Signs That Your Vehicle is Suffering From a Blown Head Gasket

Your head gasket plays a vital role in your vehicle’s operation. What signs should you be looking for when it comes to your head gasket being blown out? The signs are actually pretty apparent and usually quite noticeable either visually or due to a strong stench. However, when the gasket blows and when the signs become apparent can be two different things, and it’s important to know what to look for or how to spot those issues so that you know when it’s time to schedule a head gasket repair or replacement. We’ll talk a little bit about the importance of the head gasket and signs you should look for when it’s blown out, as well as some tips about what you should do thereafter.

What Is a Head Gasket?

A head gasket is a seal between the engine block, which houses the pistons, and the cylinder head, which houses the valves and spark plugs. The gasket is a seal between the block and head to prevent liquids from spilling into the cylinders or gas pressure from the combustion process from escaping the cylinders. If your engine has multiple cylinder heads, such as a V6, V8, or a Boxer engine such as in a Porsche or Subaru, it will also have multiple head gaskets, one for each cylinder head. Failures may occur in only one head gasket or both at the same time, depending on the nature of the problem.

The head gasket also keeps the oil and coolant flowing throughout the engine block and cylinder head inside the appropriate passages rather than leaking out and mixing together. It plays a vital role in maintaining the longevity of the engine and preventing contamination of the various fluids used to keep the engine lubricated and cool.

What Are the Signs of a Blown Head Gasket?

One of the obvious signs that a head gasket has been blown, cracked, damaged, or corroded is that the gasses it’s supposed to keep within the piston chambers begin to escape, the liquids it’s supposed to seal in begin to leak out, and the pressure it’s supposed to maintain begins to dwindle. These are often made quite apparent through the basic operation of the vehicle, and you will absolutely see or smell signs of this during normal operation. One of the most obvious signs is the loss of gas pressure from the cylinders.

The pistons operate by building up pressure within the cylinders through the combustion of fuel and air mixtures. That compression results in the pistons rotating the crankshaft, which in turn creates the torque that is sent to the transmission and eventually to your wheels. If the pressure within the cylinders escapes due to a faulty or broken head gasket, it lowers the compression ratio inside the combustion chamber and generates less power. You might notice that as you give the vehicle more gas, it does not accelerate properly, or you consistently lose power while accelerating.

Another obvious sign is that the gases escaping from the cylinders can sometimes create bubbles within the engine fluids. This may result in air pockets being created within the coolant, reducing its effectiveness. The coolant may not reach the engine parts as it needs to due to the gaps created by the air bubbles, which can then result in overheating and engine malfunction in the long term.

You might also notice that coolant that leaks from the gasket may form around the gasket, caked up like frosting. This may result in the coolant leaking into the combustion chamber, which may end up being visible by white smoke coming out of the exhaust. This is due to the coolant leaking into the piston chamber and becoming part of the combustion process, which can potentially lead to engine failure. Similarly, oil may leak out of the head gasket and spill where it shouldn’t, resulting in it burning on the hot surfaces it spills on causing smoke, an obvious smell of oil burning, or even a fire.

In short, some of the obvious signs you may be experiencing a cracked or blown gasket are:

• White smoke from the exhaust
• Oil burning on the engine
• Fluid leaks from around the head gasket
• Engine overheating
• Poor performance or engine stuttering

How Can a Head Gasket Blow?

Being aware of the signs of a cracked or blown head gasket is one thing, but knowing how to avoid it is something altogether different. One of the best ways to avoid certain issues is to safeguard the vehicle from encountering those issues and take proper care of the vehicle. However, some of the issues can be caused by things well outside of your control, so you may simply have to account for repairing the problem. Some of these things include:

• Bad design
• Poor implementation
• Excessive misfires
• Overheating
• Lack of proper coolant circulation

Overheating is common when there isn’t enough coolant or the coolant isn’t being properly chilled. This could be due to the radiator not working as intended, such as the radiator cap not being properly secured. Alternatively, the radiator could be failing to cool down the fluid, so only hot coolant keeps being pumped through the engine, and as a result, a buildup of heat and pressure causes the gasket to crack.

Other problems in the cooling system can also lead to the same problem, such as the fans not working, particularly at lower speeds where air doesn’t flow through the radiator as much. Likewise, this problem can also occur due to a bad thermostat, which may not be regulating the coolant temperature properly, and as a result, can lead to overheating and a cracked or blown gasket. Contaminated coolant is another issue that can also lead to breakdowns and failures leading to a blown gasket, which is why it’s always important to have the coolant replaced at scheduled intervals.

Sometimes some drivers are unlucky enough to end up with a bad head gasket that wasn’t properly fitted, or in some cases, simply worn out with age. Essentially, there are a lot of different ways for the head gasket to encounter problems. That’s why it’s equally important to have a service center at the beck and call to help you get it replaced to ensure you don’t incur further engine damage.

What To Do About a Blown Head Gasket

If you encounter or see any of the signs mentioned above that may indicate your head gasket is blown, it’s imperative that you schedule your vehicle for repair as soon as possible. Not addressing the issue will absolutely lead to further issues down the line with your vehicle, including the possibility of blowing out the engine altogether. That’s why head gasket repair is such an important factor to consider if you spot any of the signs that the gasket is blown. At Loganville Ford, we handle blown head gaskets and can monitor, inspect, or test to see if the head gasket on your vehicle is working, cracked, or completely blown out. If you think you may have a blown head gasket, contact us immediately so you can schedule a time to have your vehicle serviced or inspected to ensure that you can get the most longevity out of it possible without worrying about complete engine failure.