A lot can go wrong that will result in a seriously damage engine if you blow the head gasket and keep driving your car, truck, or utility vehicle. If you suspect that the head gasket is cracked, have your automobile towed to Clark’s Car Care so we can inspect the gasket and replace it. We are not going to lie; a blown head gasket requires extensive engine repair. Here are signs that your head gasket is blown.
Coolant Loss
One of the things that is going to happen right away is you are going to lose coolant out of the cooling system. When the head gasket cracks, the coolant leaks into the cylinder block. You won’t see coolant spots on the garage floor, but you will lose coolant into the cylinder block and throughout the engine. The engine takes the coolant and burns it away.
White Exhaust
When this happens, your automobile will start to release white exhaust smoke out of the tailpipe. This is a sign that you have burning coolant in the engine. The engine is also going to get too hot, which we will talk about more below, and this excess heat will cause white smoke to come out from underneath the hood. It’s important that you stop driving your automobile if you see this.
Boiling Coolant
Once you cut the engine, you are going to hear boiling sounds coming from it. This is the extremely hot coolant boiling in the radiator overflow reservoir and the radiator. If you continue to drive your automobile, you can blow the radiator. Again, if you suspect that you’ve blown the head gasket and you hear boiling coolant in the engine, have your vehicle towed to our shop.
Overheating
Naturally, all of these things are going to cause the engine to overheat. Consequently, once the head gasket blows, you will see the temperature gauge rise to hot and stay there. This is why it’s important that you stop driving your vehicle. Turning up the heater in an effort to cool off the engine will not reduce the temperature enough to make it safe to drive.
Milky Oil
Another reason why you should not drive your vehicle if you suspect you have a cracked head gasket is that the coolant mixes with the motor oil and dilutes it. When this happens, you do not have enough motor oil protecting the engine. Continuing to drive your automobile will damage the engine.
Call Clark’s Car Care in Naperville, IL, today if you believe you have a cracked head gasket in the engine.