When it comes to important auto parts, the head gasket is at the top. Service Masters advises that this gasket provides a crucial seal to protect the cylinder block and enhance combustion. This seal keeps the motor oil and engine coolant out of the combustion chamber where they don’t belong. The seal also helps the combustion chamber produce compression, a key component for engine combustion. The following are signs that you are driving your automobile with a blown head gasket. This is a huge problem.
Leaking Coolant
Right away, coolant is going to start to leak into the cylinder block once the head gasket blows. A blown head gasket means that the gasket has a crack in it. This usually happens if the gasket is subjected to excess heat. You cannot afford to have the coolant leaking into the cylinder block because this means you don’t have enough coolant in the engine. Consequently, your engine will suffer from…
Constant Overheating
If your engine is overheating while you are driving your automobile, pull over and call for a tow truck. Even if you add coolant to the cooling system, the fresh coolant will also leak into the cylinder block. This is a no-win situation that can only be resolved by replacing the head gasket. As long as the head gasket has a crack in it, your engine is going to overheat when you drive your automobile.
In addition to the leaking coolant, the engine is also being exposed to the extreme heat that is found in the combustion chamber. This heat increases the engine’s temperature to the point where the coolant will boil. You will see your temperature gauge rise on the dashboard. Again, pull over. If you continue to drive your vehicle with the engine this hot, you could crack the engine block.
Diluted Motor Oil
The heat is the only thing that is going to damage your engine if you drive your automobile with a cracked head gasket. The other thing that will damage the engine is diluted motor oil. Unfortunately, aside from making its way into the cylinder block, the coolant also mixes with the motor oil.
White Engine Exhaust
Finally, you will know that you are driving with a cracked head gasket if you see exhaust smoke flowing out of your tailpipe that is white. The burning coolant in the cylinders is what creates this exhaust.
Service Master in Clearwater, FL, would be happy to help, so call us today and arrange to have your vehicle towed to our shop if the head gasket is cracked.