How Do You Know When You Have a Blown Head Gasket?

A blown head gasket can be very bad news. It’s very expensive to fix and in this article we will provide symptoms so you can keep an eye out on your vehicle. The above picture displays how coolant has made it's way into an engine's cylinders resulting from a blown head gasket.

Overheating

The biggest cause of a blown head gasket is overheating. Before replacing the gasket, it’s vital that you find the cause of the overheating problem. It could be due to coolant leaks in the engine, the hoses, the radiator or the water pump. These have to be found and repaired. It could also be due to the cooling fan not working or the radiator being clogged. Again, these need to be fixed or, you’ll end up with another blown head gasket again shortly after your repair leaving you on the side of the road.

IF YOUR EXHAUST SHOOTS WHITE SMOKE OUT IT COULD BE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Installation Error

If you have had a blown head gasket replaced on your vehicle and you solved the problem of why it blew in the first place, the likely cause this time will be installation error. This is not particularly uncommon. When head gaskets are installed the head bolts need to be tightened in the correct sequence and set to the proper torque. They also need to have clean threads and are not stretched or damage during installation. The cylinder head surfaces and engine block also need to be smooth, clean and flat. Any one of these factors can cause a blown head gasket. 

Hot Spots

There are engines that are prone to hot spots between the center cylinders in the cylinder head, although aftermarket head gaskets for these engines are reinforced to lessen the possibility of a blown head gasket.

However, if you have an older car, the hot spot could be the cause especially if your old head gasket has been replaced by the aftermarket one that’s not reinforced.

Pre-ignition Problems

Pre-ignition problems can cause a blown head gasket, especially if you only use your car for city driving. With pre-ignition, there’s a hot spot in the chamber which causes ignition of the fuel before the spark plug has a chance to fire. It could also be due to detonation. This happens if the spark timing is too advanced or the fuel mixture is not rich enough. It causes carbon deposits to build up and ultimately erodes and blows the head gasket.

Bad Head Gasket

In some cases, the original head gasket for the car can just be very badly designed and the poor design can cause a blown head gasket over a period of time. A little research will establish if your vehicle is prone to poor designs, once you replace it t with a good head gasket, you should not experience any further failures.

HERE IS A VIDEO OF A PRESSURE TEST SHOWING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Rick's Complete Automotive

6560 Railroad Ave. 

Forestville CA 95436

(707)887-1641