Is your car releasing
white smoke? Is the engine overheating? If you have begun to notice that your vehicle
has a blown head gasket, then confirm your suspicion with this article. Here we
will discuss what actually the head gasket is? And what are its symptoms if
something goes wrong with it.
What an irony it is,
inexpensive head gasket costs lots of dollars when replacing. So, if you are in
dilemma of having to spend your hard earned money, first take a look here and
confirm your suspicions before following your mechanic’s advice.
Head gasket of car's engine
is an important component of internal combustion engine and it is located
between engine block and automotive cylinder heads.
It is considered as most critical sealing application in the engine, as its job
is to seal the cylinders ensuring maximum compression and avoiding leakage of
coolant and oil on the cylinders. It also keeps coolant and oil from mixing as
the two fluids travel from engine block to cylinder head. Head gasket also
works to seal hot combustion gases and coolant which can be anywhere from cold
temperatures to normal operating temperatures of your engine. It is quite
unusual for the head gaskets to develop leaks because of large surface area and
range of temperatures of engine block.
A vehicle’s engine is
made to work in extreme conditions with intense heat. This heat may cause the
cylinder head or engine block to expand which in turn will result in a blown
head gasket.
There replacement is
costly because repairing of head gasket means doing operations of removing
engine’s head. You cannot see much of the head gasket on the vehicle without
disassembling engine.
Symptoms
of blown Head Gasket
There are many factors
that could cause a blown head gasket. Visual inspection cannot accurately detect
the problem with blown head gasket. You can read the following symptoms that
most likely occur during this situation.
Tinted
Spark Plugs
The vehicles that use
green coolant may get the problem of tinted spark plugs. A bad or failing head
gasket may cause the greenish substance to deposit on the spark plugs. More
importantly if you notice coolant spraying out of your spark plugs, then
unfortunately the time has come to shed some dollars on head gasket
replacement. You should also check your spark plugs along with head gasket for
any sign of wear or tear.
Aftermarket websites
like Partavatar.ca offer Head gasket set of car and automotive spark plugs under budgetary prices.
Bad
Exhaust System or water leaking from tailpipe
Various issues with the
exhaust system may cause blown head gasket. Water leaking from your car’s
exhaust pipe can indicate to a faulty head gasket. If the exhaust emits sweet
smell or white smoke is coming out of vehicle’s tailpipe, then your head gasket
may need replacement.
If you are inspecting
your car’s exhaust pipes for signs of white smoke, make sure your car is fully
warmed up during warm part of the day. A cold engine will produce small amount
of vapor which will look like white smoke coming out of exhaust pipe.
Bubbling
in the Radiator
High pressure built
during combustion process in the cylinder can push the exhaust gases past the
head gasket into the engine cooling system. The trapped exhaust gases will be
circulated to the car’s radiator via engine. If the head gasket is having a
leak, there is a high possibility of emission of air bubbles out of the
radiator.
In this situation it is
not wise to remove the radiator cap immediately as the engine cooling system is
still under pressure. You can also check the presence of air bubbles in coolant
overflow tank or you can rev your engine many times. If air bubbles are found,
then no time should be wasted on thinking for replacement, just do it.
Overheating
of the Engine
Engine overheating is
one of the first common sign pointing towards a blown head gasket. During
overheating, metal of the engine block and head expands beyond limits. Any
damage to head gasket will lead to loss of compression by the engine eventually
causing the engine to overheat. If you experience overheating, it is advised to
shut the engine down and call for the professionals before damaging other
engine components along with the gasket. It is advised to stop the car when car's engine overheats.
Milky
White coloration in the oil
After the engine is
turned off, the coolant that is still left inside enters engine oil through
piston rings. You can check the vehicle’s
oil cap to detect this issue. A white milky substance is
formed when the coolant mixes with the oil. If the milky ring is found around
the cap, then the oil is probably contaminated by the coolant. In this
situation you may have to flushout the contaminated automotive oil along with the replacement of head
gasket.
These are some of the
common symptoms though there are various causes of a blown head gasket. It is
advised not to keep your vehicle running if any of these symptoms is detected.
This is because driving further with damaged head gasket may erode metal head
or engine block or even you may have to replace engine itself. Relax on the
roadside and wait for mechanic to examine things other than increasing your
repair bill.
How
to prevent the head gasket failure
The best way to prevent
head gasket failure is to keep the cooling system in the top working order.
Engine should be checked periodically for any sign of leaks or other damaging
symptoms.
Thermostat or coolant hose failure may fuel up
the engine damage. It is also important to keep the coolant at proper level and
correct mixture should be used especially manufacturers recommended are
advised. Partsavatar offers good quality thermostats of car
and automotive coolant,
check it out.
It is also advised to
watch the temperature gauge, as rising temperature may cause problems for the
gasket.
Do not replace the head
gasket by yourself as it not a beginner’s job to do so. It is wise to take help
of a professional.
If you wish to purchase
replacement auto parts,
then Partsavatar offers a good deal of aftermarket auto parts under budgetary
prices.
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