J&S Auto Repair advises that a blown head gasket is a serious problem. The purpose of the head gasket is to seal off the combustion chamber from the rest of the engine. This allows compression to build up inside of the chamber so the engine can produce combustion. It also prevents auto fluids, such as coolant and motor oil, from leaking into the cylinders. Here are the problems caused by a blown head gasket.
Coolant Loss
As we just mentioned, the head gasket prevents fluids from leaking into the cylinders. Once the head gasket cracks, the coolant will leave the engine and enter the cylinders where it will be burned away. Unfortunately, this will reduce the level of coolant in the engine and cause it to overheat. We will talk more about this next. Another problem that occurs is the coolant mixes with the motor oil.
Overheating
Let’s talk about the overheating engine first. As you know, if you do not have enough coolant in the engine, the temperature will rise above the maximum temperature of 220 degrees Fahrenheit. This means your engine is going to overheat every time that you drive your automobile because the coolant will continue to leak into the cylinders. Adding coolant to the engine will not help.
In addition, your engine may get hot enough to start boiling the coolant. This opens you up to an entirely different problem that can be extremely dangerous to you. When the coolant gets so hot that it boils in the radiator, it creates a pressure that is strong enough to blow off the radiator cap. If you are standing in front of the radiator when this happens, you will be scolded by the coolant.
White Exhaust
We mentioned above that the coolant is burned in the cylinders. When this happens, it creates white exhaust. If the motor oil also leaks into the cylinders and is burned, it will create blue exhaust. Either way, visible exhaust that is white, blue, or bluish-white is a sign that the head gasket is cracked in your engine. Bring your vehicle to our shop right away so we can repair the problem.
Milky Oil
Time is of the essence because, as we also mentioned above, the coolant will mix with the motor oil and turn it into a milky solution. As the solution circulates through the engine, it will damage it.
We are J&S Auto Repair in Warwick, RI, and we’d be happy to help. Give us a call today.
