A blown head gasket requires extensive repair work to fix it, but it is still no match for CAR FIX in Maryville. Heat is an enemy of the head gasket. As such, if you drive your SUV, truck, or car when the engine is overheating, you run the risk of blowing the head gasket and causing other engine damage. Let’s talk about the signs of a blown head gasket below so you know what to look for in your vehicle.
Loss of Engine Coolant
The head gasket is a crucial engine part. It seals off the top of the cylinder block so compression builds up inside the block for engine combustion. The seal that the head gasket creates also keeps the coolant and motor oil out of the cylinders. When the head gasket blows or cracks, the coolant will leak out of the engine and into the cylinder block where it will be burned away.
Overheating All the Time
It’s probable that your engine was already overheating when the head gasket cracked. This being said, after the head gasket is blown, you will not be able to drive your automobile at a normal temperature. The vehicle will overheat all the time. This is because the coolant isn’t circulating out of the engine and into the cylinder block where, again, it is being burned away.
Blown Radiator Cap
The engine can get so hot that it will blow the radiator cap. This happens when the coolant starts to boil. You will be able to hear the coolant boiling in the engine, so pull over right away and turn off the engine to allow it to cool. Do not pop the hood. The engine is scorching hot and the coolant is scorching hot. If the radiator blows its cap, you could be seriously burned by scalding coolant.
White Engine Exhaust
As we have mentioned above, the coolant is burned away in the cylinder block as the engine produces combustion. Burning coolant produces white exhaust smoke. You will see the smoke flowing out of the tailpipe while you are driving your automobile. Stop driving the vehicle and call for a tow truck.
Diluted Motor Oil
Aside from the heat issues discussed above, another reason why you need to stop driving your vehicle is that the motor oil will fill with coolant once the head gasket cracks. This leaves a mixture of coolant and oil to circulate through the engine and damage it further.
Call CAR FIX in Maryville, TN, today if you believe you have a cracked head gasket in the engine of your automobile.
