea about disconnecting the injectors one at a time! i wish we would have done that when i first started this project. At least we would have know which cylinder to examine closest. . The old head gaskets have absolutely no sign of a leak. I stopped buy the machine shop today and the guy said YES he did pressure test the heads and they were fine.

There is absolutely no sings of a bad head gasket or cracked block/head that you can tell by driving the car "right now". The only to know there is a problem is to do a hydrocarbon test or watch the air bubbles and coolant burp out the radiator with the cap off.

We have the new radiator on now and running distilled water. We will be taking the lower hose off every couple of days for a while before we finally add the 50/50 mix. The water in the system is still getting brownish looking after driving several miles. Removing the lower hose from the radiator is easy and dumps out about 1/2 of the water each time.

So I guess we just drive it for now and see what happens... Maybe we can get some of our money back using it for a local daily driver.

Thanks to all who have helped us out with this project. I do want to find out what the difference is between the 1992 and 1994 engine and transmission. Our original plan was to take anything off the 92 that might fit the 94 and scrap the rest...
Thanks
Anna

Thanks for letting us know how it turned out!